Leadership Next

Typically, company CEOs also serve as Chairman of the Board. But that's not the case at AT&T. Bill Kennard is the newly installed Chair at AT&T and today, he's our guest on Leadership Next. The pandemic has made clear the importance of universal broadband access - and just how far the U.S. is from that goal. Kids struggling to connect to remote school "hits us in our gut" Kennard tells Alan Murray and Ellen McGirt. He lays out the history of this problem, and explains what needs to be done to fix it. Also in today's conversation: the innovations likely to come from 5G, and the race to establish standards for the technology; diversity in corporate America; and a favorite Leadership Next topic - the role of corporations in society.

Ever since he fell ill with COVID-19, Visa CEO Al Kelly has made sure his 21,000 employees know they have a role to play in ending the global pandemic. And while he's made a full recovery, he admits Visa is still feeling some pain as the coronavirus continues to depress spending on travel and entertainment. But long-term, it seems as though the pandemic may wind up being good for business. Alan Murray and Ellen McGirt dig into why that is, and then move on to a variety of other topics: how Bitcoin is impacting Visa, the company's renewed efforts to boost internal diversity, its commitment to the environment, and how Kelly's faith impacts him as a leader.

One year ago we were just beginning to feel the impact of COVID-19 here in the U.S. And our efforts to fight the virus were in early innings. But it was already clear to 3M's Mike Roman that the coronavirus was a force to be reckoned with. 3M is the company behind N95 respirators. Demand for the product took off early last year, and has remained incredibly high ever since.. Today on Leadership Next, Roman tells Alan Murray and Ellen McGirt what the early days of the pandemic were like for the company and how his employees worked to meet increased demand. He shares 3M's response to the killing of George Floyd, the company's newest sustainability efforts, and his approach to stakeholder capitalism. Also in today's episode, Deloitte's Joe Ucuzoglu details findings from a recent Fortune/Deloitte survey of big company CEOs, highlighting their thoughts on returning to offices, resuming business travel, and more.

Has the stock market lost touch with reality? That’s the first thing Alan Murray and Ellen McGirt want to know from this week’s Leadership Next guest, S&P Global CEO Doug Peterson. The conversation quickly turns to talk of ESG investing – the desire by investors to know their money is being invested in companies that are doing good for people and planet. Recent studies have shown that not only are big dollars flowing into these types of investments, but the funds themselves are outperforming the general market. Is this a trend that’s here to stay? And just because an investment claims to be ESG friendly, how do you know that’s really true?

Jeff Immelt was the CEO of General Electric for 16 years. It was a controversial run to say the least. During his tenure company stock plunged, wiping out well over $100 billion in market value. Now, Immelt is ready to talk about what went wrong – and, what went right. He’s written a new book called Hot Seat: What I Learned Leading a Great American Company. And today, he joins Alan Murray and Ellen McGirt on Leadership Next. Also in today’s episode, Fortune’s Geoff Colvin who has spent years chronicling the company and has his own insight to offer.

Years ago, the average person didn’t have a cell phone – mobile phones were a tool used primarily by big business. Of course today everyone has a phone in their pocket. Peggy Johnson believes augmented reality tech is going to follow this same trajectory. She’s the new CEO of Magic Leap, a startup founded in 2010 that makes augmented reality headsets. When it became clear that selling these devices to consumer gamers wasn’t going to sustain the company, Magic Leap decided to pivot to the enterprise market. And Peggy Johnson is leading that charge. In this episode of Leadership Next, she tells Alan Murray and Ellen McGirt why she raised her hand for this challenging job and lays out the business case for industries adopting augmented reality. She also talks about building her management team, supporting employees and says even small companies can “embrace stakeholder capitalism.”

Fed up with razor blades that irritated his skin, and tired of walking down “ethnic” beauty aisles, entrepreneur Tristan Walker decided to start his own company. In 2013 he launched Bevel, a suite of shaving products designed for Black men. Walker & Company Brands was acquired by Procter & Gamble in 2018, making Tristan the first Black CEO of a P&G subsidiary. In this episode of Leadership Next he tells Alan Murray and Ellen McGirt that he believes all companies should have a plan to serve customers of color. “Every company in 20 years, when folks of color become the majority in this country, if they do not have a plan to serve this audience with empathy, I believe that they will not exist.” Walker believes the global pandemic may have accelerated opportunity for employees of color, and he shares his outlook on the likelihood of lasting change in the wake of this past summer’s social justice uprising. Also in the conversation: why Walker sold his startup to the giant P&G, his complicated feelings around venture capital, and advice for other Black entrepreneurs.

