Judy Samuelson is a seasoned leader with more than four decades of experience spanning public policy, philanthropy, and business education. As the founder and executive director of the Aspen Business and Society Program at the Aspen Institute for the past 26 years, she has been driving change to align business decisions with societal well-being. Her diverse career includes roles as director at the Ford Foundation, vice president at Bankers Trust Company, and a legislative aide in California, complemented by her education from Yale School of Management and UCLA.

In this conversation with Dave Young, the Global Leader of the BCG Henderson Institute’s Center for Climate & Sustainability, Judy covers the evolving role of business in society, emphasizing the importance of intangibles like reputation and employee engagement. Judy highlights the need for businesses to embrace a purpose beyond profit and to integrate this purpose into their operations and decision-making processes. Further, she critiques the narrow focus on shareholder value.