The UNFOLD movement

Societal expectations of the role of business are changing. Generational and technological shifts mean organizations and their leaders are under scrutiny like never before. Successful, sustainable businesses recognise the importance of striving for a positive impact for people and planet that goes beyond profit alone.

UNFOLD believes Corporate Affairs provides a vital link between business and society, strategically aligning a company’s communication with a broad spectrum of stakeholders.

What is demanded of Corporate Affairs now and in the future goes beyond the needs of the past. It requires a broad business understanding and appreciation of the shifting corporate and political worlds, matched with deep, innovative communications capabilities.

Today’s Corporate Affairs practitioner has the dual role of business leader and functional champion, often bringing together a multitude of disciplines including Corporate Communications, Government Affairs, Investor Relations and more.

Creating trust and credibility consistently with all stakeholders has never been more critical, with Corporate Affairs at a company’s strategic heart to support the delivery of its commitments and purpose.

The UNFOLD movement is the co-creation of Europe’s leading Corporate Affairs professionals and the UNFOLD Foundation to support peer-to-peer learning and development in order to positively shape the role of business in society.

UNFOLD manifesto

We are a group of senior business leaders across Europe dedicated to evolving the Corporate Affairs discipline as a strategic function. We are our company’s radar and compass, providing strategic direction and navigating complex stakeholder landscapes in a changing world.

We believe in the value of diverse perspectives and that the contribution of an outside in perspective leads to better decision-making and business results. Integrating Corporate Affairs into an organization’s strategic heart is essential for a company to deliver on its purpose and its people, planet and profit commitments.

We are committed to unfold the business impact of Corporate Affairs, raise the bar of its practice and unlock the talent potential of a next generation of leaders. We establish a series of initiatives across the movement’s three core pillars of Mentorship, Leadership and Stewardship.

Mentorship

Educate

Executive mentorship
Industry workshops
Individual coaching

Leadership

Convene

Peer-to-peer events
Strategic road mapping
Thought leadership

Stewardship

Connect

UN SDG masterclasses
Interdisciplinary networking
Knowledge-sharing

UNFOLD manifesto

We are a group of senior business leaders across Europe dedicated to evolving the Corporate Affairs discipline as a strategic function. We are our company’s radar and compass, providing strategic direction and navigating complex stakeholder landscapes in a changing world.

We believe in the value of diverse perspectives and that the contribution of an outside in perspective leads to better decision-making and business results. Integrating Corporate Affairs into an organization’s strategic heart is essential for a company to deliver on its purpose and its people, planet and profit commitments.

We are committed to unfold the business impact of Corporate Affairs, raise the bar of its practice and unlock the talent potential of a next generation of leaders. We establish a series of initiatives across the movement’s three core pillars of Mentorship, Leadership and Stewardship.

Mentorship

Educate

Executive mentorship
Industry workshops
Individual coaching

Leadership

Convene

Peer-to-peer events
Strategic road mapping
Thought leadership

Stewardship

Connect

UN SDG masterclasses
Interdisciplinary networking
Knowledge-sharing

UNFOLD values

Progressive. Continually improving to face future challenges while being critical and adaptive.

Curious. An openness to education, learning and development is core to who we are.

Courageous. Taking the route less travelled when we believe this will benefit both our business and society.

People-centric. Recognizing the power of people as together as a movement we can create positive change.

UNFOLD impact

For individuals, UNFOLD offers support in growing as a leader in today’s complex business landscape. We help people acquire the skills needed to influence the positive impact of a company, how to communicate and increase trust and credibility with a broad range of stakeholders.

For businesses, UNFOLD helps develop strong, talented Corporate Affairs practitioners who understand the multitude of company perspectives and issues at stake, and who can unite an organization behind a common purpose that leads to a stronger and more durable positive reputation.

For society, UNFOLD advocates for the embedding of purpose beyond profit into a company’s strategic heart to help deliver on stakeholder expectations and drive positive outcomes for people and the planet as well as profit.

UNFOLD impact

For individuals, UNFOLD offers support in growing as a leader in today’s complex business landscape. We help people acquire the skills needed to influence the positive impact of a company, how to communicate and increase trust and credibility with a broad range of stakeholders.

For businesses, UNFOLD helps develop strong, talented Corporate Affairs practitioners who understand the multitude of company perspectives and issues at stake, and who can unite an organization behind a common purpose that leads to a stronger and more durable positive reputation.

For society, UNFOLD advocates for the embedding of purpose beyond profit into a company’s strategic heart to help deliver on stakeholder expectations and drive positive outcomes for people and the planet as well as profit.

About the UNFOLD Foundation

The UNFOLD Foundation’s purpose is to support sustainable business from the inside out. The Foundation focuses on specific core business functions, constructing progressive leadership networks to create an agenda for positive change. The Foundation facilitates peer-to-peer knowledge exchange and utilises experts within the community to create an education platform to help develop future-fit diverse talent.

The UNFOLD Foundation creates networks which, through knowledge sharing and education, will unfold the potential and realise the ambitions of talented individuals, and together create sustainable businesses of the future.

The UNFOLD Foundation was established by Anita and Arthur van de Velde.