Each year Fortune assembles about 50 of the top CEOs in the world for a dinner on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Of course this year, the annual event was postponed due to COVID-19. But Fortune still wanted to convene this group to discuss how business could best join forces to make a positive impact in 2021. How can all of us emerge from the global pandemic stronger than before? And today, on Leadership Next, our listeners are getting a special seat at that event. Before setting priorities for 2021, attendees heard updates on several of the most pressing issues of the moment: Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla spoke about the coronavirus vaccine efforts; Mary Barra of General Motors unveiled how her company plans to fight climate change; Facebook's Sheryl Sandberg offered a picture of tech regulation in the months ahead. Leadership Next's Alan Murray and Ellen McGirt bring you highlights from these reports. Also joining the conversation, the co-host of Fortune's Brainstorm podcast, Michal Lev-Ram.

Leadership Next kicks off a new season with important discussions around Black Americans and work. Alan Murray and Ellen McGirt speak with tech executive Charles Phillips who is a founding member of OneTen – a coalition of business leaders committing to hire one million employees of color over the next ten years. Phillips explains how the group came about, and why it’s so important. He talks about his own experiences - how he became interested in computers, how his upbringing prepared him to succeed in a corporate world where very few people looked like him, and why he sold his company to Koch Industries instead of taking it public. Also on today’s show, David Craig the CEO of data company Refinitiv. Refinitiv is a key partner in a new Fortune initiative, Measure Up which pushes companies to track, report and disclose their employee diversity numbers. While many companies proclaim the importance of corporate diversity and inclusion, very few actually report their progress towards meeting DEI goals. You can join the effort by heading to https://Fortune.com/measureup

Leadership Next has wrapped for the year. We’ll be back with more CEO interviews in January, when we kick off Season 2. In the meantime, we invite you to check out - and subscribe - to a new Fortune podcast: Fortune Brainstorm. Each week hosts Michal Lev-Ram and Brian O’Keefe talk about how tech is reshaping our world. They’ve explored how robots are identifying COVID-19, how AI is preventing wildfires, and why we should all care about the government’s antitrust lawsuit against Google. Today, Alan selected one of his favorite episodes to share with Leadership Next listeners. It's all about Fortune’s Businessperson of the Year, Elon Musk. You may admire Musk, you may despise him – but you'll likely learn something new about him in this episode of Fortune Brainstorm. If you enjoy what you hear, you can find more episodes here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/brainstorm/id1533311996

The first episode of Leadership Next launched on March 17th, just as the COVID-19 pandemic was gearing up to wallop the U.S. Over the next nine months, Alan Murray and Ellen McGirt talked to CEOs of some of the world's largest companies about how they were making decisions during this difficult time. Because of course the difficulty didn't stop with a health crisis. It led to economic upheaval too. And, in the midst of that, the country faced a reckoning on racial justice spurred by the killing of George Floyd. Surprisingly, through it all, the leaders interviewed on this podcast maintained a commitment to stakeholder capitalism. In this episode, Alan and Ellen are joined by Joe Ucuzoglu, the CEO of Deloitte and sponsor of Leadership Next. They revisit conversations with IBM's Ginni Rometty, Sanofi's Paul Hudson, Salesforce's Marc Benioff, and many others in order to uncover some of the big trends that emerged from Season One. And, they look ahead to 2021.

It has not been an easy time to be leading an oil company as the pandemic pushed down both oil demand and prices. Meanwhile, the UN is pushing for a future of zero net carbon emissions, and many countries and global companies have signed on to meet the goal. Does all of this mean we've hit "peak oil?" Chevron's CEO, Mike Wirth, says no. He explains his thinking on this episode of Leadership Next, and lays out his vision for the future of the company. Wirth also spends time talking about how the relationship between CEOs and their employees have shifted over time. He communicates more often and more directly with his employees than leaders of the past. Along these lines, he shares specific examples of listening to employees during the COVID-19 crisis, and describes his approach to leading a global company.

With coronavirus hitting the U.S. with renewed force, are we on the verge of a double-dip recession? That’s the first question Alan Murray and Ellen McGirt had for Roger Ferguson, the CEO of TIAA. Before leading the money management firm, Ferguson spent several years at the Federal Reserve. This background gives him great perspective on the roles business and government play in building a strong economy, and how the two can – and should – be working together. In his conversation with Leadership Next, Ferguson lays out the immediate steps he believes the government should take to support the economy in the near-term. He also highlights how the coronavirus crisis has taken a greater toll on black and brown communities, and offers some ideas for helping these groups. Ferguson is just one of four black CEOs leading a Fortune 500 company – just like he was one of the few black men to ever hold a regulatory role at the Federal Reserve. Quick to acknowledge this as a serious problem, he has a list of three moves companies can make to bring greater diversity to the workplace.

