Almost five decades ago, a young Aldo Bensadoun (or as he is affectionately known, Mr. B) — son of a shoe merchant and grandson of a cobbler — set out to realize his dream of becoming the best shoe retailer in the world.

His vision: To create a different kind of company, built around ethics, compassion and a deep understanding of the customer. In short? To create a human brand, a brand that cares.