Business fights Poverty

Global GOALS Summit

19 - 21 SEPTEMBER 2023

Online | NEW YORK | Nairobi

Visa logo

Now is the moment to re-energise business partnerships for a more equitable and resilient future. A confluence of challenges is driving a tsunami of poverty, crashing into the lives of vulnerable people and communities.
As the world comes together during the UN General Assembly to review progress on the 2030 Global Goals at their mid-point, we need transformative action and bold partnerships.

Our highly-rated Global Goals Summit, a three-day immersive blend of interactive in-person and online events, for the opportunity to engage in important discussions, make new connections, and gain new insights.

Co-hosted with Barclays, Visa Inc, and other partners, the summit delved into the key drivers of progress: unlikely partnerships, generative AI, and more.

The event has now finished. However, we invite you to register to access resource.

Together, we can create a more equitable and resilient future.

HIGHLIGHTS

The sessions deep-dived into topics such as:

Building Unlikely Partnerships to Tackle Global Challenges

A hybrid workshop with Barclays to deep-dive into examples of companies collaborating for impact and draw out lessons for your own partnerships.

20 Sept | Online | NYC 

Overcoming Challenges and the Journey Ahead for Refugee Women

A hybrid workshop with Visa Inc to be inspired by and learn from the stories of trailblazing refugee women, their incredible impact on their communities and what is required from the ecosystem to enable refugee women to thrive in the future.

19 Sept | Online | London | NYC

Visa Logo

Catalysing female entrepreneurship and improving access to healthcare 

A workshop with Reckitt and WiNFUND to learn from 6 entrepreneurs from across Africa, and share insights on how best to support women entrepreneurs and leverage technology, including AI.

20 Sept | Online | NYC 

Supporting Care Economy Enterprises Across Global Value Chains

A webinar with IDRC on how businesses can support entrepreneurs in the care economy, and their critical, yet undervalued, work that underpins our economies and lives.

19 Sept | Online

Acting Together to Achieve Large Scale Food Fortification Excellence

A hybrid workshop with TechnoServe to explore the latest research on food fortification, the critical role of millers, and how to join the fight against malnutrition.

21 Sept | Online

Taking a Farmer-Centric Approach to Boost Global Food Security

A Fireside Chat with Cargill to hear the latest thinking on the intersection between two critical issues: global food security and advancing farmer livelihoods.

20 Sept | Online | NYC 

How Business Can Unlock the Benefits of Integrating Social and Environmental Goals

A hybrid workshop with Mars Inc to learn from the latest research on the business case for integrating social and environmental strategies into business strategy.

19 Sept | Online | NYC

Building an Equitable and Resilient Future

A Fireside Chat with Visa Inc and the Harvard Kennedy School Corporate Responsibility Initiative to explore the trends shaping business action for the future we want.

19 Sept | Online | NYC

Working Together to Tackle Gender-Based Violence

A hybrid workshop with Anglo American to identify new practical opportunities to collaborate across sectors to tackle the root causes of gender-based violence. 

20 Sept | Online | NYC 

Overcoming health inequities and preventing disease

A Fireside Chat with MSD to hear about the ways in which the private sector can help overcome health inequities and prevent disease, and how your business can take action to help reach everyone, everywhere.

19 Sept | Online | NYC

Building System-Level Partnerships for Transformative Change

A Fireside Chat with the UN Foundation’s Business Council for the United Nations and invited experts to learn about how we create system-level partnerships to drive transformational changes to meet the SDGs.

19 Sept | Online | NYC

Creating On-Ramps for a More Inclusive Digital Future

A hybrid workshop with Walmart to hear the latest thinking on how businesses can partner on an inclusive digital future for employees, suppliers and customers.

20 Sept | Online | NYC

inspiration and Innovation: Engaging Youth in Delivering on the SDGs

A Fireside Chat with Novozymes to explore how companies can bring the voice of youth into their SDG thinking and innovation and get ideas for your own approaches.