When Ethan Brown set out to look for a job, he wanted to tackle what he saw as one of the world’s biggest problems – climate change. After stints in government and the non-profit world, he found himself frustrated with the plodding pace of change. He decided business had the most power to move the needle on the problem. Enter Beyond Meat: his company that had a wildly successful IPO last year. His plant-based meat products are available at restaurant chains and grocery stores across the country, globally. He talks to Alan Murray about plans to build a plant in China, how COVID has impacted the company, and why he remains focused on long-term, not quarterly, results. If you enjoy Leadership Next, check out Fortune's “Brainstorm” podcast about how tech is reshaping our world. To listen and subscribe, click here from your mobile device.

In March of 2020, Kohl’s CEO Michelle Gass was preparing to unveil a retooled strategy for the retailer. Instead, she had to shelve those plans and face the coronavirus pandemic. In this episode of Leadership Next, she details many of the hard decisions she and her team had to make to keep employees safe and the business running. Kohl’s has long called itself an omnichannel retailer and, as Gass shares, its digital footprint certainly helped blunt the economic blow of COVID-19. During this time Gass also started hosting live weekly meetings for the entire company – something she had never done before. She was particularly glad to have this communication method in place when news of the George Floyd murder broke – she explains why. Gass goes on to talk about the diversity efforts at the company, Kohl’s plans to be the go-to retailer for healthy families, and her approach to stakeholder capitalism. If you enjoy Leadership Next, check out Fortune's “Brainstorm” podcast about how tech is reshaping our world. To listen and subscribe, click here from your mobile device.

Not many people obtain the title of CEO. But John Donahoe has held the position four times. He’s currently the CEO of Nike. Before he accepted that job, however, he took a year off to figure out what he really wanted the next decade of his life to look like. He solicited advice from 50 people during that period – much of which he summarizes and shares with Alan and Ellen. Ultimately, that search led him to the top post at Nike – a company whose board he had sat on for several years. Soon after moving into the C-Suite, the coronavirus pandemic hit. That was quickly followed by unrest sparked by the murder of George Floyd. Donahoe tells Leadership Next how both of those events impacted the company. He also reveals how early in his tenure he recognized the company needed to boost its culture of diversity and inclusion, and what he’s done about it. Also in the conversation: how he envisions the company’s org chart (hint, he’s not at the top), how being a CEO is similar to being a coach, and how business can help heal some of the divisions within our country.

In a nod to Election Day, Leadership Next is engaging in a hallmark of American democracy: debate. Part of the thesis on this podcast is that business is changing. The best leaders recognize that to motivate their employees, customers - and sometimes their investors - they need a purpose beyond profit. And they need to be willing to address some big social problems like climate change and inequality that may be seen as existential threats to society and therefore to their businesses. But of course not everyone agrees. Harvard Law's Lucian Bebchuk calls the promise of stakeholder capitalism "illusory." He joins Alan Murray and Ellen McGirt, along with Rebecca Henderson who is author of "Reimaging Capitalism in a World on Fire," and a professor at the Harvard Business School. Up for debate: Are the CEOs who profess to focusing on purpose actually following through? What types of incentives are needed to encourage companies to focus on stakeholders? Can companies proclaim a commitment to stakeholders while also spending heavily on lobbying in Washington DC?

Paul Hudson became CEO of pharmaceutical company Sanofi in September 2019, just months before the COVID-19 pandemic. His company has moved quickly to develop vaccines for the illness. In this episode of Leadership Next, he shares the progress they’ve made. He also shares his enthusiasm for the new technology and tools the company is using to fight disease – COVID-19 of course, but also Parkinson’s, breast cancer and more. Alan Murry asks if Hudson believes his industry will continue to collaborate once the pandemic is under control. Ellen McGirt wonders how he’ll handle the growing number of people who say they won’t accept the COVID-19 vaccine. And of course, because this is Leadership Next, there’s plenty of talk about purpose – Hudson believes refocusing on the company’s purpose has brought energy and innovation to its search for a vaccine.

Here’s a first for Leadership Next: an episode that begins with a story about being mauled by an elephant. The victim of that event: Tom Siebel, CEO of C3.ai, and a long-time Silicon Valley entrepreneur. Almost equally as unusual, in this episode Siebel lays out the case for government regulation of artificial intelligence – not something you expect to hear from the leader of an A.I. company. “If we don't regulate this, we're going to have to live in a very scary place,” Siebel tells Alan Murray and Ellen McGirt. C3.ai is a provider of enterprise AI software, and Siebel feels strongly that companies who fail to adopt A.I. in a big way will ultimately be left behind. But he freely admits the dangers inherent in running human systems with the technology. He talks about the line his company draws in the sand when choosing where to apply A.I. Also in the episode, Siebel talks about the “data lake” the company has created to help fight COVID-19, and his funding of a group called “Siebel Scholars.” If you enjoy Leadership Next, check out the new Fortune podcast "Reinvent" about companies fighting to thrive in a world turned upside down. To listen and subscribe, click here from your mobile device.

