This event was part of Global Goals Week, a shared commitment of partnership between civil society, business, academia and the UN system to accelerate action on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as part of the Decade of Action to Deliver the Global Goals.
Global Goals Week took place virtually this year (17-26 September), focusing on making this a turning point to recover better for people and planet, as COVID-19 threatens to reverse decades of progress. Our coalition of more than 100 partners mobilized on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly High-level Week to cultivate ideas, identify solutions, and hold leaders accountable.
To view the full calendar of events, click here.
WELCOME
1.00 - 1.30 PM BST
8.00 - 8.30 AM EDT
Fireside Chat with:
Eliza Natividad Robles, Business Owner, Lima, Peru
Sergio Rincon, President of AB InBev-Backus, Peru
Jane Nelson, Director, Corporate Responsibility Initiative, Harvard Kennedy School (moderator)
We heard how AB InBev has been supporting small businesses during the pandemic via new technology and capacity building to enhance the impact their customers are having in their communities.
WEBINAR
1.30 - 2.30 PM BST
8.30 - 9.30 AM EDT
Business Leadership for the SDGs
Hosted with Harvard Kennedy School Corporate Responsibility Initiative
Mamadou Biteye, Vice President, Inclusive Growth, Global Social Impact, Visa Inc
Elvis Kadhama, Co-Founder, Pearl Entrepreneurs Academy, Uganda, & Fellow, One Young World
Mike Quinn, Author, "Failing to Win", and Co-Founder & CEO at Boost Technology
Caroline Read, Director for Economic Cooperation and Growth, UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
Jane Nelson, Director, Corporate Responsibility Initiative, Harvard Kennedy School (moderator)
In this session, business leadership and the SDGs were considered from the point of view of panellists from the inter-governmental, government, business, and youth communities. What are the expectations on business to act on the significant challenges the world faces, and what does good leadership look like?
We deep-dived into the multiple ways that business can take action and partner across sectors to create a more sustainable and resilient future.
MASTERCLASS
2.30 - 4.00 PM BST
9.30 - 11.00 AM EDT
Embedding Purpose into Brands to Deliver the SDGs
Hosted with AB InBev
John Blood, Chief Legal and Corporate Affairs Officer & Corporate Secretary, AB InBev
Mark Breitbard, President & CEO Global Gap Brand, Franchise, Strategic Alliances & Licensing. Gap Inc
Emily Dalton Smith, VP of Social Impact, Facebook
Myriam Sidibe, Founder, Brands on a Mission
Leslie Crutchfield, Executive Director, Business for Impact, McDonough School of Business,
Georgetown University (moderator)
In this masterclass, we brought together leading practitioners to share their advice on why and how to embed purpose in brands. We focused on how businesses can leverage the reach and trust of their corporate and/or consumer-facing brands to drive positive change in support of the Sustainable Development Goals.
We were given practical guidance and inspiration from real-world examples. We heard about the powerful impact for people and planet, as well as for business growth and competitiveness.
PEER CIRCLES
4.00 - 5.00 PM BST
11.00 AM - 12.00 PM EDT
WELCOME
1.00 - 1.30 PM BST
8.00 - 8.30 AM EDT
Hosted with Novozymes
Welcome by Zahid and Yvette, Business Fights Poverty
Followed by a Fireside Chat with:
Ester Baiget, CEO, Novozymes
Anne Breum, Lab Technician, Union Chairperson, Novozymes A/S
Mansi Kulshreshtha, Executive Assistant to Head of India, Novozymes South Asia Pvt. Ltd
Susanne Palsten Buchardt, Vice President, Agricultural & Industrial Biosolutions, Novozymes Europe
Richard Stallings, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Manager, Novozymes North America
We heard different perspectives and insights from across Novozymes on what they are doing to drive equity via inclusion and what more they can do to drive "The Inclusion Economy" forward.
WEBINAR
1.30 - 2.30 PM BST
8.30 - 9.30 AM EDT
Business and the Care Economy
Hosted with International Development Research Centre (IDRC)
Rebecca Calder, Director and Co-Founder, Kore Global
Sana Kapadia, Project Director, Justice, Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion (JEDI), GenderSmart Investing
Cecilia Retegui, CEO, Zolvers
Esha Sheth, Senior Global Sustainability Manager - Social Equity Diversity & Inclusion, Global Sustainability Team, Unilever
Erin Tansey, Director, Sustainable Inclusive Economies, IDRC (moderator)
This webinar focused on overcoming unpaid care and domestic work as key barriers to women’s and girls’ empowerment. It highlighted concrete strategies for the private sector to address the gender and social disparities associated with vulnerable or unpaid care jobs and transform them into sustainable business and fair employment opportunities.
We learned about emerging market-based solutions and how we can bring them to scale; and to understand the roles of large and small businesses alongside capital allocators in transforming the care economy.
