Dr. Stephan Schmidheiny is a Swiss entrepreneur, philanthropist, and author whose career spans more than four decades of business leadership and global sustainability advocacy.
Beginning in Swiss industry, Schmidheiny played a key role in two defining corporate transformations of the 1980s: helping revive the Swiss watch sector through his investment in SMH (later Swatch Group) alongside Nicolas Hayek, and serving as a driving force behind the BBC-ASEA merger that created ABB. He later expanded into Latin America, building GrupoNueva into an industrial holding with significant operations in forestry, construction materials, and manufacturing.
In 1990, he founded the Business Council for Sustainable Development, which evolved into the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD). As Principal Advisor for Business and Industry to the 1992 UN Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, he introduced the concept of "eco-efficiency" and co-authored the international bestseller Changing Course, which helped establish the business case for sustainable development. He serves today as Honorary President of the WBCSD.
WBCSD – World Business Council for Sustainable Development
Since 2003
Launched the Business Council for Sustainable Development in 1990, later merging with other organizations to form the WBCSD.
Served as Principal Advisor for Business and Industry to the 1992 UN Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, where he coined the term "eco-efficiency" and co-authored the international bestseller Changing Course.
Transitioned to Honorary President in 2003, continuing to support the council's work in embedding sustainability into global business practice.