HP – the company perhaps best known for outfitting homes and businesses across the world with computers and printers – is widely considered the original Silicon Valley tech company. It was founded in a small garage in 1939; at the time it was called Hewlett-Packard. Today, HP is run by Enrique Lores, who started at the company as an intern and moved into the corner office about a year ago. Leadership Next listeners will not be surprised to learn that he believes HP can benefit both shareholders and stakeholders. Specifically, he talks about how the company has been caring for employees during the pandemic, the need to continue pursuing diversity goals, how HP is working to protect trees and provide kids with computers. Also, Lores explains how the pandemic accelerated 3D-printing technology at HP. Check out the episode to discover why co-host Ellen McGirt is particularly excited about this!

In its first year of life, Whole Foods Market had a “near-death” experience. Founder and long-time CEO John Mackey tells Leadership Next that a flood nearly destroyed the store – none of the damages were covered by insurance. But employees and customers banded together to clean things up, and a local banker personally guaranteed a loan to get Whole Foods back on its feet. This was Mackey’s first real understanding of how important all stakeholders are to a company. And from that day forward he’s become a proponent of what he calls “conscious capitalism.” He explains the details to Alan Murry and Ellen McGirt. How do these values mesh with Whole Foods’ owner, Amazon? Mackey describes the company pairing as a “marriage” where each partner changes and influences the other. Also in the episode: how Whole Foods has worked to protect employees from COVID-19, how the pandemic had impacted business, and why Mackey believes in pay caps and pay transparency.

Ursula Burns is not afraid to speak her mind. And she has lots to say in this episode of Leadership Next. As the CEO of Xerox, Burns was the first and only Black woman to run a Fortune 500 company. She stepped down from that position in 2016 and has refocused her energy on a new goal: diversifying corporate boards. She’s doing so through a new group, The Board Diversity Action Alliance. But calling this “a make or break moment for companies,” Burns says the challenges facing business extend beyond racial justice. She tells Alan Murray and Ellen McGirt "we're poisoning the world.” She mourns the treatment of essential workers during the pandemic – putting people in harm’s way yet paying them minimum wage. And she has a strong message for fellow CEOs who may choose to vote with an eye on their bottom lines, not their communities. “We have a responsibility to leave behind a world that's better than it is when we inhabited it,” Burns said. At the moment, she believes business is failing to live up to that responsibility. Also in this episode: Fortune's Kristen Bellstrom sheds some light on the dismal diversity numbers driving Burns' new project.

Ab InBev may be the world’s largest brewer, but in many ways it’s a local company. CEO Carlos Brito tells Leadership Next 95% of the company’s products are brewed locally from local ingredients, and then sold locally. That means the company’s policies have a direct impact on communities around the world. And it makes caring for those communities a clear business imperative. Brito shares some specific ways AB InBev is helping farmers thrive, and how it’s offered support to retailers during the coronavirus pandemic. These efforts have also landed the company on Fortune’s 2020 Change the World list. Fortune’s editor-in-chief, Clifton Leaf, joins Alan Murray to offer more details on how the list is put together, and why it’s important.

Marvin Ellison is one of just four Black CEOs to lead a Fortune 500 company. And the company he runs - home retailer Lowe's - has been booming since the pandemic struck. Sales rose 35 percent in the most recent quarter, and online sales were up 135 percent. Leadership Next's Alan Murray asks if that demand will continue. The heart of the episode however comes when Ellison talks about his efforts to boost diversity at Lowe's - from the executive ranks, all the way through his newest initiative centered around diversifying suppliers. Also in the episode: Ellison's take on problems plaguing JCPenney - a company he ran before coming to Lowe's, Fortune's retail reporter Phil Wahba with some additional insight into Ellison's leadership style, and Ellen McGirt on ... wait for it ... potato cannons.

It’s no surprise that the coronavirus pandemic has pushed more people than ever before towards digital payments. What is surprising is just how dramatic that shift has been. PayPal CEO Dan Schulman lays out those details in this episode of Leadership Next. But what he truly wants to talk about is what this means for all of those who have been left behind by America’s economic system. He’s convinced “capitalism needs an updgrade,” and he’s doing what he can to make that happen. He tells Alan Murry and Ellen McGirt about his company’s decision to pay entry level employees more. He talks about a recent massive $530 million commitment to businesses and communities of color. And he answers the question that’s often asked on this podcast: why, as a corporate CEO, is it your job to care about this? Over the years Schulman has taken stands on a variety of controversial issues – from gun control to voting. He’s been practicing stakeholder capitalism since well before the term became popular.

