28 September 2018 | 9am - 2pm
Japan Society | 333 East 47th Street, New York, NY, United States
The 8th BCtA Annual Forum will take place in the margin of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on 28 September 2018. The BCtA Annual Forum provides a unique multi-stakeholder platform to support Inclusive Business action and partnerships to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – fostering public-private dialogues, catalysing new partnerships and alliances, and exploring innovative business solutions to accelerate sustainable development.
The 8th BCtA Annual Forum will be held during the Global Goals Week.
Automation, digital platforms, and other innovations are changing the fundamental nature of work around the world. They present both threats and opportunities for the employment agenda for IB in developing countries. This can happen for the better — such as when digital jobs create new opportunities for independent workers — or for the worse, such as when popular roles become automated. What are some of the opportunities IB already grasped to create good jobs, how can they make the most of it, how should we shape the broader ecosystem to respond to the risks and opportunities presented by these disruptive technologies?
Stuart Hart, Program Director, the Sustainable Innovation MBA Program at University of Vermont, Grossman School of BusinessDr Agbor Ashumanyi Ako, GiftedMom
Ting Shih, ClickMedix
Nash Barrett, SafeMotos
Jack Sim, Founder of World Toilet Organisation and BoP HUB
Shelley Saxena, Sevamob
Andy Beard, Vanu
Jessica Alderman, Envirofit
The need for innovative solutions in climate change mitigation and adaptation is an opportunity for companies to develop new products and services and serve new markets. Business leaders have an important role to play in addressing climate change by pursuing business opportunities, advocating for effective public policies, and designing their own approaches. Inclusive businesses are increasingly mobilising green investment, promoting green private sector development, and harnessing skills and knowledge for addressing climate change across the world. Efforts include developing clean infrastructure, reducing energy and water use, improving the climate resilience of cities and communities, and supporting natural capital and ecosystems. Challenges for private sector engagement on the environment include a lack of evidence on environmental outcomes, moving beyond demonstration projects to scale up successful approaches and the need to strengthen links with partner country priorities. Emerging good practice spans ways to communicate the business benefits of addressing environmental issues, understand and address the barriers to private sector engagement on environmental issues, promote sound business models and adopt a holistic approach that includes support for an enabling policy environment for investment and business.
Andreas Ahrens, Head of Climate, Project Manager – Climate Positive Strategic Initiative, Sustainability Range & Supply, IKEA
Christoffer Falsen, Founder and CFO, TRINE
Jessica Alderman, Director of Communications and Public Relations, Envirofit International
Moderated by Charles O'Malley, Green Commodities Programme Senior Partnerships Advisor, UNDP
Digital technologies offer the potential to fundamentally change lives around the world. While much progress has been made in measuring the use of new technologies adopted or developed by IB, how to leverage these technologies to better assess ones’ impact can be further analysed and understood.
This one-hour dialogue will feature organizations on the cutting-edge of use of technology and data-driven approaches to manage their impact and drive their commitment to the sustainable development goals. The panellists will offer a candid perspective on the opportunities and challenges in developing and implementing these approaches. They will also share their views on how their innovative approaches can contribute to more inclusive and sustainable business decisions and informing conducive policies at national level.
Melissa Menke, Founder and CEO, Access Afya
Ariel da Silva, Head of Environment, Itaipu Binacional, Brazil
Mounir Sada, Innovation Business Services, SAP
Gemma Corrigan, Practice Lead, Inclusive Growth, Future of Economic Progress, World Economic Forum
Moderated by Paula Pelaez, Head of the Business Call to Action