UN/ UNIDO contributing to Annual Colloquium of the Academy of Business in Society (EABIS) on a new era of development: the changing role & responsibilities of business in developing countries.
FONTAINEBLEAU 26-28. October 2011, Henrietta Elizabeth Thompson, UN Assistant Secretary-General and Executive Coordinator of the Rio+20 UN Conference on Sustainable Development will take stock of the last 50 years of development while former UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Sir John Holmes will speak about leadership for sustainability in a new era for development. UNIDO Representative to the EU & Head of UNIDO Brussels Office Christophe Yvetot will address the forum by speaking about the economic environment in developing countries and creating platforms for growth and value creation.
During the last few years, profound shifts have taken place in geopolitics and economic power. The rapid industrialization of China, India and other emerging economies is already placing severe demands on natural resources, while global governance bodies struggle to reach consensus on frameworks that will nurture sustainable growth. The rise in “south-south” trade has also challenged the hegemony of western world norms in trade and business around transparency, governance and ethics. At the same time food, health, poverty and education issues as well as corruption and bribery in developing countries require urgent action from governments, business (and business schools) and NGOs.
The relevance of development for business is increasingly clear. According to the World Bank developing countries will be engines of growth and could carry the world economy in the future, provided they have a clear strategy. Companies which integrate development concerns into their business model will be ideally placed to secure long-term licenses to operate, develop loyal new consumer bases, and innovate in new market segments. A different role for business in development will certainly emerge.
The EABIS Annual Colloquium will address these new and old challenges with an interdisciplinary approach including social sciences, economics, applied sciences & technology. It will be the place for knowledge exchange, setting a new agenda in business research and education, and opening the field of CR to development issues and perspectives. Themes that arise from these challenges include:
- Taking stock of successes and failures in development over the past 50 years
- Identifying the major factors that will underpin a new era of development
- Showcasing business innovation in response to critical challenges in developing countries
- Shaping a new agenda for integrating development in management, research & education
Event:
The Academy of Business in Society (EABIS) Annual Colloquium 2011
26-28 October 2011
INSEAD, Fontainebleau (France)
Programme: http://www.insead.edu/events/eabis/programme/
Partners: http://www.eabis.org/home.html and http://www.insead.edu/home/
Registration: http://www.insead.edu/events/eabis/registration/
