Marc Zboch believes in giving back to his community after achieving business success. Zboch is one of several successful business leaders who are intent on helping the world become a better place through philanthropy. Marc Zboch believes the following list of philanthropists is changing the world after achieving financial success.
1. Warren Buffett
The Sage of Omaha has been at the top of the business sector since the 1960s. Graduating from the University of Columbia in 1951, the Economics graduate was among the first to identify the benefits of merging his companies under a large umbrella. World Finance explains Buffett had been in business for a decade when he saw the potential for a merged business empire under the Berkshire Hathaway banner. By 1962, Buffett was a millionaire and a billionaire by 1990.
Despite the success of Buffett as a business leader, the Nebraska-based philanthropist has pledged to use his business success for good. Buffett believes handing over the bulk of his shares in Berkshire Hathaway will provide support for several charitable foundations. Warren Buffett will hand over 85-percent of his shares in Berkshire Hathaway to charities.
2. Bill Gates
The Microsoft founder has spent the last two decades finding ways of improving the world using his personal wealth and power. Forbes reports The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation gives grants worth an estimated $5 billion per year to charitable groups. The history of the giving by the couple has focused on education and child poverty. 2020 brought a change in focus for Gates as the COVID-19 pandemic led the Foundation to fund research. Approximately $1.75 billion has already been donated to research into the pandemic by the couple.
3. Mark Zuckerberg
If the success of Facebook continues in the future, Mark Zuckerberg has the chance to become the biggest philanthropist in history. The Facebook founder has joined Bill Gates Giving Pledge and is using the power of his business empire to do good. Zuckerberg’s philanthropic impact was first identified when he pledged $100 million to a New Jersey public school system. Zuckerberg has become an important philanthropist as part of the Silicon Valley Community Foundation. The Foundation has received millions of shares from the Facebook founder to help complete its good work.
4. Sir Richard Branson
Sir Richard Branson has a lifelong interest in philanthropy, with his first charity being formed when he was 17. The Virgin founder has pledged $3 billion to climate change charities to offset the problems caused by his travel firms. Marc Zboch admires the formation of a charitable group, known as The Elders, who work to identify and support good causes. Branson assembled the group in 2007 and include Peter Gabriel and Desmond Tutu among their number.
5. Michael Bloomberg
Michael Bloomberg rose to prominence as the founder of his own financial news organization. Climate change heads the list of concerns of Michael Bloomberg as his eponymous foundation seeks to work in this area. A plan to restock the global fish stocks is underway after beginning in 2014.
The gap between rich and poor has widened recently to leave business leaders with more power than in the last century. Philanthropy and a pledge to redistribute the wealth have changed the way business leaders donate to charities.