The global citizen
- By Jack Preston -
- Aug 27, 2012
Richard Branson has been named one of 12 Remarkable Global Citizens by CN Traveler, due to his ‘larger-than-life persona to protect the planet and build a sustainable Caribbean’.
CN Traveler were pacrticlualry impressed by the Virgin Group founder’s sense of adventure, explaining: “Richard Branson is talking about plans to dive with sharks along with Jackie Chan when he remembers the last time he did it: He was swimming with whale sharks off Cancún in 2011 when he paddled to the front of one of them and the giant fish sucked him into its mouth.
“He gently spat me out,” says Branson. “The last thing he wanted in his mouth was me!” These are classic stunts - aimed at raising awareness about the endangered creatures - from a man who not only built the Virgin ¬empire, worth $21 billion, but has taken on the world’s biggest challenges: climate change (his Carbon War Room helps businesses become greener) and international conflict (through The Elders, co-founded with Nelson Mandela)
These days, Branson focuses almost entirely on philanthropic projects - from launching a Centre of Entrepreneurship in Jamaica to pushing for sustainable Caribbean development (he will host a meeting with the region’s leaders at his BVI island, Necker, in 2013) to setting up marine reserves with OceanElders, a new NGO. Above all, Branson believes business should be a force for good. “If every company put aside a percentage of profits for tackling problems in their communities and the world, it would ultimately be good for shareholders,” says Branson, whose Virgin Holidays supports the Jamaica project, “and the world would be a better place.”
Are there any other global citizens that you think deserve global recognition? Let us know below.
To find out more about the list of visionaries which Branson is featured on, head over to the CN Traveler website.
By Jack Preston. Content Executive. Tweets at @JackPressedOn
