Business Fights Poverty Global Goals Summit 2022
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COVID, conflict and climate change are among a confluence of challenges driving a tsunami of poverty that is already crashing into the lives of vulnerable people and communities around the world. 
It is in this complex and rapidly-evolving context that world leaders came together in New York for the UN General Assembly to discuss how to accelerate progress on the internationally-agreed Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), due by 2030.

The growing global cost of living crisis, surging global hunger and malnutrition, worsening impacts of climate change, and threats to decades of progress on equity are just some of the many issues that the world has to grapple with.

If progress on the SDGs is to be defended and change accelerated, we must all step up as leaders, combining our knowledge, resources, networks and voices. And those people and communities most proximate to the issues must be at the heart of the conversation.

Over the course of two days, from 20 to 21 September, the virtual Business Fights Poverty Global Goals Summit, broadcasting live from New York, brought together people from right around the world, with the passion and expertise needed to unlock new action.

Following the sad news of the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, and with her funeral taking place on 19 September, as a mark of respect we have decided to restructure our Summit into a 2-day event, on 20 and 21 September.
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"One of the most well-organised summits I have seen. A combination of virtual and in-person, the summit was a smashing hit!

Liya Haile, Country Lead, Girl Effect Ethiopia
"So incredibly well organised!"

Anouk Heilen, Global Sustainability Director, Social Equity and Inclusion, Unilever
“By the end of the week, I learned new ideas and made new connections that increase the potential for our business to make a social difference that I definitely did not have at the beginning of the week."

Rohan Chindooroy, Economist, AB InBev
Access Insights.
Build Relationships.
Drive Collaboration.

The two-day virtual Summit, broadcast live from New York, included highly interactive sessions that brought together voices and insights from across the globe, from business, NGOs, academia and government. We shared the latest thinking on the role of business in driving equity, building resilience and fighting poverty. We deepened connections and built new relationships to drive forward collaborative action.

We got the chance to:


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Hear about the latest trends in poverty, and what role business can play, alongside government and civil society.
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Access the latest practical insights from real-world examples of businesses taking action on equity, resilience and poverty so that we can scale the impact of our own efforts.
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Tap into current thinking and best-practice lessons on priorities for collaborative action, and identify new connections to take forward your own partnerships.

This event is part of Global Goals Week, a shared commitment between 150+ partners across civil society, business, academia, and the UN system to accelerate action on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially during the UN General Assembly High-level Week. It was also an opportunity to speak out as one voice, share ideas and transformative solutions in the fight to recover better from global challenges. To view the full calendar of events, click here.

Briefing Paper:
The Poverty Tsunami
A brief outline of the latest poverty trends and the role that business can play.

Published April 2022

COVID, conflict and climate change are among a confluence of challenges driving a tsunami of poverty that is already crashing into the lives of vulnerable people and communities around the world. This briefing explores these trends and the role businesses can and should play.

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Our amazing speakers and panelists
AGENDA

Confirmed sessions

TUE 20 SEP
RESILIENCE
Strengthening the resilience of vulnerable people and communities.
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PANEL-LED WORKSHOP

9:00 AM ET / 2:00 PM BST
90 mins

How can business drive climate justice through supply chains?

Hosted with Meta

This session explored how business can support climate justice by building supply chain resilience, especially for those people living in the world’s most vulnerable communities. What are real-life examples of supply chain resilience? What does real-life resilience look like from the supplier’s point of view? What role can technology play to support climate justice? What more should business be doing now — and in the future?

In this workshop, business leaders, suppliers and climate activists shared the practical insights, tactics and innovations bringing climate justice to their supply chains — and where the fight needs to go next.

Lead Discussants:

Edward Palmieri, Director, Global Sustainability, Meta

Katie Hoard, Global VP, ESG Strategy & Engagement, AB InBev

Tara Shine, Chief Executive Officer, Change by Degrees

Susan Maina, Kenya Country Director, Practical Action

Sarah Roberts, CEO, Practical Action

Juan Echanove, Associate Vice President, Food & Water Systems, CARE
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*** 10 MINUTE INTERVAL ***

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FIRESIDE CHAT

10:40 AM ET / 3.40 PM BST
20 mins

How can we support new voices for climate justice?

Hosted with Meta

Interviewees:

Amanda Gardiner, Head, Sustainability Innovation & Engagement, Meta

Sophia Li, Journalist and Climate Advocate
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FIRESIDE CHAT

11.00 AM ET / 4.00 PM BST
20 mins

How can business partnerships tackle the hidden hunger through access to essential nutrients?