WEBINAR
2.30 - 3.30 PM BST
9.30 - 10.30 AM EDT
Harnessing Digital to Drive Inclusive Economic Opportunity
Hosted with Walmart
Payal Dalal, Senior Vice President, Social Impact, International Markets, Center for Inclusive Growth, Mastercard
Henriette Kolb, Manager Gender and Economic Inclusion Group, IFC
Lorenzo Pavone, Deputy Head of Networks, Partnerships and Gender Division, OECD Development Centre
JP Suarez, Chief Administration Officer , Walmart International and Regional CEO, Massmart and Chile
Katie Hyson, Director of Thought Leadership, Business Fights Poverty (Moderator)
UN Deputy Secretary General Amina Mohammed declared that “Without decisive action, the digital divide will become the new face of inequality.”
We explored how to harness digital transparency tools to drive inclusive economic opportunities. From bringing small and micro enterprises into supply chains, to the inclusion of women through digital.
Together, we heard leading edge insights on cross-sectoral opportunities in order to engage; learn about best practices on digital transformation and supply chains; whilst meeting the leading thinkers to expand our network and forge new partnerships.
WELCOME
1.00 - 1.30 PM BST
8.00 - 8.30 AM EDT
Hosted with Mars Inc
Welcome by Zahid and Yvette, Business Fights Poverty
Followed by a Fireside Chat with:
Abby Maxman, CEO and President, Oxfam America
Barry Parkin, Chief Procurement and Sustainability Officer, Mars Inc
We heard Mars and Oxfam debate whether we are brave enough to fix a broken food system and how they are working together through the Farmer Income Lab to improve farmer livelihoods.
WEBINAR
1.30 - 2.30 PM BST
8.30 - 9.30 AM EDT
Business and Agricultural Transformation
Hosted with Mars Inc
Andrew Bovarnick, Global Head, Food and Agricultural Commodity Systems (FACS), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
Clare Flannery, Sustainability Manager, AB InBev
Rafael Flor, Senior Program Officer, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Inge Jacobs Senior Manager Human Rights and Income – Cocoa, Mars Wrigley
Richard Rogers, Managing Director, Rogers MacJohn (Moderator)
In this panel discussion, we focused on lessons for companies from countries that have successfully and sustainably reduced smallholder poverty at scale, as part of the country’s rural agricultural transformation process. Drawing on brand new research by The Farmer Income Lab, founded by Mars Inc, as well as practical examples, we explored the role business can play in building smallholder resilience.
We heard about some of the latest thinking on supporting smallholder farmers, with valuable and practical insights that we could take back into our own organisations.
WEBINAR
2.30 - 3.30 PM BST
9.30 - 10.30 AM EDT
Unleashing the Potential of Youth Enterprise
Hosted with Youth Business International
Adenike Adeyemi, CEO, FATE Foundation Nigeria & Trustee, YBI
Olabisi Akinbajo, Founder of Toke Cosmetics (young entrepreneur), Nigeria
Yogesh Gawande, Founder of NIYO Innovative Solutions LLP (young entrepreneur), India
Jennifer D. Wilson, Lead of Emerging Topics - Global Responsible Business, Accenture
Marta Krupinska, Chair, YBI & Head of Google Startups UK
(Moderator)
Faced with a dire job market, entrepreneurship gives young people an opportunity for unlocking income generation and creating decent work for themselves and others. But what support is available to succeed? Together we explored what challenges and effective support for young entrepreneurs look like.
This session provided us with the opportunity to build our case for why supporting young entrepreneurs makes business sense; exploring specific challenges and shining a light on opportunities as we heard first-hand testimonies from young entrepreneurs.
WELCOME
1.00 - 1.30 PM BST
8.00 - 8.30 AM EDT
Hosted with BP4GG
Welcome by Zahid Torres-Rahman, Business Fights Poverty and Monique Ntumngia, Founder of the Green Girls Organisation and CEO, Monafrik Energy
Followed by a Fireside Chat with:
David Alder, Technical Director, MWW Ltd
Barry Clavin, Ethics & Sustainability, The Co-op
Ian Michell, Group Technical and Procurement Director, Flamingo
Masarrat Quader, Public Affairs and Stakeholder Engagement Manager, H&M Bangladesh
We heard the view of senior business executives on the importance of climate to BP4GG partners in agriculture and the role of partnerships as a modality for delivering climate action.
