For the past 9 years, John has been the CEO of Cafedirect - one of the founding businesses of the Fairtrade movement and the UK's first B-Corp accredited Coffee Company.
With a successful career spanning over 3 decades, John can be regarded as a pioneer in the purpose-driven business movement. Especially passionate about supporting people at the beginning of the supply chain, John & Cafedirect work in collaboration with the award-winning charity Producers Direct to deliver real change to Farmers livelihoods.
In this episode, we learn about John's background, how he came to work in this industry and his top tips for career success.
John talks us through what he believes has helped him get through the pandemic - listing determination and an unwavering optimism as two key attributes that kept him going. He talks about how it was crucial that, throughout the pandemic, the business became a bubble of certainty for its employees living in an uncertain world.
John generously shares his thoughts on businesses that have purpose tend to have a better work culture - as they possess a greater meaning than just making money. These organisations then also tend to be better places to work, with a culture based on trust and employees motivated by making a difference.
Finally, John talks us through the importance of the B-Corp movement, his advice on harnessing the true benefits of a purpose-driven culture and his thoughts on why being authentic as a leader is so crucial. We also shine light on the incredible work done by Producers Direct who work closely with farmers to develop their farms and improve their livelihoods.
If you'd like to get in touch for any reason, feel free to drop me a message on LinkedIn or you can email me directly at Jon@leaderexecutivesearch.com
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