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V I G N E T T E S / M Y T H O U G H T S I'm passionate about life and I'm pas- sionate about all the things that the team at Virgin have created. It would be very sad if everybody else was working enormously hard to make sure that we make sure that the com- pany they work for is the best in the world, but I wasn't equally as excited and passionate. I'm as interested now as I was thirty years ago. Virgin Unite, the non-proft foundation, was founded in 2004. We brought together the Virgin communities globally, and Virgin Unite mobilizes the entrepreneurial energy and resources across the group and beyond. Virgin Unite tackles tough social and environmental challenges in an entrepreneurial way. The aim is to reinvent how people live and work in the world by revolutionizing the way businesses, government and the social sector collaborate–showing that business can, and must, be a force for good. I've been working closely with Virgin Unite to bring together the right partners to help create new global leadership models to address confict, climate change and disease. Virgin Unite is a small international team of 16, and its mission is to unite great people and entrepreneurial ideas, reinventing how we live and work to help make people's lives beter. We believe business can be a force for good in the world–and that this is also good for business. We do this in three ways: First up, we incubate new approaches to leadership such as Te Elders, Carbon War Room and Te B Team and lead the debate, amplifying our voice on issues that are important to the world. Secondly, we support entrepreneurs around the world as they launch and grow businesses, creating jobs and opportunities. And fnally, we work across the Virgin Group and beyond, helping businesses to innovate and prioritise people and the planet alongside profts. The Elders is chaired by Kof Annan and includes Jimmy Carter and is an independent group of global leaders who work together for peace and human rights. Working largely through quiet diplomacy, Te Elders have, for instance, promoted equal rights for girls and women, advanced reconciliation and healing in Côte d'Ivoire, and supported greater openness and dialogue between Iran and the international community. The B Team is a not-for-proft initia- tive recently formed by a global group of leaders to create a future where the purpose of business is to be a driv- ing force for social, environmental and economic beneft. Working with a global community of advisors and partners, the B Team's 16 members seek to catalyse a "Plan B" for busi- ness, to ensure the wellbeing of people and the planet. Tey have identifed 12 key challenges that is their focus to create their vision of business. One of the most inspiring examples of success is the way in which Paul Polman has instilled a sense of purpose at Unilever, one of the world's largest multinational corporations. Devising an ambitious 'sustainable living' plan, Paul has set Sir Richard Branson 34 Sir Richard Branson, founder and chief executive ofcer of the Virgin Group, has turned his business-orientated mind to non-proft charitable endeavours. After over thirty years of innovation, Branson is utilizing his highly skilled Virgin team to generate solutions and raise awareness of some difcult social and environmental problems. • Virgin Unite is the working name of Te Virgin Foundation, the independent charitable arm of the Virgin Group. Created by Branson and Virgin employees in 2004, Virgin Unite pools volunteering efforts from across the Virgin company and its subsidiaries and associated companies to grow the efforts of grassroots charitable organizations. • Te primary aim of the foundation is to make sustainable change through economic development towards tough social and environmental issues. Tese include addressing the issue of delivering healthcare to rural parts of Africa. Branson and Virgin underwrite all the operating costs of the Virgin Unite; so all contributions can be applied to the work of making the world a better place. • Tempus caught up with the philanthropist to understand the work behind Virgin Unite, Branson's charitable sector under the Virgin umbrella and he took time recently to share his thoughts.