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  • May 2021
  • Case
  • HBS Case Collection

André Hoffmann: Beyond Philanthropy

By: Lauren Cohen, Hao Gao, Jiawei Ye and Spencer C.N. Hagist
  • Format:Print
  • | Language:English
  • | Pages:15
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Abstract

André Hoffmann is a leader of one of the world's largest pharmaceutical companies. His exceptional tenure in philanthropy over the past several decades, including being president of the WWF and the vice-president of the MAVA Foundation, has allowed him access to a far broader scope of the field than most philanthropists can have in a lifetime. Through these experiences, he has indicated a set of key factors that cause philanthropy and social impact efforts to fail, both consistently and silently, and that threaten the future of the planet in the wake of such time-sensitive global issues as climate change, resource overuse, and ecological destruction. His plan to fix the system involved a fundamental restructuring of not only philanthropy, but of the broader business landscape itself, including a dramatic reframing of how we understand cash flows and profits across industries. The measures cannot come from one body alone, and will require immense cooperation of enterprises if the world is meant to ever stand a chance.

Keywords

Strategy; Philanthropy and Charitable Giving; Restructuring; Social Entrepreneurship; Values and Beliefs; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Environmental Sustainability; Cash Flow; Macroeconomics; Ethics; Business and Stakeholder Relations; Switzerland; United States; Japan

Citation

Cohen, Lauren, Hao Gao, Jiawei Ye, and Spencer C.N. Hagist. "André Hoffmann: Beyond Philanthropy." Harvard Business School Case 221-093, May 2021.
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About The Author

Lauren H. Cohen

Finance
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  • The Micro-Family Office: Aamir Rehman By: Lauren Cohen and Sophia Pan
  • Techint: Strategic Choices for Community Impact By: Lauren Cohen, Virak Prum, Kenneth Charman, Pedro Levindo and Mariana Cal
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