Name Peter Paduh | ||
Born 1977 Sarajevo Occupation SocialBox.biz Trading Enterprises Ltd. | ||
Peter Paduh (born 1977, in Sarajevo) is a British businessman, best known as the Young Business Person of the Year at the London Business Awards 2005, and for his involvement with the Computers for Older People Initiative with the Mayor of London and Age Concern and as a spokesperson for Refugees in the UK and for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).
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Background
He came to the UK as a refugee at the age of 14 when war broke out in the Balkans. At the time he did not speak English but he already had a fierce desire to make a positive contribution to society and establish a successful business.
Paduh learnt English, lived in a children's home for refugees in London and attended school and university in the UK. He worked for companies such as Gateway and Microsoft, then started a series of businesses.
His past ventures include an online marketing and web hosting business, working in partnership with British Telecom’s Internet division and a successful IT/Internet consultancy. He started his first business at the age of 12 selling Commodore 64 home computer products.
In 2002, as a result of consultations with his clients, Paduh began researching the business potential of the electronic waste problem. His research took him to Canada, where he made a number of contacts, visited recycling plants and observed the thriving recycling industry there. From what he saw, Peter became convinced that there was an overlooked market in the UK for recycled and re-used technology.
His approach to business was built on the principles of corporate social responsibility (CSR), providing training in IT hardware for young unemployed people and helping disadvantaged groups such as older people in the UK with refurbished PCs. Paduh demonstrated that it was possible to establish a successful business that is environmentally and socially sustainable.
Because of the emphasis on CSR and because of his background as a refugee, Paduh has received a number of awards in the UK of which one of the most prestigious was as the Young Business Person of the Year at the National Business Awards 2005 sponsored by ITV London and the London Chamber of Commerce. He is also a spokesperson for Refugee groups including the London Refugee Economic Action (LORECA) and the National Assembly Against Racism (NAAR).
SocialBox.biz
Peter is currently Chairman of SocialBox.biz - New generation Recycling and Storage Social Enterprise turning waste into resources and opportunities - with a strong emphasis on positive impact on community and society pledging majority of its profits to help causes such as integration of refugees into economic activity in London and UK.
Peter founded other ventures in the recycling sector that worked with the local community such as the reuse and recycling of IT equipment that London businesses were throwing away refurbishing them and creating economic and employment opportunities in London. In this process, training was provided to young people in IT hardware including immigrants and other former refugees.
These ventures refurbished thousands of computers from firms and councils in London, for example Haringey Council’s old computers and put them back into use in the voluntary sector, with schools, community centres and local charities benefiting from the services.
In June 2006, the Mayor of London launched an initiative to raise thousands of computers for London's older people in conjunction with charity Age Concern.
In the media
Originally a refugee, Paduh has spoken to the press several times about his experiences.
He has been quoted in articles about refugees from The Guardian, the Financial Times and Newsweek, and was the subject of a two-page spread in the London Paper.
Paduh has also been featured on ITV news, BBC World and on the BBC's Working Lunch programme.