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John Laing
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Sir John William Laing (1879-1978) inherited his father John's building business - what we now know as John Laing plc - in the early 1900's.
A deeply religious man, John William Laing gave the company its evangelical direction, which included pioneering ideas that nurtured staff, such as paid holidays and annual outings, in the early part of the 20th century.
When the company was on the verge of bankruptcy in 1909, he made a pledge to God: for every pound he earned, a significant percentage would be given away to charity. He stuck to this - when he died his possessions were valued at £371, despite the millions his family had made.
He retired from the business in 1957, was knighted in 1959 and died in 1978.