20 Sept | Online | NYC

Rethinking Business Partnerships for the SDGs

A hybrid workshop with Meta to explore the latest research by the UN on transformations to accelerate progress towards the SDGs, and what this means for business partnerships.

21 Sept | Online | NYC | Nairobi

Harnessing Generative AI for Social Impact: Driving Access to Quality Education

A hybrid workshop with Pearson to map out the opportunities and risks of generative AI for access to quality education for all, and explore the role business can play.

19 Sept | Online | NYC

Driving Inclusive Employment at the Base of the Economic Pyramid

A Fireside Chat with the World Bank Group’s International Finance Corporation (IFC) to find out how businesses are driving inclusive employment practices that enhance participation, advancement, and empowerment of workers at the base of the pyramid, and the benefits to both business and employees.

21 Sept | Online

Agenda

Tuesday 19th September

Building an Equitable and Resilient Future

A Fireside Chat with Visa Inc and the Harvard Kennedy School Corporate Responsibility Initiative to explore the trends shaping business action for the future we want.

Access videos and session resources here

OPENING SPEAKERS:

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

Michelle Gethers, Chief Diversity Officer & Head of Corporate Responsibility, Visa Inc

Overcoming Challenges and the Journey Ahead for Refugee Women

A hybrid workshop with Visa Inc to be inspired by and learn from the stories of trailblazing refugee women, their incredible impact on their communities and what is required from the ecosystem to enable refugee women to thrive in the future.

Access videos and session resources here

OPENING SPEAKERS:

Graham Macmillan, President, Visa Foundation

Shirin Pakfar, Chief of Section, Private Partnerships and Philanthropy, UNHCR

Ghadah Alnasseri, Head of Policy and Public Affairs, Hibiscus Initiatives

Veronica Rossini, Vice-President for Europe, Tent Partnership for Refugees

Sheyda O’Rang, Freelance Artist and Facilitator, Pan Intercultural Arts

Addressing Health Inequities and Preventing Disease

A Fireside Chat with MSD to hear about the ways in which the private sector can help overcome health inequities and prevent disease, and how your business can take action to help reach everyone, everywhere.

Access videos and session resources here

INTERVIEWEES:

Drew Otoo, President, Vaccines, MSD

INTERVIEWER:

Lola Adedokun, Executive Director, Aspen Global Innovators Group and Co-Chair of the Aspen Institute Forum on Women and Girls, Aspen Institute

How Business Can Unlock the Benefits of Integrating Social and Environmental goals

A hybrid workshop with Mars Inc to learn from the latest research on the business case for integrating social and environmental strategies into business strategy.

Access videos and session resources here

OPENING SPEAKERS:

Lisa Manley, Vice President, Sustainability, Mars Inc

Priya Kvam, Associate Director, Americas and Global Development, Forum For the Future

Victor Dagnelie, Innovation Manager on Better Environment, IDH – The Sustainable Trade Initiative

Supporting Care Economy Enterprises Across Global Value Chains

A webinar with IDRC on how businesses can support entrepreneurs in the care economy, and their critical, yet undervalued, work that underpins our economies and lives. 

Access videos and session resources here

OPENING SPEAKERS:

Lisa Hawkes, Global Sustainability Senior Manager, Unilever

Matthew Davidson, Senior Social Impact Executive, Ethical Trade, Primark

Anne Njambi Kabugi, Regional Gender Lead – Africa, IFC

Md. Zia Uddin, Director, Planning & Development, Folia Water Global Inc.

Erin Tansey, Director, Sustainable and Inclusive Economies Program Division, IDRC

Katja Friewald, Head of Women’s Economic Empowerment and Migration, UN Women Asia and the Pacific

Melina Cruz Villafaña, Co Founder, Homely

Harnessing Generative AI for Social Impact: Driving Access to Quality Education

A hybrid workshop with Pearson to map out the opportunities and risks of generative AI for access to quality education for all, and explore the role business can play.

