Logo Prix Voltaire International 2025
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ABOUT PRIX VOLTAIRE INTERNATIONAL

PAUL POLMAN

David Katz

JENNIFER HOLMGREN

PETER BAKKER

TO BE ANNOUNCED

A BRIEF INTRODUCTION

In September 2015 the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development was adopted by all members of the United Nations, providing a ‘Shared Blueprint for Peace and Prosperity for People and the Planet, now and in the future..’ The agenda’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) are an urgent call to action for all countries in a Global partnership.

 

Since that moment awareness for the sustainability subjects has gone through an impressive development and its topics increasingly became a priority to society.
At the start of 2017 the Prix Voltaire International Foundation (PVI) is was established by three Dutch businessmen. The founders were aiming to honour and stimulate the activities and achievements of ‘Free Spirits’; individuals striving for sustainable innovation and development challenging society’s dogmas, institutions and conventions. These spirits contribute to the 21st Centuries Enlightenment which PVI considers to be essential to the support and achievement of the targets set in the SDG’s. They were named Friendly Fighters For Futureproof Fundamentals.

 

The Prix Voltaire International Foundation wants to underline the importance of  sustainability by honouring the Friendly Fighters with the Nobel Prize. This is why the digital petition ‘Sustainobel’ was introduced recently. Until a Nobel Prize for Sustainability is reality, Prix Voltaire has a cause; top support the Friendly Fighters and present them as modern heroes of our time. They are an example of positivity and innovation to society: the keys to the SDG’s.

PAUL POLMAN


Paul Polman is responsible for an impressive list of achievements supporting the Sustainable Goals.

In his position of CEO at Unilever he has steered the organisation in an impactful change towards Sustainability. Unilever today is sourcing the majority of its inputs on a sustainable basis. At the time he said ‘consumers see food shortages, malnutrition and climate change, and governments are not addressing those problems. Companies that do this will get a competitive advantage.’

He is former chair of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development and was on the board of directors of the Consumer Goods Forum, leading its sustainability efforts. He is also a member of board of the UN Global Compact. Polman served as one of the 27 members of the UN High Level Panel of Eminent Persons on the Post-2015 Development Agenda.

In 2016 Polman was selected by former UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon to be an SDG Advocate, tasked with helping build widespread support for the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. He was again appointed in 2019 by the current Secretary-General António Guterres.

Award designer: Margje Teeuwen

DAVID KATZ


With his efforts, his appearance and his persuasive communication he is an inspiration for many people around the globe and he is a role model to entrepreneurs. He created real banks where people can trade plastic for plastic money and he creates opportunities for many by presenting the re-use of an end product called Social Plastic.

With his initiatives he is reaching down to the most personal level where people can benefit, to make money out of our waste, being plastic. Not only does he do very important work for the environment, he also contributes to poverty reduction. He involves poor people and encourages them to clean up their own area and at the same time earn money with it. His initiatives, among which in Haiti, Indonesia and the Philippines have a global impact.

David has shows a highly developed moral compass and personal leadership. In his work for the Values Institute he helped entrepreneurs to look at business in a different way, and as a father he helped other fathers who have children with diseases. In his operation he works on the blockchain to prevent misuse of the system.

Award designer: Willem Schouten

JENNIFER HOLMGREN


Jennifer Holmgren is a True Friendly Fighter For Future-proof Fundamentals. Her spirit as leader and CEO of Lanzatech and Lanzajet are impressive, knowing she had to overcome challenging situations in her life to reach the position as a high calibre female leader; her technical study, her qualification and the position of her organisation in an environment dominated by men.

She is an inspiration to other, young women in the world. Fighting for the concrete introduction of innovative, game changing ideas. Her own words: “ I like to work on things that can’t be done’ characterize and describe best what makes her outstanding. She is doing something that seemed impossible, she is changing the way of thinking, finding

an alternative to aviation fuel. This is thinking in a new way, in the true spirit of Voltaire. That is what marks our future going forward: Things that seemingly can not be done will be realised by those who take the challenges on.

Award designer: Chi Wing Lo

PETER BAKKER


Peter Bakker joined the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) in 2012 as President and CEO. At WBCSD, Over 230 of the world’s forward-thinking companies work together to accelerate the transition to a sustainable world. We are a global, CEO-led organisation whose mission is to accelerate the transition to a sustainable world by making more sustainable business more successful.

Their vision is to build a world where nine billion people are living well and within the boundaries of the planet, by 2050. In 2010, he was appointed Chairman of War Child Holland, focusing on eliminating the scourge of children soldiers. In the following year, 2011, he was appointed as Global Ambassador against Hunger by the World Food Programme.Peter is known for his social involvement.

Both privately and in his position as CEO of TNT, he is committed to a better world and CSR policy. At TNT he started the World Food Program, which focuses on food shortages. He also founded Planet Me, which focuses on climate change.He was a recipient of the Clinton Global Citizen Award in 2009 and of the Sustainability Leadership Award in 2010. In addition, he is a member of the Corporate Sustainability Advisory Boards of several international corporations such as IKEA, Daimler and P&G.

Award design: Wastecraft