On 22 September 2016, the Business Call to Action‘s Seventh Annual Forum will take place in conjunction with the 71th Session of the United Nations General Assembly as the private sector, development institutions and governments are beginning to align their practices and commitments to the shared vision of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This invitation-only event will bring together leaders from prominent BCtA member companies as well as senior representatives from governments, bilateral donors, civil society and the United Nations. The Forum will showcase the potential for – and evidence of – inclusive businesses aligning their core business activities with the SDGs, thus contributing to this ambitious global development agenda – both globally and at the country level. The half day-long event will offer opportunities to showcase innovative work, engage in peer-to-peer knowledge exchange, network and establish links with other leaders in the field.

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To request an invitation, please contact us at secretariat@businesscalltoaction.org.

THIS EVENT IS BY-INVITATION ONLY. SPACE IS LIMITED. 

8:30 – 8:40AM | ANNUAL FORUM OPENING

Paula Pelaez, Head, Business Call to Action

8:35 – 8:45AM | WELCOMING REMARKS
Magdy Martínez-Solimán, Assistant Administrator and Director of the Bureau for Policy and Programme Support (BPPS), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

8:45 – 9:00AM | KEYNOTE ADDRESS

Jayanth Bhuvaraghan, Chief Mission Officer, Essilor

9:00 – 10:00AM | GREATER IMPACT AND SCALE FOR THE SDGs

There is a growing recognition of the integral role played by inclusive business in advancing the 2030 Agenda. Integrating individuals and small businesses into global value chains can create unprecedented economic opportunities for low-income communities. New models of inclusive supply chains and inclusive distribution are enabling low-income individuals to grow small businesses while helping companies to improve production, increase sales and reach new markets. This panel aims to understand the key challenges and opportunities for scaling and maximizing the positive impacts of these models, drawing on lessons learned from existing models that have had success. The discussion will address how companies can strengthen their own internal systems and the broader business ecosystem to accelerate the integration, growth and positive impact of inclusive business models.

Speakers: Toshio Takanashi, Primary Executive Officer, Asahi Kasei Corporation; Adeline Lescanne-Gautier, General Manager, Nutriset; Roger Schmid, Innovation Hub, Natura; Moderator: Laura Gitman, Vice President, BSR

*This panel is held in partnership with the Business Fights Poverty as part of the Challenge on Expanding Economic Opportunities Through Inclusive Distribution Networks.

10:00 – 10:15 AM | BREAK

10:15 – 11:45AM | SUPPORTING INCLUSIVE BUSINESS THROUGH MULTI-STAKEHOLDER ACTION

Fostering the scale and impact of inclusive business requires collaboration of multiple stakeholders to build the enabling environment and ecosystems that effectively address common challenges and constraints faced by inclusive businesses – including lack of information, incentives, finance and capacities. This session will provide evidence-based perspectives on how governments, development actors, academia and the private sector can jointly drive the growth of inclusive business. The discussion will serve as a platform for sharing insights on creating an enabling environment and providing policy support for inclusive business.

Speakers: Chris Jurgens, Director – Global Partnerships, Center for Transformational Partnerships, U.S. Global Development Lab, USAID; Eric Hespenheide, Interim Chief Executive, Global Reporting Initiative (GRI);Mats Pullback Scharp; Head of Environment, Health and Safety, Ericsson Group; Teresa Law, Co-Founder and CFO, Mountain Hazelnuts; Carlos Cornejo, Senior Vice President, New Consumers, MasterCard; Moderator: Marcos Neto, Director, Istanbul International Center for Private Sector in Development (IICPSD), Bureau for Policy and Programme Support (BPPS), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

12:00 – 1:15PM | FROM CONCEPT TO MATURITY: LEARNING FROM THE JOURNEYS OF SUCCESSFUL INCLUSIVE BUSINESSES

Inclusive business models address the needs of companies while creating concrete development impacts and the potential for scaling up. Yet, it can take decades for companies to hone their business models to the point where they achieve profitability and reach scale. The greatest challenges are faced by companies that need to create their own markets rather than entering existing ones. Business model maturity is often critical for the growth of commercially viable inclusive businesses. This discussion will allow Business Call to Action members to share their perspectives and lessons learned in making new or renewed inclusive business commitments, and scaling, replicating or adjusting their business models along the way. The session will also feature the launch of – and insights from – the joint report by the Business Call to Action, Deloitte and UNDP, Uncharted Waters: Blending Value and Values For Social Impact Through the SDGs, which examines how to start, develop, refine and optimize inclusive business based on degree of readiness and maturity.

Speakers: Peter Gross, Marketing Director, MicroEnsure; Audrey Philippot, Daniel Becerra, CEO and Co-Founder, BuffaloGrid; Michael Fuerst, Senior Manager, Corporate Responsibility Strategy & Innovation, Novartis; W. Robert de Jongh, Specialist Leader, Social Impact Commercial Practice, Deloitte; Moderator: Sahba Sobhani, Global Programme Advisor-Private Sector, Bureau for Policy and Programme Support, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

12:00 – 1:15PM | MEASURING INCLUSIVE BUSINESS CONTRIBUTION TO THE SDGS

This session will present suggestions on how businesses’ impact measurement and reporting can contribute to global monitoring of the SDGs, based on key findings from the joint BCtA-GRI report, Measuring Impact: How Business Accelerates the Sustainable Development Goals, which will be launched at the Annual Forum. The session will include a brief presentation of the research, followed by a panel discussion by experts. Discussions will include current trends in companies’ impact measurement and reporting practices, and how governments view partnering with the private sector to leverage data captured by private companies. The aim is to explore concrete ways for the private and public sectors to collaborate in order to track business progress that advances the SDGs.

Presenters: Tomohiro Nagasaki, Impact Team Lead, Business Call to Action, Faye Leone, Independent Expert

Speakers: Anuj Mehra, Managing Director, Mahindra Rural Housing Finance Ltd; Punjanit Leagnavar, Manager, Policy and Government Affairs, Global Reporting Initiative; Moderator: Caroline Ashley, Editor of the Practitioner Hub on Inclusive Business; Christian Jahn, PhD, Executive Director, Inclusive Business Action Network (IBAN); Moderator: Paula Pelaez, Head, Business Call to Action

1:15 – 2:30PM | NETWORKING LUNCH & MEMBER EXPO

By delivering innovative, technology-based solutions to low-income communities, inclusive enterprises enhance the quality of life at the BoP. Often, this means bringing low-cost, life-saving and environmentally-friendly technologies and practices to the developing world. The Business Call to Action Expo offers a space for interaction and brainstorming how these innovations align with companies’ core business activities while making a difference in the lives of poor people.

*The agenda and speakers are subject to change.

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