Global Compact Network Czech Republic Convenes Global Compact 2030 event
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Prague, Czechia
The following is an article submitted by a Global Compact Local Network. Please contact the network representative listed below with any questions regarding its contents.
(Prague, 4 May 2016) – On 4 May, the event “GLOBAL COMPACT 2030: Looking into the Future of Corporate Sustainability –There is no time to waste” was held in Prague, Czech Republic at the Trade Fair Palace.
The summit welcomed over 300 key players in sustainable business and development from across the world to explore the challenges and opportunities of putting the new Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into practice.
The conference was opened by Lucie Mádlová, Executive Director of the Association of Social Responsibility and Global Compact Network Czech Republic; Jiří Havlíček, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade; and Lise Kingo, Executive Director of the UN Global Compact.
Later in the day, Dr. Tererai Trent, world-renowned advocate for quality education, highlighted the need for involvement of the private sector to solve the global challenges. “I am appealing to you, as a business community. Please, inspire us, give us solutions, come and partner with local communities, with local governments. We can’t reach the Sustainable Development Goals on our own,” said Dr. Trent in her address. She grew up in poor conditions in rural Zimbabwe, but then managed to obtain education in the USA thanks to her strong will and hard work.
Tererai uses her contacts with world leaders to give voice to children without access to education. She not only shares her fascinating story, but also encourages business to invest into education. Tererai empowers women to become leaders in their communities and shares what she learned from her inspiring journey. She inspired the Prague audience with her enduring spirit and strength, and left everyone motivated to fight not only for their own dreams, but also for the dreams of others.
The final part of the morning session was devoted to the high-level panel on the future of corporate sustainability. The scene was set by a video message from CEO of Unilever and SDG Advocate Paul Polman. The challenges and future of sustainability in business was then discussed by Annette Fergusson from Vodafone Group, social reformer Karel Janeček, architect Ian Bogle and Manoelle Lepoutre from Total Group.
The afternoon panels focused on three current trends in social responsibility: social innovation, climate action and gender equality. Specific projects in social innovations were introduced by Daniel Novák from Blindshell, Klára Gajdušková, Director of Social Banking Programme at Česká spořitelna and Executive Director of SAP BSCE Andrea Hepnerová, who spoke about their programme Autism at Work. Ondřej Liška, Director of Ashoka Czech Republic, discussed support for innovative thinking at the global and local levels.
The Climate Action Panel built on the official signing ceremony of the Paris Climate Agreement (COP21) from April. Jean-Pierre Cordier of Global Compact Network France, who supported COP21 in Paris, introduced the main commitments of the states that signed the agreement. Marie Passburg, Executive Director of Skanska Property Czech Republic, presented sustainable real estate development and specific sustainability projects in the Czech Republic. The last speaker was Eva Malá Beluská from IKEA Purchasing Operations Area Central Europe, who provided insights on running a sustainable household, among other topics.
The final panel focused on gender equality in business. Presentations were given by Sharon Doherty, Organization and People Development Director at Vodafone Group, Andreea Moldovan, CEO of AVON Czech Republic and Slovakia and John Westby, Vice President of MSD and Director of MSD IT Global Innovation Center, all confirming the business case for supporting women in their careers. Lauren Gula from the UN Global Compact Headquarters also introduced initiatives for supporting gender equality in the workplace including the Women’s Empowerment Principles and UN Women’s HeForShe campaign.
Finally, Lucie Mádlová, who introduced the global knowledge of the UN Global Compact to the Czech Republic and represents the Local Network in the Czech Republic, sums up her thoughts after the Summit: “There is no need to generate new sustainable ideas, but it is important to take the existing ones and incorporate them into our daily lives. This is exactly what UN Global Compact can offer. I would therefore like to encourage global signatories of the UN Global Compact principles in the Czech Republic to join our Local Network and help us build a better and sustainable future for all.”
The Summit was organized by the Global Compact Czech Republic, which is hosted by Association of Social Responsibility, just one year after its official launch.
View a video of the event here and pictures here.
Contact
Ms. Kateřina Kopetzká
Network Contact Person
+420 773 909 709