Chip Bergh doesn’t know what the future holds, but he's certain it includes people wearing jeans. The CEO of Levi Strauss & Co says even when much of the world was on lockdown in April, 50 percent of us were still wearing jeans. That’s not to say this has been an easy time for the company. It’s lost a lot of money, and been forced to lay off hundreds of employees. But online sales are growing fast and Bergh tells Leadership Next that by closely tracking what consumers want, Levi’s will emerge intact from the coronavirus pandemic. For Bergh, responding to consumers means more than just selling them denim. It also means using Levi’s corporate muscle to support issues consumers - and employees - care about. Gun control is a key example. He explains how the company entered the debate around guns, and why it has continued to push for more restrictions on who can own them. In this episode Bergh also tells Alan Murray and Ellen McGirt about the ‘Time to Vote’ initiative, urging companies to give employees paid time off to vote. Additionally, the Levi Strauss Foundation is giving over a million dollars to organizations to promote get-out-the-vote efforts. Ellen catches up with the founder of one of these groups – Aimee Allison from She the People.

In this episode of Leadership Next, Alan Murray and Ellen McGirt have a wide-ranging conversation with the CEO of Land O’Lakes, Beth Ford. The farmer-owned cooperative has been hit by the coronavirus pandemic in some pretty unique ways. For instance, with nobody flying, airlines don’t need all of those mini tubs of Land O’Lakes butter. So what do you do with all of that butter? Ford’s supply chain team has been hard at work on some creative solutions. The pandemic has also shone a spotlight on an issue that Ford has been focused on since she became CEO: improving rural America’s access to the internet. Remote learning and telemedicine can’t happen without broadband. And, poor connectivity keeps farmers from utilizing the high-tech tools and big data applications that allow them to increase productivity and yield. Ford wants everyone to realize this is not just a problem for rural America – if the communities keeping us fed are not strong, we all suffer. Other topics discussed include: why the Supreme Court’s decision to protect LBGTQ employees from discrimination was so important to Ford, how Land O’Lakes responded to the killing of George Floyd, and how working from home has changed Ford’s relationships at work. Also in the episode, Fortune’s Beth Kowitt puts Ford’s leadership in context – she goes about her work in a relatively low-key way, but the difference she’s making in rural communities is anything but understated.

The coronavirus pandemic has touched every industry and every business. But the hospitality industry has been hit particularly hard. As Mark Hoplamazian, the CEO of Hyatt, shared with Leadership Next, hotel bookings were down 94 percent this spring. Demand basically went to zero overnight. So how do you continue to take care of your employees when the bottom falls out of your business? Mark’s answer: it’s painful. He details the steps Hyatt took to try and soften the blow of layoffs and furloughs on employees, and how employees responded. Also discussed in the episode: how the killing of George Floyd impacted Mark personally, and how it is changing the way he runs Hyatt. Why he believes improved testing is key to recovery for the hotel business. How the pandemic will permanently change the hotel experience. And, we get the nitty gritty on what’s happening with the business, which geographic areas are seeing a recovery, who is still traveling, and what Mark sees in the weeks and months ahead.

Aneel Bhusri, the CEO of Workday, runs an employee-first company. He believes taking care of employees translates into better business results. And Workday - which supplies customers with HR and other business software – seems to bear this out. In 15 years it’s grown into a $40B+ business. And it tops Fortune’s “Future 50” list which identifies companies with the strongest long-term growth potential. In this episode of Leadership Next, Bhusri and Alan Murray talk about the challenges of building company culture while everyone is working from home. Despite the talk of remote work becoming mainstream, Bhusri believes it’s key to get people back into physical offices, at least part time. Ellen McGirt picks up this line of conversation with Fortune's Geoff Colvin who has dug into research showing that meeting face to face is key for building trust and enabling innovation. Also in the episode Bhusri talks honestly about company diversity. He admits Workday must do a better job expanding its hiring practices to bring more black employees into the company. And, he says, once they’re there, Workday must ensure black employees have equal opportunity to reach leadership positions. And of course, the conversation circles back to an important theme of Leadership Next: Bhusri's focus on caring for all stakeholders. As he simply says, "Companies need to have a soul."

At the heart of today’s Leadership Next episode is the question, “How do you measure stakeholder capitalism?” We’ve been measuring shareholder returns for years – think earnings reports and stock market moves. But how do you judge if a company is successfully caring for its employees, customers and society? Brian Moynihan, the CEO of Bank of America, is on a mission to figure that out. After all, identifying the companies doing this well is just as important for big investors as it is for job seekers. As chair of the International Business Council, Moynihan is working with the Big Four accounting firms to develop a set of metrics to measure stakeholder capitalism. The group is nearing consensus and, despite the coronavirus pandemic, Moynihan says companies are more committed to adopting these standards than ever before. Moynihan himself has been leading his company through the lens of stakeholder capitalism for some time. He and Alan Murray dive into those specifics, including the company’s response to the killing of George Floyd, raising the company’s minimum wage to $20 an hour, its focus on the environment, and Moynihan’s stance on the controversial “bathroom bill” in North Carolina in 2016.

