Page 13 - THE SOUTH CHINA BUSINESS JOURNAL
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mer Prime Minister of Norway, Dr. Gro Harlem prepare us. We need to re-examine how to change the
Brundtland, Board Chair of Business for Peace Foundation, process so that the professionals in charge actually
Per Saxegaard, and Dr. Harley Seyedin (left to right). have us prepared.
Photo by Oslo Business for Peace Foundation.
One of the things that I consider the responsibility of
distributed over one million USD to frontline business, is that while we try to overcome the current
workers. Business has an obligation to move difficulties, we must look forward to the future. For
ahead and not wait for direction. We cannot wait example my partners and I in Allelon Energy Systems,
for governments to take action; they have their built a power plant in a poor area of China in 1993.
own priorities. Business has an obligation to fill That area developed as a result of having electricity,
the void, to continue to secure the supply chain. and they became one of the most well-off areas of
China.
One of the many studies we have done this year
was in March, and focused on the supply chain. We reduced our carbon footprint of the city several
The study raised the alarm that 32% of the 237 years ago by decommissioning that plant. We took
companies we surveyed in China were already care to make sure that the land was redeveloped
facing shortage of materials or were already and turned it into one of the world’s largest medical
out. A good portion of these products were to be instrument development and manufacturing centres.
shipped to Asia, Europe, and the U.S. We need to We will be investing in similar projects to create high-
guarantee that continual movement of supplies. skilled jobs and to produce all kinds of things that can
help solve current and future problems.
We are helping people with immediate needs
like masks and supplies, and helping to make sure How do you hope the world changes in the
the supply chain is open and operational. Most of aftermath of this crisis?
our member companies are now fully operational
again. There are some that are not, but that is There is a fire burning in each and every one of us.
because there are 50,000 expats who have not It doesn’t matter what religion you are, what country
been able to return to China yet. We are working you’re from or what your race might be. None of that
with several authorities on that to try to find ways matters. That fire is to give our children a better life
to get production back up to the top level. than the one we have ourselves. Every investment I’ve
ever made, I’ve always kept in mind that whoever is
How have you as a leader responded touched by my investment, is going to have the ability
with regards to your team? What sort of to give their children a better life than they have. I
leadership demands have been on you? think that I have achieved that in every one of my
investments.
We have an excellent team. Everyone here
recognises that the problem is everybody’s If we go forward with that in mind, then all of the
problem, and no one person can do it alone. No questions of a better environment, global warming,
country can do it alone. world hunger, all of these things will have been
answered, because our focus will have been to create
What I see is that a lot of people are pointing a world where ALL of us can give our children a better
their finger at the politicians for not being as life than we had.
prepared as they perhaps should have been.
However, every country in the world is staffed If we make that a reality for everyone, we will not
with thousands of professionals whose job is to worry about wars, hunger, or the environment.
Whatever you do, whatever your investment, has to
have this in mind.
____________________________________
This interview is a part of a series highlighting
#businessworthy efforts in response to covid-19
and has been edited for length and format. Watch
the full interview here:https://www.facebook.com/
businessworthy/videos/2880110645413004/
SOUTH CHINA BUSINESS JOURNAL 10
Brundtland, Board Chair of Business for Peace Foundation, process so that the professionals in charge actually
Per Saxegaard, and Dr. Harley Seyedin (left to right). have us prepared.
Photo by Oslo Business for Peace Foundation.
One of the things that I consider the responsibility of
distributed over one million USD to frontline business, is that while we try to overcome the current
workers. Business has an obligation to move difficulties, we must look forward to the future. For
ahead and not wait for direction. We cannot wait example my partners and I in Allelon Energy Systems,
for governments to take action; they have their built a power plant in a poor area of China in 1993.
own priorities. Business has an obligation to fill That area developed as a result of having electricity,
the void, to continue to secure the supply chain. and they became one of the most well-off areas of
China.
One of the many studies we have done this year
was in March, and focused on the supply chain. We reduced our carbon footprint of the city several
The study raised the alarm that 32% of the 237 years ago by decommissioning that plant. We took
companies we surveyed in China were already care to make sure that the land was redeveloped
facing shortage of materials or were already and turned it into one of the world’s largest medical
out. A good portion of these products were to be instrument development and manufacturing centres.
shipped to Asia, Europe, and the U.S. We need to We will be investing in similar projects to create high-
guarantee that continual movement of supplies. skilled jobs and to produce all kinds of things that can
help solve current and future problems.
We are helping people with immediate needs
like masks and supplies, and helping to make sure How do you hope the world changes in the
the supply chain is open and operational. Most of aftermath of this crisis?
our member companies are now fully operational
again. There are some that are not, but that is There is a fire burning in each and every one of us.
because there are 50,000 expats who have not It doesn’t matter what religion you are, what country
been able to return to China yet. We are working you’re from or what your race might be. None of that
with several authorities on that to try to find ways matters. That fire is to give our children a better life
to get production back up to the top level. than the one we have ourselves. Every investment I’ve
ever made, I’ve always kept in mind that whoever is
How have you as a leader responded touched by my investment, is going to have the ability
with regards to your team? What sort of to give their children a better life than they have. I
leadership demands have been on you? think that I have achieved that in every one of my
investments.
We have an excellent team. Everyone here
recognises that the problem is everybody’s If we go forward with that in mind, then all of the
problem, and no one person can do it alone. No questions of a better environment, global warming,
country can do it alone. world hunger, all of these things will have been
answered, because our focus will have been to create
What I see is that a lot of people are pointing a world where ALL of us can give our children a better
their finger at the politicians for not being as life than we had.
prepared as they perhaps should have been.
However, every country in the world is staffed If we make that a reality for everyone, we will not
with thousands of professionals whose job is to worry about wars, hunger, or the environment.
Whatever you do, whatever your investment, has to
have this in mind.
____________________________________
This interview is a part of a series highlighting
#businessworthy efforts in response to covid-19
and has been edited for length and format. Watch
the full interview here:https://www.facebook.com/
businessworthy/videos/2880110645413004/
SOUTH CHINA BUSINESS JOURNAL 10