Hosted with Bayer

Interviewees:

Daniella Foster, Senior Vice President and Global Head of Public Affairs, Science and Sustainability, Consumer Health Division, Bayer

Minaud Dacius, Country Director for Haiti, Vitamin Angels
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WEBINAR

11:30 AM ET / 4.30 PM BST
60 mins

How can business partner to help small retailers thrive? Lessons from the country-level.
 
Hosted with AB InBev

Across the value chains of companies like AB InBev, there is a network of millions of entrepreneurs - from small-scale farmers to neighbourhood shops. These small and medium businesses (SMBs) are critical to the success of these value chains, while also generating important livelihood opportunities and services for local communities.

As companies look to scale up their support for these SMBs - investing and developing solutions to help these entrepreneurs build more profitable and sustainable businesses - harnessing financial technology (or ‘fintech’) is key.

Drawing on the experience of AB InBev, the IFC and on-the-ground fintech companies, this session explored the latest thinking on how to solve some of the most critical issues faced by SMB owners.

We explored how fintech can help SMBs grow through access to finance and critical financial and digital tools. We reflected on the lessons from helping SMBs through the pandemic. We accessed fresh insights on what works and what doesn’t, and how partnerships between businesses and donors can drive scale.

Speakers:

Dan Cohen, CEO and Founder, Tienda Pago

Catalina Garcia, Global Director of Corporate Affairs, AB InBev and Board Director, AB InBev Foundation

Susana Mendoza Alvarez, Digital Trade Marketing Manager, AB InBev

Kathy Mignano, Operations Officer, Gender and Economic Inclusion, IFC
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*** 5 MINUTE INTERVAL ***

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FIRESIDE CHAT

12.35 PM ET / 5.35 PM BST
20 mins

How can business support vulnerable people and communities in the face of the poverty tsunami?

COVID, conflict and climate change are among a confluence of challenges driving a tsunami of poverty that is already crashing into the lives of vulnerable people and communities around the world. In every country, people are facing what the UN describes as a “once-in-a-generation” cost of living crisis. The war in Ukraine has added further pressure and volatility to energy and food prices.

Governments are taking action to support those who are most vulnerable in society. This session brought together leading thinkers and practitioners to deep-dive into the role that business can and should play, in partnership with governments and civil society, to support and build the resilience of those people and communities most impacted. We learned about the role our organisation can play, and shared ideas for what we can do together.

Speakers:

Lisa Manley, Vice President, Sustainability, Mars Inc

Japheth Muli, Head of Programmes, Hand in Hand East Africa
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people

PANEL-LED WORKSHOP

1.00 PM ET / 6.00 PM BST
60 mins

How can we accelerate access to clean water, sanitation and hygiene?

Hosted with Reckitt

The pandemic and effects of climate change are creating a challenging terrain with high levels of water stress impacting the most vulnerable and putting a strain on WASH systems. Sustainable, community-led and owned business models are charting the path for innovations to scale with learnings distilled from experts and innovators themselves.

In this session we connected with leading social entrepreneurs and their partners;
We learned about accelerating and scaling social business. We examined cross-sector partnerships - to deepen our understanding of the pressing problems and take positive action to make a difference.

Speakers:

Monika Frech, Managing Director, Yunus Social Business

Hamzah Sarwar, Global Impact and Partnerships Director, Reckitt

Rowan Spazzoli, Programme Manager, Yunus Social Business

Jenifer Colpas, Co-Founder & Executive Director, Tierra Grata Embajadora

Katie Hyson, Director of Thought Leadership, Business Fights Poverty (Moderator)
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WED 21 SEP
EQUITY
Addressing the inequities that underpin poverty.
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PANEL-LED WORKSHOP

9:00 AM ET / 2:00 PM BST
90 mins

How can innovations in workforce development programmes address racial equity and inclusion issues?

Hosted with Barclays

This session explored how we can build an equitable and human-centred economy that supports and fosters a new generation of workers. We dove deep into how innovations in workforce development programmes can address racial equity and inclusion issues.

We heard from inspiring entrepreneurs from across the portfolio of Acumen America, which is partnering with Barclays on the theme of “Future for Workers”; rather than focusing on the future of work, the ambition is to reimagine a future for workers. The discussion surfaced new ideas and connections. We gained insights and ideas for actions we can deploy to drive a diverse and inclusive workforce.