Growing up in a small community in Northern Ireland during The Troubles, Sarah Friar saw first hand what it means for neighbors to be at war with one another. But she also saw the transformative power of neighbors helping neighbors. She’s brought this experience to her role as CEO of Nextdoor, the social network platform centered around local communities. In this episode of Leadership Next, she and Ellen McGirt take a deep dive into two topics. First, the racism that exists in our neighborhoods and on Nextdoor itself. Friar explains how the platform is pushing back against that and, hopefully, even playing a role in deepening understanding between white and black neighbors. Second, the pair discusses Friar’s role as a female CEO. Women running tech companies are still vastly outnumbered by men. Friar has used her role to boost gender diversity at Nextdoor, and is focused on doing the same for people of color. She offers some specific advice for other leaders looking to bring more diversity to their own organizations.

Bill McDermott’s been leading companies for many years – he spent 10 years as CEO of SAP, and in the fall of 2019, he took over as CEO at ServiceNow. But his approach to leadership is anything but old school. “The pendulum has really swung more towards a leader being absolutely in service to the employees and absolutely finding new ways to inspire them, new ways to innovate, new ways to bring out the best in them,” he tells Alan Murray and Ellen McGirt on this week’s Leadership Next. McDermott credits this shift to a war for talent. And, he points out that taking care of employees means taking a hard look at how people of color are advancing through your organization. “Put the cards on the table and take a look at the facts,” he advises. “The facts just don’t lie. … And by looking at the facts honestly and openly, you will open up a new gateway to innovation and opportunity within your company because that’s what people want.” Alan and Ellen also ask about ServiceNow’s response to COVID-19, the workplace of the future, and what brought McDermott to ServiceNow in the first place.

When the coronavirus pandemic hit and its economic implications became clear, Leadership Next wondered if CEOs would quietly shelve the idea of stakeholder capitalism and focus on their bottom lines. But for food giant Danone, the crisis has instead accelerated its commitment to people and the planet. It’s on the path to becoming a certified B Corporation, meaning it will be held to strict standards for social and environmental impact. Company CEO Emmanuel Faber now wants to hit that goal of becoming the world’s largest B Corp even sooner. Why? He feels it’s a competitive advantage. Faber explains, and tells Alan Murray how shifting toward B Corp status has changed the company’s behavior. The majority of B Corps are small businesses, but a growing number of larger companies are showing interest in the certification, according to Anthea Kelsick, Co-CEO of B Lab U.S. & Canada. That interest was spurred by the Business Roundtable's shift to stakeholder capitalism last year and, more recently, by both COVID-19 and the business community's spotlight on racial justice. Kelsick speaks with Ellen McGirt.

What happens to a travel company in the midst of a global lockdown? “It felt like it took 12 years (..) to build this business, and we lost most of it in four to five weeks,” Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky tells Alan Murray and Ellen McGirt in this week’s Leadership Next. Chesky goes on to describe the early weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic as “harrowing and nerve racking,” complete with large layoffs and a push to refocus the business. He outlines in detail how he made tough decisions during this time, and how he strove to take care of guests, hosts, employees and investors. Alan and Ellen also ask Chesky how Airbnb is responding to racial discrimination on the platform, and when the company plans to go public.

Paul Polman is the former CEO of Unilever. And Leadership Next host Alan Murray says he was the first CEO of a major company to truly embrace and promote stakeholder capitalism. Early in his tenure he pointed out that capitalism, as we practice it today, isn’t working – and he demanded that business take responsibility for its impact on society. Today’s episode explores how Polman did that at his own company, the pushback he faced, and how he’s tackling the issue with his new company, Imagine. Also joining Leadership Next is Dov Seidman, founder of LRN and the HOW Institute for Society. Alan calls him “one of the most thoughtful people I know in thinking about how business is changing, and needs to change, the way it operates.”

The CEO of General Motors, Mary Barra, is a fixture on Fortune’s list of the Most Powerful Women in business. When the coronavirus hit, GM was the first major American automaker to put idle assembly lines to work producing ventilators. She sprang into action again following the killing of George Floyd and the swelling protests supporting Black Lives Matter, committing the company to internal improvements on diversity and vowing to use the power of GM to drive global change. All of that gave her lots to discuss with Alan Murray and Ellen McGirt on this episode of Leadership Next. And for additional insight on Barra's leadership style, Ellen turned to Fortune Senior Editor at Large, Geoff Colvin. Colvin has been reporting on Barra since she became CEO in 2014. He says the changes she's wrought in the GM culture are extraordinary, and her example provides valuable lessons for any leader looking to drive change at their own company.

After George Floyd was killed, the CEO of Cisco put out a strong statement. Chuck Robbins called the incident horrific, maddening, truly abhorrent. On this episode of Leadership Next, Alan Murray and Ellen McGirt ask “why?” How did this national conversation on race become a business issue for Cisco? And the questions don’t stop there. They want to know – among other things - what exactly Robbins plans to do, and how he develops trust among his employees on this topic. Ellen also speaks with Dr. Erin Thomas, the Head of Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging at Upwork. Thomas offers some very practical, actionable advice to companies looking to address concerns around race and equality in their own organizations.