Access videos and session resources here

OPENING SPEAKERS:

Kacper Łodzikowski, Vice President, AI Capabilities, Pearson

Brigid Evans, Director of Government Relations, Pearson

Ravi Shankar Chaturvedi, Managing Director, Digital Planet, The Fletcher School, Tufts University

Naria Santa Lucia, General Manager, Digital Inclusion and Community Engagement, Microsoft Philanthropies

Kasia Jakimowicz, International Digital Development Expert, Human Capital Development, World Bank

Wednesday 20th September

Harnessing the Potential of the Private Sector to Deliver the SDGs

A Fireside Chat with Barclays and the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office to hear how governments see the role of business in delivering the SDGs.

Access videos and session resources here

OPENING & WELCOME SPEAKERS:

Deborah Goldfarb, Global Head of Citizenship, Barclays

Rt Hon Andrew Mitchell, Minister of State, UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office

INTERVIEWEES:

Pamela Molina, Director of Sustainability and President, Agrolibano and Fundación Agrolibano

Liz Patterson, Deputy Director, Partnerships and Infrastructure, UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

INTERVIEWER:

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

Building Unlikely Partnerships to Tackle Global Challenges

A hybrid workshop with Barclays to deep-dive into examples of companies collaborating for impact and draw out lessons for your own partnerships.

Access videos and session resources here

OPENING SPEAKERS:

Ajaita Shah, Founder and CEO, Frontier Markets

Eric Hudson, Founder and CEO, Preserve

Pratibha Vuppuluri, Co-Founder & Managing Partner, Unreasonable Collective

MODERATOR:

Frances Cabrera, VP, Barclays

Taking a Farmer-Centric Approach to Boost Global Food Security

A Fireside Chat with Cargill to hear the latest thinking on the intersection between two critical issues: global food security and advancing farmer livelihoods.

Access videos and session resources here

INTERVIEWEES:

Michelle Grogg, Vice President, Corporate Responsibility and Sustainable Development, Cargill

César Galaviz, Rancher, Farmer and Agronomist, Río Fuerte Sur

INTERVIEWER:

Katie Hyson, Director of Thought Leadership, Business Fights Poverty

Creating On-Ramps for a More Inclusive Digital Future

A hybrid workshop with Walmart to hear the latest thinking on how businesses can partner on an inclusive digital future for employees, suppliers and customers.

Access videos and session resources here

OPENING SPEAKERS:

Welby Leaman, Senior Director, Global Public Policy, Walmart

Aiaze Mitha, Global Lead, Digital Finance for the SDGs, UNDP / UNCDF

Katarina Kahlmann, Chief Program Officer, TechnoServe

Drew Keller, Director, Institute for the Study of Business in Global Society, Harvard Business School

Inspiration and Innovation: Engaging Youth in Delivering on the SDGs

A Fireside Chat with Novozymes to explore how companies can bring the voice of youth into their SDG thinking and innovation and get ideas for your own approaches.

Access videos and session resources here

PANELISTS:

Morten Enggaard Rasmussen, Executive Vice President, People, Sustainability & Brand, Novozymes A/S

AiLun Ku, President & CEO, The Opportunity Network

Working Together to Tackle Gender-Based Violence

A hybrid workshop with Anglo American to explore lessons and practical opportunities to collaborate across sectors to tackle the root causes of gender-based violence. 

Access videos and session resources here

OPENING SPEAKERS:

Jane Pillinger, Visiting Senior Research Fellow, Department of Social Policy and Criminology, Open University

Natalie Deacon, Director Corporate Affairs and Sustainability, Avon International

Hermien Botes, Head of Sustainability Engagement, Anglo American

Thokozile Mcopele, Vice-President: Global Corporates and Development Organisations, ABSA

MODERATOR:

Alice Allan, Collaborations Director, Business Fights Poverty

Catalysing female entrepreneurship and improving access to healthcare 

A workshop with Reckitt and WiNFUND to learn from 6 entrepreneurs from across Africa, and share insights on how best to support women entrepreneurs and leverage technology, including AI.