Lead Discussants:

Charlotte Dales, CEO, Inclusively

Frances Cabrera, Vice President, Citizenship, Barclays

Hamoon Ekhtiari, CEO, FutureFit AI 

Pareen Kohlhaas, COO, COOP Careers

Abe Mendez, Senior Vice President, Per Scholas

Daniel Adeyanju, Director of Programs, The Knowledge House
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WEBINAR

10.30 AM ET / 3.30 PM BST
60 mins

How can multi-stakeholder platforms drive engagement and behaviour change? Lessons from addressing health issues in East Africa.
 

Hosted with Amref and the National Business Compact on Coronavirus

Focused on learnings from an ambitious multi-stakeholder platform tackling COVID-19 in East Africa, this session unpacked the effectiveness of this type of collaboration in driving sustained engagement and behaviour change to improve global health and well-being. It probed whether multi-stakeholder platforms are the way forward for tackling public health issues.

We learned from the real successes and challenges experienced by key stakeholders who mobilised a novel kind of collective action to tackle a large-scale public health crisis.

Speakers:

Anila Gopal, Director, Health & Wellbeing, Unilever

Professor Myriam Sidibe, Chair of the National Business Compact on Coronavirus and Founder, Brands on a Mission 

Sarah Kosgei, Program Manager for Public Health Emergency Response, AMREF

Ricky Tapa Thompson, co-founder and COO, SafeBoda in Uganda

Titus Ronoh, Networks Team Lead, Shujaaz Inc

Dr Ekua Yankah, Head of the NBCC Secretariat, Senior Consultant, Brands on a Mission (Moderator)
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WEBINAR

11.30 AM ET / 4.30 PM BST
60 mins

How can we think globally and act locally in order to build effective diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) strategies?

Hosted with the IFC

This session explored how to identify strategies to advance diverse, equitable and inclusive workplaces in a global context. Operating in local markets requires cultural intelligence to recognize common needs which can shape corporate priorities and those unique to specific geographies. As we tackle intergenerational issues such as climate change and the future of capitalism, understanding what social and economic equity looks like in different parts of the world.

We learned how to navigate tensions between local business actions and global DEI policies. We developed joined-up business strategies towards a forward facing DEI approach. We met experts and practitioners tackling these challenges so that you can continue the conversation after the event.

Speakers:

Rani Pooran, Program Lead, DEI, IFC, World Bank Group

Richard Stallings, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Manager, Novozymes North America

Beatriz Tumoine, Global Social Impact Director, CEMEX

Mahmoud Bah, Deputy CEO, Millennium Challenge Corporation

Deepika Omprakash Yadav, Project Manager and Gender Equality Lead, DEI, IFC, World Bank Group (Moderator)
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*** 5 MINUTE INTERVAL ***

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FIRESIDE CHAT

12.35 PM ET / 5.35 PM BST
25 mins

How can business help drive a more equitable society?

Hosted with Barclays

Interviewees:

Stella Tran, Senior Associate, Acumen America

April Dominguez, CEO, Handsome App
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*** INTERVAL ***

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PANEL-LED WORKSHOP

1.00 PM ET / 6.00 PM BST
90 mins

How do you create a sustainable and ethical supply chain for decarbonization? Lessons from mining. 
 

Hosted with Anglo American

The session focused on how to create sustainable and ethical supply chains for decarbonization.

It built on many of the themes covered during the Global Summit, and featured a case study of the assessment of the UNKI Platinum Mine in Zimbabwe against the Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance’s Standard for Sustainable Mining.

Together, we discussed topics such as the essential role of mining in an equitable transition to a green economy; the sector’s role in boosting development, governance and access to renewables in countries at-risk of being left behind; and how we can account for ethical production across the value chain.

Speakers:

Natascha Viljoen, CEO, Anglo American Platinum

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

Michelle Smith, Director of Standards and Assurance, Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA)

Chris Coulter, CEO, GlobeScan (Moderator)
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Agenda subject to change without notice.
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Register to access the Digital Pass to all the highlight videos and live illustrations of the sessions. We will also be adding soon full recordings and written summaries thanks to support from Pearson.
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Learning Resources
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REPORTS

Briefing Paper: The Poverty Tsunami

COVID, conflict and climate change are among a confluence of challenges driving a tsunami of poverty that is already crashing into the lives of vulnerable people and communities around the world. This briefing explores these trends and the role businesses can and should play.

Climate Justice: Key Insights From the Online Forum Discussions

A summary of a series of online forum discussions about how business can put people at the heart of their climate actions. The series also covered the role of education and skills in the just transition and how thinking about diversity and inclusion can help spread the burdens and benefits of climate action.