Vas Narasimhan is the CEO of Swiss drug giant Novartis. With a medical degree from Harvard, and a public policy degree from the Kennedy School of Government, he has unique and specialized insight into the COVID-19 pandemic. On this episode of Leadership Next, Narasimhan speaks with Fortune editor-in-chief Clifton Leaf. The two dive into a detailed discussion about the challenges in developing and manufacturing a vaccine. They also discuss the fragilities in our healthcare system, preparing for the next pandemic, what it takes to lead during crisis, and why being a global company will help Novartis weather this storm.

Cathy Engelbert is used to breaking the mold. As commissioner of the WNBA, she just hosted professional sports’ first-ever virtual draft. Under her watch, WNBA players will – for the first time – receive fully-paid maternity leave and have a shot at significantly higher salaries. Before coming in to lead the women’s basketball league, she was the first woman CEO of Deloitte, and the first woman to head one of the country’s large professional services companies. On this episode of Leadership Next, she and Alan Murray discuss how and when the WNBA will resume play, and the league’s efforts to engage fans digitally. Engelbert shares how her competitive childhood and college sports prepared her to become a business leader. And the pair debate how to elevate more women to the C-suite. Fortune’s Ellen McGirt also weighs in with some valuable insight.

The coronavirus has pharmaceutical and biotech companies racing to find a vaccine. Moderna is the first company to test its vaccine in people and, this week, Moderna announced those early tests appear to be a success. On this episode of Leadership Next, Alan Murray speaks with the co-founder and chairman of Moderna, Noubar Afeyan. Moderna is a portfolio company in Afeyan’s biotech incubator, Flagship Pioneering. He founded Flagship in 2000 with the goal of financing companies that use innovative technologies to solve problems. Moderna certainly fits that description: its approach to the coronavirus vaccine is unlike any other. Afeyan explains why. He touches on the challenges of scaling production of the vaccine, and answer’s Alan’s blunt question: Is Moderna going to make any money off of this? The two also discuss how Flagship Pioneering differs from a venture capital firm, and how Afeyan’s immigrant roots have impacted his approach to business.

On the newest episode of Leadership Next, Alan Murray is joined by the CEO of Mastercard, Ajay Banga. The two discuss how the global pandemic has impacted Mastercard’s business – surprisingly, it’s not all bad news. Talk then turns to economic recovery – what it may look like, and when it’s coming. Banga believes the crisis will likely speed the adoption of digital technologies. And while this can be a great equalizer, it can also deepen divisions. Banga has a passion for financial inclusion – under his leadership, Mastercard has launched roughly 1500 products designed to promote financial inclusion. Those projects have touched some 500 million people in 80 different countries. This drive for inclusion carries through the current situation too. Banga explains that a focus on inclusion has led him to commit to no layoffs at Mastercard right now, and to contribute $250 million to aid struggling small businesses. Also in this episode: Fortune's Ellen McGirt asks Kate Moore - Head of Thematic Strategy at BlackRock - which industries are best positioned for an economic rebound.

Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff believes business can improve the state of the world. And as the world has grappled with the realities of the coronavirus, he’s used both company and personal resources to attempt to do just that. But now he says we are preparing to enter the second phase of this pandemic: returning to work. In this episode of “Leadership Next,” Alan Murray and Ellen McGirt ask Benioff what that return looks like. They discuss his challenge to companies to retain employees for at least the first 90 days of this crisis. They also ask if company devotion to issues like diversity or the environment falls by the wayside in the months to come. Benioff’s answer: CEOs who remain committed to stakeholder capitalism will ultimately find the most success.

During World War II, American industry mobilized to support the military - reconfiguring assembly lines to produce things like airplane engines and tanks. Seventy-five years later, the world finds itself in a different type of war: the battle against COVID-19. And once again, business is responding to calls for help. On today’s Leadership Next, Alan Murray and Ellen McGirt speak with two CEOs whose companies have pivoted to fight the pandemic. KR Sridhar is founder and CEO of Bloom Energy, a clean energy company based in San Jose, CA. Responding to a call from California governor Gavin Newsom, Bloom quickly figured out how to refurbish ventilators. Jane Mosbacher Morris is founder and CEO of To the Market, a for-profit social enterprise that connects artisans from all over the world with businesses looking for products. Morris has redirected many in her network to begin producing hospital-grade masks. This work landed her on Fortune’s 2020 World’s Greatest Leaders list. While Sridhar and Morris run very different companies, they share something important: the belief that now, more than ever, they have a responsibility to put their companies to work for the greater good.

