Article at a glance:

One business's commitment to society: An interview with the president of the Novartis Foundation for Sustainable Development

• At a time when executives increasingly debate the role of business in society, this interview explores one company's contribution to the global fight against poverty and disease.
• Klaus Leisinger, president of the Novartis Foundation for Sustainable Development, explains how the organization has acted not only as a bridge between its Swiss pharmaceutical parent and the outside world but also as a facilitator of debate among nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), governments, and the private sector.
• Besides the foundation's achievements—notably its role in destigmatizing leprosy—Leisinger discusses the challenge of verifying a company's contributions to society and of introducing private health insurance to Africa's rural poor.