ACTION TOOLKIT: Women and the Net Zero Economy

A toolkit on how companies can transition to a net-zero economy at the same time as economically empowering the many vulnerable women working upstream in global value chains. With the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office's Work and Opportunities for Women Programme, PwC and the Corporate Responsibility Initiative, Harvard Kennedy School.

The National Business Compact on Coronavirus - One Year On: A Blueprint for Rapid Collaboration?

A report that identifies ten key elements that were integral to its success, and that provide insights on the way organisations could work together to tackle future crises and challenges. With the Corporate Responsibility Initiative, Harvard Kennedy School, and the UK Aid / Unilever Hygiene and Behaviour Change Coalition.

Business and Climate Justice Framework

An action framework on how business can put people at the heart of climate action; recognising the social equity dimensions of climate impacts. With the Corporate Responsibility Initiative, Harvard Kennedy School.

Using gamification in development interventions: Evidence from a multidimensional poverty alleviation initiative in rural Paraguay

The paper presents an innovative approach to addressing some poverty
dimensions using the gamification technique, which aims at improving the well-being of impoverished rural communities and at empowerment of its members.

From a Vicious to a Virtuous Circle: Addressing climate change, environmental destruction and contemporary slavery

From a Vicious to a Virtuous Circle, looks closely at the link between climate change and modern slavery, and the challenges presented by environmental harms. Based on research conducted by Dr Chris O’Connell, CAROLINE Fellow at Dublin City University, the report shows that climate change and exploitation are closely linked – and demonstrates why our strategic focus on climate change and the environment is a necessary part of our campaign to end slavery for everyone, everywhere, always.

Climate-induced
migration and
modern slavery: A toolkit for policy-makers

Climate-Induced Migration And Modern Slavery: A Toolkit For Policy-Makers, in partnership with the Institute for Environment and Development (IIED), exposing the link between climate-induced migration and modern slavery.

What is DEI? Market Signals of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

This report analyzes the reporting metrics used by 21 influential organizations to reveal both common core understandings of DEI and significant differences in how DEI is conceptualized, measured, and managed. It seeks to provide a firm foundation for a productive discussion on what metrics we use to measure performance in this important area in order to achieve delivery on these goals.

Education Report 2021

An Analysis of the impact of COVID on Education Access in Kenya and South Africa.

Entrepreneurship within reach: Connecting young people to opportunity

This report was commissioned in 2021 by YBI to evidence our 20 years of learning of what works in supporting young entrepreneurs. Dalberg—a global consulting and research firm—researched and authored the report based on analysis of data, third-party sources and evaluations, and interviews with YBI members and entrepreneurs. 

Shaping A More Inclusive, Equitable and Sustainable Future: Supporting young social and green entrepreneurs

Using our successful integrated approach — incorporating personal development, business development and facilitating the enabling environment — to anchor our thoughts on the additional needs of young social and green entrepreneurs, we aim to inform learning about how youth-led micro and small businesses can achieve social and green impact.

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PODCASTS

Eric Meade, Reframing Poverty

Meet Eric Meade, social impact pioneer and deep thinker about what poverty really means. During this conversation be prepared to rethink what poverty means to you and to others. Discover ways to better understand poverty, how others might be experiencing poverty. Apply this understanding to make better decisions and deliver deeper poverty-alleviating impacts. | LISTEN TO PODCAST

Ben Jeffreys, ATEC, clean and safe cooking

Ben Jeffreys is a social impact pioneer – he is dedicating his life to bring clean cooking to everyone around the world. Ben believes that this is one of, if not the world’s biggest social and environmental challenge … and he has the statistics to back it up. | LISTEN TO PODCAST

How to communicate social impact with Eric Ressler

Eric Ressler's expert insight into why sustainability communications needs to up its game and how we can go about this. | LISTEN TO PODCAST

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Global Goals Quotes
About Us
We are a global community of people, companies and organisations passionate about building an equitable and resilient future.

We believe in the power of business to help improve the lives, livelihoods and learning opportunities of the most vulnerable people and communities.

We know that driving system-level change for a better future requires people to unite across traditional divides and come together in fresh and creative ways.

We curate purposeful collaboration to help companies and their partners access the insights and relationships they need to unlock new opportunities for business and social impact.

Join us. We are Business Fights Poverty.


Business Fights Poverty is proud to be a Founding UK B Corp.

© 2022 Business Fights Poverty. The Business Fights Poverty logo and tree device are registered trademarks. View Terms and Conditions.
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