Image courtesy of Nicolai Petersen/Ethical Business Index Actics
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Today, we're going to meet Nicolai Petersen of the online ethical business index Actics. He has recently moved from working within the world of business and economics to the wider world of ethics. Nicolai is on a mission to get these world's interacting and working together-making one matter to the other. "There is no dichotomy between egoism and altruism," he says. "The art is to make ethics imminent in capitalism." How did Nicolai become a Change Maker?My name is: Nicolai Petersen.
I live in: Primrose Hill, London, U.K.
I work at: Actics in Bloomsbury, London.
I used to work as: a Research Economist for the Danish Central Bank and as a Euro Analyst for investment bank JPMorgan Chase.
The reason I changed my profession is: I am motivated by generating ideas that make a difference to mankind. Monetary economics was highly political up until the end of last century but, since the arrival of the Euro and the widespread consensus on macroeconomic management, it has lost its social and political importance. Instead, global connections, due to the transparency of the Internet, have made ethics a key economic parameter for building social capital that outweighs financial capital as the economy's value driver.
With my organisation I am aiming to: create an ethical price index that is more indicative of the real value of companies than the current share price by involving all stakeholders around a company.
The most important eco-aspect of my work is: to build a platform to share best practice and empower all ethically minded people through the power of the Internet to commit companies, organizations and public personalities to their ethical promises (whether climate change, global compact, corporate social responsibility, etc.) and help them exceed them.
I am excited by what I am doing now because: Actics can really make a difference; professionals are starting to recognize its efficiency. For example, it has just recently been selected to become the official corporate commitment tool by the Copenhagen Climate Council in the run up to the UN Climate Change Conference (COP15) in 2009, this is quite exciting!
The most challenging part of my work is: to bridge the gap between early adopters and the mass market.
The most rewarding part of my work is: when that succeeds!
The results I really want to see are: ethics to be regarded as a quality on the same level as design. Embed the understanding that there is no dichotomy between egoism and altruism. The art is to make ethics imminent in capitalism.
I work with collaborators: of every type, from philosophers to venture capitalists; including bloggers, scientists, artists, Web designers, and many others. The interaction between new thinking, new technology, and new didactics spurs me on.
I was first made aware of environmental issues: in my childhood, through my parents.
One thing I do everyday is: read RSS feeds from approximately 50 relevant (ethical, green, social, and business) blogs.
One thing I do every week is: coordinate with the team on priorities, especially regarding product development, as we're seriously understaffed for what we want to do.
I wish I could: give everyone a voice.
I think everyone can: matter.
Change Makers is series of interviews with people famous and obscure, who answer questions about how they are creating a more sustainable world through their work and personal lives. Meet more Change Makers here.
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