Access videos and session resources here

OPENING SPEAKERS:

Hamzah Sarwar, Global Social Impact and Partnerships Director, Reckitt

Patty O’Hayer, Global Head Communications & Government Affairs, Reckitt

Pradeep Kakkattil, CEO, HIEx and Co-founder, WiNFUND

Dr. Shamim Nabuuma Kaliisa, CEO and Co-founder, Chil Femtech Center Inc

Corinne Momal-Vanian, Executive Director, Kofi Annan Foundation

Judith Oketch, Founder and CEO, Ambulex Solutions

Olivia Koburongo, Co-Founder and CEO, MamaOpe Medicals

Belinda Shaw, Founder, Cape Bio Pharms

Adeola Ayoola, Co-founder and CEO, Famasi Africa

Dr. Mercy Ashaba, CEO & Co-Founder, Peleyta Health

Corinne Hart, Senior Gender Advisor and Team Lead, Energy, Environment and Climate, USAID

MODERATOR:

Her Excellency Toyin Saraki, Founder & President, The Wellbeing Foundation Africa

THURSDAY 21ST September

Driving Inclusive Employment at the Base of the Economic Pyramid

A Fireside Chat with the World Bank Group’s International Finance Corporation (IFC) to find out how businesses are driving inclusive employment practices that enhance participation, advancement, and empowerment of workers at the base of the pyramid, and the benefits to both business and employees.

Access videos and session resources here

INTERVIEWEES:

Alexis Geaneotes, Operations Officer, Gender and Economic Inclusion, IFC

Iqbal Muslimin, Co-founder & Chief of Sustainability, Evermos

INTERVIEWER:

Yvette Torres-Rahman, Co-Founder and CFO, Business Fights Poverty

Acting Together to Achieve Large Scale Food Fortification Excellence

A online workshop with TechnoServe exploring the latest research on food fortification, the critical role of millers, and how to join the fight against malnutrition.

Access videos and session resources here

OPENING SPEAKERS:

William Warshauer, CEO, TechnoServe

Christina Tewes-Gradl, Founder and Managing Director, Endeva

Paloma Fernandes, CEO, Cereal Millers Association

Dominic Schofield, Program Director – IGNITE, TechnoServe

Building System-Level Partnerships for Transformative Change

A Fireside Chat with the UN Foundation’s Business Council for the United Nations and two authors of the just-launched UN Global Sustainable Development Report to learn about the levers that will drive transformational changes to meet the SDGs.

Access videos and session resources here

INTERVIEWEES:

Imme Scholz, Co-Chair of the Independent Group of Scientists, Global Sustainable Development Report (GSDR)

Ambuj Sagar, Deputy Director, Strategy & Planning and Vipula and Mahesh Chaturvedi Professor of Policy Studies, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, and Co-Author, GSDR

INTERVIEWER:

​​Ilze Melngailis, Senior Director, Business Council for the UN and Private Sector Engagement, UN Foundation

Rethinking Business Partnerships for the SDGs

A hybrid workshop with Meta to build on the latest research by the UN on transformations to accelerate progress towards the SDGs, and what this means for business partnerships.

Access videos and session resources here

OPENING SPEAKERS:

Amanda Gardiner, Head of ESG, Meta

Payal Dalal, SVP, Social Impact, International Markets, Center for Inclusive Growth, Mastercard

Astra Bonini, Senior Sustainable Development Officer, United Nations Department Of Economic And Social Affairs

Duncan Muriira Koome, Program Project Manager, African Futures & Foresight Action Forum

MODERATOR:

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

MEET SOME OF OUR amazing speakers...

