Despite playing vast roles in companies, CEOs are faced with the need to distinguish their characters and venture into programs that impact society. Them being public figures often make them vulnerable to scrutiny not only in their companies but also in their personal lives. Thus honorable acts done by these individuals are usually done in the highlights.
Hamdi Ulukaya
Ulukaya, an immigrant from Turkey, is the founder and owner of Chobani, a yogurt brand in the United States. He made his fortune by purchasing and reconfiguration of defunct yogurt factory in New York after starting a cheese factory. From his experience, Ulukaya has a soft spot for refugees and zealously contributes to the United Nations to help resettle them. Further, he has hired refugees from Africa, Asia, and the Middle East in his factories. His practicality in his values has positively impacted refugees with his generosity. He has allowed families, especially immigrants, to sustain themselves while offering a chance for themselves to start afresh in the process.
Chad Richison
Chad Richison is the founder and CEO of Paycom, the Oklahoma City-based company that redefines the human capital management industry by allowing companies to navigate what is a rapidly changing business environment. Paycom’s cloud-based software solution is based on a core system of record maintained in a single database, providing the functionality that businesses need to manage the complete employment lifecycle, from recruitment to retirement. Chad Richison is a guiding force at Paycom and, through the company, awards numerous local non-profits with gifts of support almost daily. Paycom supports charities that deal with civil rights education, LGBTQ organizations, Afghan Refugee Relief support, the local Boys and Girls Clubs, the local YMCA, and many mental health awareness organizations, just to name a few.
Personally, Chad Richison and his family are members of The Giving Pledge, an organization of billionaires dedicated to allocating over half of their wealth to charitable organizations in their lifetime. Richison is also the benefactor behind The Richison Foundation and the Green Shoe Foundation, a one-week retreat devoted to helping functioning adults reconcile childhood traumas with the help of a professional licensed therapist.
Mohamed Ali Niang
Ali is the co-founder and CEO of Malo’s nonprofit company, seeking to combat anemia and malnutrition in Mali. Both founders, Mohamed Ali Niang and Salif Romano Niang, grew up in Mali and witnessed the health problems and effects it brought to the community in Mali. As a result, Mohamed has created innovative projects that involve mills that provide fortified rice that can be fed to the people. This contributes to a high percentage of an adult’s vitamin needs which is a necessity for people. The mills create rice cheaply and efficiently, serving many individuals and catering to families that cannot afford food. Mohamed Ali Niang plans to expand the service to other countries in the region and also Central Africa.
Sara Blakely
Sara Blakely is the founder of Spanx, a company that has over time specialized in women’s clothing, especially undergarments and leggings. Blakely started an initiative for women providing them either education or training in entrepreneurship. Education has been essential in the program equipping women with the required skills in job markets and entrepreneurship. This action positively elevates women globally through her continued support and encouragement in educating the women. She became the first female billionaire to pledge half of her wealth to empower women through the program. This was widely supported, gaining her recognition globally in her quest to empower more women. Elevation through entrepreneurship offers opportunities for more women to eliminate poverty in society actively.
Ursula Burns
Ursula M. Burns is the chairperson and former CEO of Xerox. She joined the company as an intern and, after 40 years, worked up to be the first Black woman to lead a Fortune 500 company. She has worked across various charity causes that help support minorities’ access and pursue careers in math and science. President Obama appointed Burns to lead the White House national program on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) and served as the chair of Obama’s advisors. She offered her guidance and leadership to many nonprofit organizations and educational programs. Her contribution has helped many individuals throughout her career, inspiring and improving the situations of minorities through different initiatives. Her career also set the foundation for her selfless acts in creating opportunities for people and students to access education and benefit from her leadership.
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