A new workshop series – New Geographies of Corporate Sustainability – is bringing emerging market perspectives on corporate sustainability to the forefront in the lead-up to the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20). Held in China, India and Brazil this April and May, the objective of the series is to explore how corporate sustainability is impacted by local contexts and key emerging sustainability trends.
The workshops will help inform the outcome documents of the Rio+20 Corporate Sustainability Forum, held from 15-18 June 2012 in Rio de Janeiro, ensuring that the views and perspectives of business from high-growth economies are well reflected.
The first workshop, held in Beijing on 28 March in collaboration with the Global Compact Network China, brought together over 60 China-based corporate sustainability professionals, representing both LEAD companies and China Network participants from diverse sectors. The interactive workshop discussions explored emerging business practices, the role of government and partnership opportunities for businesses to advance sustainable development in China.
Co-hosted with the Global Compact Network India in Mumbai on 19 April, the second workshop was attended by more than 50 key Indian corporate, public sector and civil society participants. The workshops focused on the state of corporate sustainability in Indian business practice, as well as new business models and partnerships to advance sustainable development and foster inclusive growth in India.
The New Geographies program was developed by Global Compact LEAD, a leadership platform for advanced sustainability performers launched by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in January 2011. The select group of 56 global companies are challenged to implement the Blueprint for Corporate Sustainability Leadership (pdf) in response to the critical need for leading companies to reach new levels of performance in order to meet today’s social, environmental and economic challenges.
The final workshop in the series will be held in Sao Paulo, Brazil on 8 May.