Payal Dalal

EVP, Executive Vice President, Global Programs, Center for Inclusive Growth

EVP, Executive Vice President, Global Programs, Center for Inclusive Growth

Mastercard

Amanda Gardiner

Head of ESG

Head of ESG

Meta

Katie Hyson

Director, Thought Leaderships and COO

Director, Thought Leaderships and COO

Business Fights Poverty

Drew Keller

Director, Institute for the Study of Business in Global Society

Director, Institute for the Study of Business in Global Society

Harvard Business School

Jane Nelson CMG

Director, Corporate Responsibility Initiative

Director, Corporate Responsibility Initiative

Harvard Kennedy School

Jane Pillinger

Visiting Senior Research Fellow, Department of Social Policy and Criminology

Visiting Senior Research Fellow, Department of Social Policy and Criminology

Open University

Ravi Shankar Chaturvedi

Managing Director, Digital Planet, The Fletcher School

Managing Director, Digital Planet, The Fletcher School

Tufts University

César Galaviz

Rancher, Farmer and Agronomist

Rancher, Farmer and Agronomist

Río Fuerte Sur

Rt Hon Andrew Mitchell

Minister of State,

Minister of State,

UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office

Dominic Schofield

Program Director - IGNITE

Program Director - IGNITE

TechnoServe

Frances Cabrera

Vice President

Vice President

Barclays

Sheyda O’Rang

Freelance Artist and Facilitator

Freelance Artist and Facilitator

Pan Intercultural Arts

Melina Cruz Villafaña

Co Founder

Co Founder

Homely

Katja Friewald

Head of Women’s Economic Empowerment and Migration

Head of Women’s Economic Empowerment and Migration

UN Women Asia and the Pacific

Her Excellency Toyin Saraki

Founder & President

Founder & President

The Wellbeing Foundation Africa

Thokozile Mcopele

Vice-President: Global Corporates and Development Organisations

Vice-President: Global Corporates and Development Organisations

ABSA

Welby Leaman

Senior Director, Global Public Policy

Senior Director, Global Public Policy

Walmart

Victor Dagnelie

Innovation Manager on Better Environment

Innovation Manager on Better Environment

IDH - The Sustainable Trade Initiative

Veronica Rossini

Vice-President for Europe

Vice-President for Europe

Tent Partnership for Refugees

Christina Tewes-Gradl

Founder and Managing Director

Founder and Managing Director

Endeva

William Warshauer

President and CEO

President and CEO

TechnoServe

Liz Patterson

Deputy Director, Head of Development Finance, Infrastructure and Partnerships Department

Deputy Director, Head of Development Finance, Infrastructure and Partnerships Department

UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

Duncan Muriira Koome

Program Project Manager

Program Project Manager

African Futures & Foresight Action Forum

Astra Bonini

Senior Sustainable Development Officer

Senior Sustainable Development Officer

United Nations Department Of Economic And Social Affairs

Corinne Momal-Vanian

Executive Director

Executive Director

Kofi Annan Foundation

Kasia Jakimowicz

International Digital Development Expert, Human Capital Development

International Digital Development Expert, Human Capital Development

World Bank

Priya Kvam

Associate Director, Americas and Global Development

Associate Director, Americas and Global Development

Forum For the Future

Ghadah Alnasseri

Head of Policy and Public Affairs

Head of Policy and Public Affairs

Hibiscus Initiatives

Imme Scholz

Co-Chair of the Independent Group of Scientists

Co-Chair of the Independent Group of Scientists

Global Sustainable Development Report (GSDR)

Pamela Molina

Director of Sustainability and President

Director of Sustainability and President

Agrolibano and Fundación Agrolibano

Michelle Grogg

Vice President, Corporate Responsibility and Sustainable Development

Vice President, Corporate Responsibility and Sustainable Development

Cargill

Md. Zia Uddin

Director, Planning & Development

Director, Planning & Development

Folia Water Global Inc.

Patty O’Hayer

Global Head Communications & Government Affairs

Global Head Communications & Government Affairs

Reckitt

Erin Tansey

Director, Sustainable and Inclusive Economies Program Division

Director, Sustainable and Inclusive Economies Program Division

IDRC

Lola Adedokun

Executive Director, Aspen Global Innovators Group and Co-Chair of the Aspen Institute Forum on Women and Girls

Executive Director, Aspen Global Innovators Group and Co-Chair of the Aspen Institute Forum on Women and Girls

Aspen Institute

Hermien Botes

Head of Sustainability Engagement

Head of Sustainability Engagement

Anglo American

Ambuj Sagar

Deputy Director, Strategy & Planning and Vipula and Mahesh Chaturvedi Professor of Policy Studies and Co-Author

