It's hard to turn on the television or scroll through social media without someone speaking up for a cause. While this is admirable, it's also difficult to find someone who is doing more than just speaking.
The truth is that inspiring change requires more than words—it requires action. And often, those who act more than they speak out inspire the greatest changes of all.
Gunawan Jusuf is a prime example of this concept. His passion for responsibly using and valuing the natural resources of the world is his driving force—one that can easily be seen in his work and his daily life.
A Leader in Business
As CEO of Sugar Group Companies, he works hard to ensure zero-waste sugar production. While the company is headquartered in Indonesia, there are several subsidiary companies that he manages and works to ensure all are on the same environmentally-minded path. His dedication and business brilliance have turned the company into an incredible success—one which other companies hope to emulate.
A Leader Off the Clock
In addition to his daily work with Sugar Group Companies, Gunawan Jusuf is a proud founding member of the Terawatt Initiative. This group's goal is quite a challenge.
In essence, it aspires to beat the depletion of fossil fuels within a decade. It plans to do this through a variety of smaller missions, such as decreasing the costs of renewable power, empowering others to suggest and fight for sustainable solutions, and shifting how money is being spent in the energy industry to create a new system.
To some, this may seem an impossible goal. To a man like Gunawan Jusuf, it's just another step toward creating a more sustainable environment and economy.
A Leader through Words
Like many, Jusuf is committed to sharing his passion and passing on important information to help create change. He wrote and published a book called "Blue Gold"—an invaluable resource all its own. This book explains how important water is to life, how scarce it is expected to become, and how it can be used responsibly to manufacture items. Such documentation is an incredible resource for everyone—especially other businesses that might not yet be as environmentally friendly as they could be.
A Leader in Philanthropy
If inspiring change to the future of the world as a whole isn't impressive enough, Gunawan Jusuf has yet another remarkable quality—his dedication to people less fortunate than himself.
In addition to donating to the church, Jusuf funds the Sugar Group Schools—a program started by his mother. Nearly 2,000 children of those working the sugar cane fields receive free education, free uniforms and shoes, and free backpacks. They are also fed twice a day by the school.
These children learn in air-conditioned facilities, have access to WiFi, and are taught a broad range of subjects, including bilingual language learning. Many children also receive full scholarships to continue their education at universities upon graduation.
A Leader to Aspire to Be
Gunawan Jusuf has a passion for making the world a better place—both on a large scale and by helping individuals create a brighter future for themselves. These admirable qualities are some that every individual could proudly replicate.
