James Mwangi, Group Managing Director and CEO of Equity Group Holdings Plc and Executive Chairman Equity Group Foundation, has been awarded honoured with the prestigious 2020 Oslo Business for Peace Award which is also described as the "Nobel Prize for Business.”

Honourees are chosen by a prestigious Award Committee consisting of past Nobel Prize winners in Peace and Economics. Current committee members are Ouided Bouchamaoui (Tunisia), Leymah Gbowee (Liberia), Finn Kydland (Norway), and Eric Maskin (USA).

The Award is conferred annually to exceptional individuals who exemplify their outstanding "businessworthy" initiatives ethically by creating economic and societal value.

It is the highest global distinction given to a business leader to celebrate their efforts at promoting peace and prosperity for the greater good of society through their everyday business activities.

It was founded to provide the Honourees with a platform to share their business wisdom with the world and to help other leaders to understand how ethical and responsible business can contribute to building trust, stability and peace.

It also seeks to promote the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, specifically Goal 8: helping to achieve sustained, sustainable and inclusive growth and decent work for all.

"James Mwangi receives the Award for his business worthy values in championing financial inclusion for all in East and Central Africa. Mwangi helped achieve a social revolution by bringing banking services to people who previously had limited access to them, bolstering Kenya’s GDP. Mwangi is an exceptional entrepreneur and humanitarian. The Committee sees him as a shining example of how business leaders can accelerate change and help solve the world’s problems,” said Per Saxegaard, founder of the Oslo Business for Peace Award.

"In a world of various complexities such as globalization, polarization and environmental struggles, this year’s honourees have led by using business as a tool for change. They are role models to society and their peers, have earned stakeholders’ trust, and stand out as advocates,” says Per Saxegaard, founder of the Oslo Business for Peace Award.

On receiving the award Mwangi dedicated it to the bank’s staff and clients for trusting and believing in a common purpose and dream.

"I share this award with our micro, small and medium entrepreneurs (MSME customers) who wake up every day to create wealth and opportunities for our society. The award belongs to our youth who embrace the power of opportunity extended by our Wings to Fly and Equity Leaders Programmes to fulfil the promise of a better future for themselves, their families, and our communities. This award is a great inspiration to all Africans to believe in their dreams and to pursue them with dedication and conviction that together, we can change our continent within our lifetime. It’s my hope that this award will inspire the world to seize the COVID-19 moment as a call to build a more resilient global economy by putting purpose first and seeking business worthiness by being ethical and people-centred for a more equitable and sustainable world,” he said.  

Previous winners for the award include Richard Branson of the Virgin Group who is inspired by a love of humanity and a desire for superior solutions that has made him an effective and beneficial voice, in many fields; Marilyn Carlson Nelson of Carlson Companies; Paul Polman (formerly) of Unilever and Elon Musk Founder, CEO of Tesla and lead designer of SpaceX among others.

Mwangi is a celebrated African entrepreneur who has over the years been recognized locally and globally for his contribution to the socio-economic transformation of the people of Africa. Last year he was named among the 2019 Bloomberg 50 most inspiring people in the world who defined 2019 in business, entertainment, finance, politics, science and technology.