Business fights Poverty

Climate Justice Summit

COP28 / December 2023

Online | Dubai | NAIROBI

At the heart of our battle against the climate crisis are the very people it affects most. In a world where income, gender, race, and geography can dictate one’s vulnerability to climate change, our mission is to champion an equitable, resilient future.

By viewing climate action through the lens of social impact, we’re not just fighting for the environment but for every individual whose life is intertwined with it.

The hybrid Business Fights Poverty Climate Summit 2023, was broadcast live from Dubai and Nairobi during the COP28 climate summit. It gave the chance to hear from diverse voices around the world.

Explore the insights of our highly-rated hybrid sessions, the meaningful conversations and topics covered. 

Our aim is to shape a green economy where no one is left behind.

SESSION RESOURCES

The summit sessions explored the following topics:

Investing in Women in STEM to Tackle Green and Social Issues

5 Dec | Online | Dubai | Nairobi 

Less than 3%* of investment goes to female entrepreneurs. Closing the financing gap and providing access to finance to female-led MSMEs are essential drivers of long-term economic growth. Meet leading female tech entrepreneurs supported by Futuremakers who are solving green and social challenges in their communities. 

This Youth Panel with Futuremakers by Standard Chartered explored how to scale and unlock the potential for a more sustainable, resilient, inclusive future.

Building the business case for women smallholders in regenerative agriculture

5 Dec | Online | Dubai | Nairobi

At our Fireside Chat with Hand in Hand, we explored how we create a compelling business case for regenerative farming for women smallholders at the ‘base of the pyramid’. Together, we’ll delve into the challenges and opportunities of measuring impact, while ensuring women farmers are the ones driving climate mitigation and collective action.

APPLYING A GENDER LENS TO ACHIEVE NET-ZERO

5 Dec | Online | Dubai | Nairobi

At our hybrid workshop with the UK FCDO’s WOW programme and PwC we heard the latest thinking and examples on how applying a gender lens can help drive progress towards net-zero.

TAKING A SYSTEM-LEVEL APPROACH TO DRIVE POSITIVE CLIMATE ACTION AND SOCIAL IMPACT

6 Dec | Online | Dubai 

Listen to our Fireside Chat with Novozymes to hear practical advice on building partnerships that will drive positive action on climate change and for vulnerable communities.

Driving food security and farmer livelihoods

6 Dec | Online | Dubai

The climate crisis is having severe consequences for the production of food crops, threatening both global food security and individual farmers’ livelihoods. In this private session hosted with Cargill, we dived into practical challenges and opportunities for business collaboration. The output is part of an ongoing consultation and we will share more in 2024.

THE ROAD AHEAD FOR CLIMATE JUSTICE

6 Dec | Online | Dubai 

Our experts and practitioner from across the global Business Fights Poverty community discussed the future priorities and strategies for putting people at the heart of climate change and climate action.

Session Guide

5th December: Gender

Investing in Women Climate Tech Leaders

Hosted with Standard Chartered (Futuremakers by Standard Chartered | Lifting participation with inclusive entrepreneurship)

Inclusion and equity in climate solutions are needed from all corners of our planet and every part of our society. Join climate tech female entrepreneurs and leaders from the banking industry to explore how we can open channels of investment for women in STEM to make a difference.

OPENING REMARKS:

Bill Winters, Group Chief Executive, Standard Chartered Bank

Audrey S-Darko, Chief Regenerative Officer, Sabon Sake

INTERVIEWEES:

Shada Elborno, Managing Director, and Regional Head of Global Subsidiaries for MENAP, Standard Chartered

Leena Al Olaimy, Founder & CEO, Symbaiosys

Lara Hussein, Co-Founder, The Waste Lab

INTERVIEWER:

Katie Hyson, Director of Thought Leadership, Business Fights Poverty

Futuremakers Youth Panel: Investing in Women in STEM to Tackle Green and Social Issues

Hosted with Standard Chartered (Futuremakers by Standard Chartered | Lifting participation with inclusive entrepreneurship)

Less than 3%* of investment goes to female entrepreneurs. Closing the financing gap and providing access to finance to female-led MSMEs are essential drivers of long-term economic growth. Meet leading female tech entrepreneurs supported by Futuremakers who are solving green and social challenges in their communities. Together we explore how to scale and unlock the potential for a more sustainable, resilient, inclusive future.

Why join:

  • Meet and learn from passionate female entrepreneurs accelerating the transition to greener and inclusive economies.
  • Gain insights on inclusive finance so that you can adopt these for your organisation.
  • Share your experiences so that you too can reflect and scale positive impact in your community.

OPENING SPEAKERS:

Allie Burns, CEO, Village Capital

Khadija Hashimi, Regional Head, Corporate Affairs and Brand & Marketing, AME and Country Head, Corporate Affairs and Brand & Marketing, Pakistan, Standard Chartered Bank

Menna Shahin, Co-Founder, Tekeya

Naom Monari, Founder, Bena Care Ltd

Edith Chumba, Head of Consumer, Private & Business Banking, Standard Chartered Bank, Kenya & Eastern Africa

INTERVIEWER:

Zahid Torres-Rahman, CEO & Co-Founder, Business Fights Poverty

Building the Business Case for Women Smallholders in Regenerative Agriculture

Hosted with Hand in Hand

Join our Fireside Chat with Hand in Hand, exploring how we create a compelling business case for regenerative farming for women smallholders at the ‘base of the pyramid’. Together, we’ll delve into the challenges and opportunities of measuring impact, while ensuring women farmers are the ones driving climate mitigation and collective action.

