Unilever

Many companies focus on short-term results. The CEO of consumer-products giant Unilever, Paul Polman, says long-term strategic planning builds better businesses.

Unilever says it will stop adding tiny plastic beads that act as exfoliants to its soap products by 2015.

The food and household goods giant says poverty has come back to southern Europe -- and the company will approach consumers there using techniques from developing countries.