Eileen Fisher has been putting purpose at the center of her company since 1984. The entrepreneur started her women’s clothing line with $350 in her pocket and the desire to help women feel great about getting dressed. Although it’s more expensive to do so, Eileen is focused on using environmentally sound raw materials, and ensuring good working conditions for those creating her products. She’s observed a growing number of companies following suit. She tells Leadership Next's Alan Murray, “I think the companies that aren’t doing this kind of work will be gone in 5 years, 10 at the most.” Eileen and Alan discuss some of the tradeoffs that have come with sticking by these sustainability practices, why Eileen has never partnered with investors, and the advice she has for other entrepreneurs. Also in this week’s episode, Ellen McGirt speaks with the founders of the fashion label Public School, who – with advice from Eileen Fisher - are retooling their business to become a more sustainable brand.

Retraining workers for jobs in the digital economy has been a focus of IBM’s Ginni Rometty for a long time. Now, with coronavirus driving unemployment sky high, the need for reskilling is even more urgent. On this episode of Leadership Next, Rometty – who recently transitioned from CEO to Executive Chairman of IBM – tells Alan Murray why corporations, not the government, are best positioned to make this happen. The two also discuss the Business Roundtable. The group represents nearly 200 companies, and in August announced it believed business has a duty to serve all stakeholders, not just shareholders. This was a big deal, and Rometty was part of the group that pushed for the change. She explains why she believes this is essential for economic success, and how she has instituted a commitment to all stakeholders at IBM. Also shedding light on how this change from the Business Roundtable came to fruition, Alan speaks with Rick Wartzman of the Drucker Institute.

How well are companies responding to the coronavirus crisis? That’s what today’s Leadership Next guest wants to find out. Martin Whittaker runs JUST Capital, a non-profit which attempts to measure if companies are doing well by ALL stakeholders – employees, customers, communities and shareholders. Since COVID-19 has gripped our attention, and the economy, Whittaker’s group has been measuring how major corporations are responding to the pandemic. He highlights some specific companies he believes have risen to the challenge, protecting employees and customers alike. Also in this episode: Hyatt CEO Mark Hoplamazian tells Fortune’s Susie Gharib how hard it’s been to furlough thousands of workers. Plus, the steps he’s taken to try and soften that blow. And, Fortune senior editor Ellen McGirt joins Leadership Next to offer her thoughts on how this pandemic will change the future of business.

Can business rise to meet the challenges presented by COVID-19? Can supply chains provide the medical equipment doctors and patients need? When will we have adequate coronavirus tests? And ultimately, how close are we to finding a vaccine for the disease? Those are the questions Alan Murray is asking on this week's Leadership Next. Today’s guests are two CEOs working overtime to provide the answers. Up first, Alex Gorsky, CEO of Johnosn and Johnson. His company has just announced it will begin testing and manufacturing a vaccine that may be available early next year. Also adding insight is Stan Bergman, the CEO of Henry Schein, a dental and medical supply company. Not only does the company supply healthcare workers with disposable masks, gloves, and gowns, it's working to bring COVID-19 point-of-care tests to these workers.

When the NBA announced it was indefinitely suspending its season, Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban made a quick decision: he would continue to pay all of the hourly employees who worked in his arena. How did he do it? And why? That’s what Alan Murray asks in this episode of Leadership Next. Cuban is also an investor in over 150 small businesses, so he’s been closely following government plans to assist these smaller companies. He shares his take on the coronavirus relief legislation, the advice he’s been offering entrepreneurs, and other steps he’s taking to assist both business owners and health care workers during the COVID-19 crisis.

Business, when it’s at its best, can solve very big problems. And today Leadership Next is talking about a very big problem - COVID-19. George Yancopoulos is the President and Chief Scientific Officer of Regeneron. His company announced this week it has developed a promising drug to fight coronavirus, and will begin human trials by early summer. Yancopoulos details the innovative approach Regeneron used to create the drug - an approach that led to an effective therapy for Ebola. He also explains that a Regeneron drug aimed at patients with rheumatoid arthritis is currently being used to treat some of the worst symptoms of COVID-19. The treatment is still in a trial phase but, if successful, could potentially keep severely ill patients off of ventilators. Leadership Next host Alan Murray told Yancopoulos, “This is the most encouraging conversation I’ve had in quite awhile.”

Starbucks recently announced plans to cut carbon emissions, waste, and water usage. But, as CEO Kevin Johnson tells Alan Murray in the newest episode of Leadership Next, he's not 100 percent sure how the company will meet those goals. Enter Andrew Wanliss-Orlebar, VP Strategy at Futerra, who advises companies on their sustainability policies. He lays out some of the challenges that Starbucks and other companies face in their quests to protect the planet. Also in the episode: find out just how much coffee Johnson drinks throughout the day, and how reading to his grandson impacted Starbucks corporate policy.