INTERVIEWEES:

Reagan Buluma, Regenerative Agriculture Lead, Hand in Hand Eastern Africa

Dorothea Arndt, CEO, Hand in Hand International

Dorothy Shaver, Global Nutrition Sustainability Lead, Unilever

INTERVIEWER: 

Katie Hyson, Director of Thought Leadership, Business Fights Poverty

Applying a Gender Lens to Achieve Net-Zero

Join our hybrid workshop with the UK FCDO’s WOW programme and PwC  to hear the latest thinking and examples on how applying a gender lens can help drive progress towards net-zero.

OPENING SPEAKERS:

Cristina Bortes, Director, PWC

Hernan Zunino, Climate and Nature Manager, Twinings

Martin Ochien’g, Group Managing Director, Sasini PLC Kenya

Lisa Manley, Vice President, Sustainability, Mars Inc

Sunita Pitamber, Associate Director Gender, Access to Services and Climate Change, EBRD

INTERVIEWER:

Zahid Torres-Rahman, CEO & Co-Founder, Business Fights Poverty

6th December: Partnerships

Taking a System-Level Approach to Drive Positive Climate Action and Social Impact

Listen to our Fireside Chat with Novozymes to hear practical advice on building partnerships that will drive positive action on climate change and for vulnerable communities.

INTERVIEWEES:

Erwin Rose, Chair of the Advisory Board, UN Climate Technology Centre & Network (CTCN) and Foreign Affairs Officer, U.S. Department of State

Justin Perrettson, Advisory Board Member, CTCN and Head of Sustainability Partnerships, Novozymes

INTERVIEWER:

Jane Nelson, Director, Corporate Responsibility Initiative, Harvard Kennedy School

The Road Ahead for Climate Justice

Join experts and practitioners from across our global community to discuss future priorities and strategies for putting people at the heart of climate change and climate action.

OPENING SPEAKERS:

Sally Uren, Chief Executive, Forum for the Future – UK

Angela Pinhati, Director of Sustainability, Natura&Co Latam – Brazil

Ana Laura Sayago, Organic Honey Producer, Cooperativa Coopsol – Argentina

Ruka Sanusi, Executive Director, Ghana Climate Innovation Centre – Ghana

Kazi Jawoad Hossain, Climate, Resilience, and Agriculture Manager, iDE – Bangladesh

Autumn Fox, Climate Sustainability Senior Manager, Mars Inc – USA

MODERATOR:

Zahid Torres-Rahman, CEO & Co-Founder, Business Fights Poverty

The climate crisis is having severe consequences for the production of food crops, threatening both global food security and individual farmers’ livelihoods. In this private session hosted by Cargill, we will deep dive into practical challenges and opportunities for business collaboration.

MEET SOME OF OUR amazing speakers...

Jane Nelson CMG

Director, Corporate Responsibility Initiative

Director, Corporate Responsibility Initiative

Harvard Kennedy School

Dorothea Arndt

CEO

CEO

Hand in Hand International

Autumn Fox

Climate Sustainability Senior Manager

Climate Sustainability Senior Manager

Mars Inc

Sunita Pitamber

Associate Director Gender, Access to Services and Climate Change

Associate Director Gender, Access to Services and Climate Change

EBRD

Edith Chumba

Head of Wealth & Retail Banking

Head of Wealth & Retail Banking

Standard Chartered Bank, Kenya

Ruka Sanusi

Executive Director

Executive Director

Ghana Climate Innovation Centre

Ana Laura Sayago

Organic Honey Producer

Organic Honey Producer

Cooperativa Coopsol, Argentina

Erwin Rose

Chair of the Advisory Board and Foreign Affairs Officer

Chair of the Advisory Board and Foreign Affairs Officer

UN Climate Technology Centre & Network (CTCN) and U.S. Department of State

Shada Elborno

Managing Director, and Regional Head of Global Subsidiaries for MENAP

Managing Director, and Regional Head of Global Subsidiaries for MENAP

Standard Chartered

Lara Hussein

Co-Founder

Co-Founder

The Waste Lab

Khadija Hashimi

Regional Head, Corporate Affairs and Brand & Marketing, AME and Country Head, Corporate Affairs and Brand & Marketing, Pakistan

Regional Head, Corporate Affairs and Brand & Marketing, AME and Country Head, Corporate Affairs and Brand & Marketing, Pakistan

Standard Chartered Bank

Cristina Bortes

Director

Director

PWC

Martin R. Ochien’g

Group Managing Director

Group Managing Director

Sasini PLC

Dorothy Shaver

Global Nutrition Sustainability Lead

Global Nutrition Sustainability Lead

Unilever

Angela Pinhati

Director of Sustainability

Director of Sustainability

Natura&Co Latam

Allie Burns

CEO

CEO

Village Capital

Audrey S-Darko

Chief Regenerative Officer

Chief Regenerative Officer

Sabon Sake

Sally Uren

Chief Executive

Chief Executive

Forum for the Future

Reagan Buluma

Regenerative Agriculture Lead

Regenerative Agriculture Lead

Hand in Hand Eastern Africa

Leena Al Olaimy

Founder & CEO

Founder & CEO

Symbaiosys

Menna Shahin

Co-Founder

Co-Founder

Tekeya

Bill Winters

Group Chief Executive

Group Chief Executive

Standard Chartered Bank

Lisa Manley

Vice President, Sustainability

Vice President, Sustainability

Mars Inc

Hernan Zunino

Social Impact Manager, Latin America

Social Impact Manager, Latin America

Twinings

Naom Monari

Founder

Founder

Bena Care Ltd

Kazi Jawoad Hossain

Climate, Resilience and Agriculture Manager

Climate, Resilience and Agriculture Manager

iDE

Justin Perrettson

Head of Sustainability Partnerships,

Head of Sustainability Partnerships,

Novozymes