Local firm lauded for work with UN food agency
AGT Foods owner honoured for helping to feed hungry families around the world
Besides running AGT Foods and Ingredients Inc., a Saskatchewanbased pulse crop business that handles around a quarter of the world’s lentils, Murad Al-Katib is a committed philanthropist.
Last year, he helped feed around four million families through the United Nations World Food Programme.
This week, he was named the first Canadian recipient of the Oslo Business for Peace Award and spoke with Postmedia News about what it means.
Q What was your reaction when you learned you’d been given this award?
A You never set out in your life to do these things to be recognized for them. You do them because you’re actually passionate about the causes. It’s an opportunity to stand up in front of a large group of business leaders and use the work you’re doing as a call to action, to say, ‘You know what? Entrepreneurs and businesspeople have an opportunity to contribute to the problems that are in society today.’
Q Some would argue by running a successful business that employs thousands of people, you’re already improving the world. What drives you to go beyond that?
A A lot of entrepreneurs view that as their contribution. I turn around and say, ‘You know what? That’s my responsibility.’ My responsibility is to the families and the people that work hard every day to make our company successful. My opportunity is to take what’s in my hands and use it to contribute. At first it was just an economic opportunity … but as we got in and our scale got bigger, we realized we could actually save the United Nations and the International Red Cross millions if we just did it differently.
Q Is there one thing you’ve been able to do through AGT that stands out as a reflection of all of your philanthropic work?
A This is a life cause for me, an ability to create economic opportunities in our local communities here by providing proteins and foods to the growing populations in Asia, and then linking in the most vulnerable communities.
Q How do you, as the head of a public company, strike the balance between satisfying shareholders and working on these humanitarian projects?
A I think there’s a good, strong recognition from investors that invest in Canada that Canadian businesses have a different position in society, and the way that Canadians do business abroad is that we do have a corporate, social responsibility that’s embedded in our culture. This pays dividends to our shareholders. It’s employee engagement. It’s creating long-term opportunities for our products.
My opportunity is to take what’s in my hands and use it to contribute.