Deputy Director, Strategy & Planning and Vipula and Mahesh Chaturvedi Professor of Policy Studies and Co-Author

Indian Institute of Technology Delhi and GSDR

Iqbal Muslimin

Co-founder & Chief of Sustainability

Co-founder & Chief of Sustainability

Evermos

Alexis Geaneotes

Operations Officer, Gender and Economic Inclusion

Operations Officer, Gender and Economic Inclusion

IFC

Pradeep Kakkattil

CEO and Co-founder

CEO and Co-founder

HIEx and WiNFUND

AiLun Ku

President & CEO

President & CEO

The Opportunity Network

Naria Santa Lucia

General Manager, Digital Inclusion and Community Engagement

General Manager, Digital Inclusion and Community Engagement

Microsoft Philanthropies

Shirin Pakfar

Chief of Section, Private Partnerships and Philanthropy

Chief of Section, Private Partnerships and Philanthropy

UNHCR

Aiaze Mitha

Global Lead, Digital Finance for the SDGs

Global Lead, Digital Finance for the SDGs

UNDP / UNCDF

Katarina Kahlmann

Chief Program Officer

Chief Program Officer

TechnoServe

Deborah Goldfarb

Global Head of Citizenship

Global Head of Citizenship

Barclays

Drew Otoo

President, Vaccines

President, Vaccines

Merck

Graham Macmillan

President

President

Visa Foundation

Lisa Manley

Vice President, Sustainability

Vice President, Sustainability

Mars Inc

Michelle Gethers

Chief Diversity Officer & Head of Corporate Responsibility

Chief Diversity Officer & Head of Corporate Responsibility

Visa Inc

Morten Enggaard Rasmussen

Executive Vice President, People & Stakeholder Relations,

Executive Vice President, People & Stakeholder Relations,

Novonesis

Dr. Mercy Ashaba

CEO & Co-Founder

CEO & Co-Founder

Peleyta Health

Adeola Ayoola

Co-founder and CEO

Co-founder and CEO

Famasi Africa

Belinda Shaw

Founder

Founder

Cape Bio Pharms

Olivia Koburongo

Co-Founder and CEO

Co-Founder and CEO

MamaOpe Medicals

Judith Oketch

Founder and CEO

Founder and CEO

Ambulex Solutions

Corinne Hart

Senior Gender Advisor and Team Lead, Energy, Environment and Climate

Senior Gender Advisor and Team Lead, Energy, Environment and Climate

USAID

Dr. Shamim Nabuuma Kaliisa

CEO and Co-founder

CEO and Co-founder

Chil Femtech Center Inc

Pratibha Vuppuluri

Co-Founder & Managing Partner

Co-Founder & Managing Partner

Unreasonable Collective

Eric Hudson

Founder and CEO

Founder and CEO

Preserve

Chuck Melley

Senior Vice President, Global Government Relations and Policy

Senior Vice President, Global Government Relations and Policy

Pearson

Kacper Łodzikowski

Vice President, AI Capabilities

Vice President, AI Capabilities

Pearson

Anne Njambi Kabugi

Regional Gender Lead - Africa

Regional Gender Lead - Africa

IFC

Matthew Davidson

Senior Social Impact Executive, Ethical Trade

Senior Social Impact Executive, Ethical Trade

Primark

Lisa Hawkes

Global Sustainability Senior Manager

Global Sustainability Senior Manager

Unilever

Paloma Fernandes

CEO

CEO

Cereal Millers Association

Brigid Evans

Director of Government Relations

Director of Government Relations

Pearson

Ilze Melngailis

Senior Director, Business Council for the UN and Private Sector Engagement

Senior Director, Business Council for the UN and Private Sector Engagement

UN Foundation

Ajaita Shah

Founder & CEO

Founder & CEO

Frontier Markets

Hamzah Sarwar

Global Social Impact and Partnerships Director

Global Social Impact and Partnerships Director

Reckitt

Natalie Deacon

Director Corporate Affairs and Sustainability

Director Corporate Affairs and Sustainability

Avon International