WEBINAR
1.30 - 2.30 PM BST
8.30 - 9.30 AM EDT
Business Partnerships Tackling Climate Change
Hosted with Business Partnerships for Global Goals / UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
Welcome:
Raania Rizvi, Senior Responsible Officer, VSCF and BP4GG Programmes, FCDO
Opening:
Ian Felton, Team Lead, Responsible Business and Business Engagement, FCDO
Panel:
Richard Fox, Sustainability Director at Flamingo Horticulture Limited
Jephthah Mensah, Operations Lead, Cocoa Life Ghana, Mondelez
Isaya Muiru, Technical Manager/Senior Trainer, FlowerWatch
Cathy Pieters, Senior Director of Sustainable Ingredients and Cocoa Life, Mondelez
Closing:
Menhaz Bhaur,
Economic Development Lead, Mott Macdonald
Katie Hyson, Director of Thought Leadership,
Business Fights Poverty & Karen Smith, Agriculture Portfolio Lead, Business Partnerships for Global Goals
(moderators)
Approximately 2.3 billion tonnes less carbon was emitted during 2020 due to the pandemic. In this panel we explored how businesses partnered, innovated and pivoted to ensure value chain continuity, save jobs and reduce carbon. Simultaneously, understand why farmers and growers need to be at the heart of climate action and how businesses are doing this.
Curious what business is doing to support people as they mitigate against climate change? Together we heard how innovation can trigger greener trade-led growth so that it can be scaled and replicated. With an opportunity to explore multi-party partnerships acting as a force for good.
WEBINAR
2.30 - 3.30 PM BST
9.30 - 10.30 AM EDT
Women and the Net Zero Economy: Business Opportunities and Challenges in Supply Chains
Hosted with Work and Opportunities for Women / UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
Cristina Bortes, Director, Sustainability and International Development, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
Megha Desai, Senior Coordinator, Self-Employed Women’s Association (SEWA)
Sheetal Nischal, Sustainability Projects Manager, Primark
Sunita Pitamber, Associate Director, Gender Mainstreaming and Access to Services, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
Alison Ward, CEO, Cotton Connect
Alice Allan, Collaboration Director, Business Fights Poverty (moderator)
This interactive panel discussion focused on the twin challenges of realizing women’s economic empowerment and tackling climate change. How do these critical social and environmental issues relate and how can a transition to net zero still achieve economic empowerment for women in global value chains?
We gathered insights from the Work and Opportunities for Women (WoW) Programme’s recent report; we heard about examples of action; and we helped shape a toolkit for business which will inform an in-person event at COP-26.
PEER CIRCLES
4.00 - 5.00 PM BST
11.00 AM - 12.00 PM EDT
WELCOME
1.00 - 1.30 PM BST
8.00 - 8.30 AM EDT
Hosted with Bayer
Welcome by Zahid and Yvette, Business Fights Poverty
Followed by a Fireside Chat with:
Mildred Nadah Pita,
Head Global Healthcare Programs/Sustainability Middle Africa, Bayer
Dr. Claus Runge,
Senior Vice President, Global Head of Market Access, Public Affairs & Sustainability at Bayer Pharmaceuticals
The past two years have put massive pressure on healthcare systems and work in supporting those who are most vulnerable. In this session we heard about Partnerships for Family Planning – from Global to Local. Collaborating for change.
WEBINAR
1.30 - 2.30 PM BST
8.30 - 9.30 AM EDT
Vaccine Literacy and Access: The Role of Business Partnerships
Hosted with Business Partners to CONVINCE
Shamiram Feinglass,
Chief Medical Officer and Executive, Global Medical Affairs & Policy Danaher Corporation
Catalina Garcia, Global Director of Corporate Affairs, AB InBev and Board Director, AB InBev Foundation
Keith Kibirango, Director of Philanthropy and Private Sector Engagement, Crown Agents
Scott Ratzan, Distinguished Lecturer, CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy
Zahid Torres-Rahman, Co-Founder & CEO, Business Fights Poverty (moderator)
In this session, we explored the role of business partnerships in ensuring vaccine literacy and access, recognising the role vaccination will play in helping us recover from the pandemic. Drawing on live examples, we unpacked the challenges and opportunities of business engagement - whether through their workforce or by harnessing their logistics and marketing capacities.
In this session we learned to understand how best to engage our business or business partners in vaccination efforts around the world. We got practical advice, and heard the latest thinking.
WEBINAR
2.30 - 3.30 PM BST
9.30 - 10.30 AM EDT
Building Skills for a Sustainable Future: From Learning to Action
Hosted with Pearson
Opening:
Andy Bird, CEO, Pearson
Zahid Torres-Rahman, Co-Founder and CEO, Business Fights Poverty
Panel:
Els Howard-Polman, Vice President - Business Development and Innovation,
Pearson
Patrick Hull, VP Future of Work, Unilever
Natasha Kwakwa, Global Head, Community Programmes & Impact, Group Sustainability, Standard Chartered
Mario Elias Gonzalez Lupercio, Shared Value and Innovation, CEMEX
Richard Stagg, VP Portfolio Management & Publishing Director, Higher Education, UK. Pearson
Katie Hyson, Director of Thought Leadership, Business Fights Poverty (Moderator)
This interactive session focused on how the private sector can both support - and benefit from - collaborative initiatives to build the skills that are essential to our future prosperity. What knowledge and skills do we need now, and can we best put our learning into action?
We reflected on our take-home messages from the week, and explored how business can equip their employees and wider community to play their part in tackling the challenges ahead.