The 10th EABIS Colloquium: “A New Era in Development: The Changing Role and Responsibilities of Business in Developing Countries”
Business in Developing Countries: Stakes are High
By: Mirte Gosker and Miranda Helmes
During the last few years, profound shifts have taken place in geopolitics and economic power. The rapid industrialisation 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 (among others). But while more business is being done in developing countries, there is little agreement about the responsibilities of business in development.
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. In 2000 the United Nations launched its Millennium Development Goals, seeking to inspire collective global action around critical dimensions of social, economic and environmental progress in the poorer countries on earth. Despite significant progress, the original objectives set for 2015 are far from being achieved.
The response from business to these challenges will be potentially the most important factor in determining whether a new era of development achieves the objective of sustainable and inclusive growth.
The relevance of development for business is increasingly clear. A recent report by Vice President of the World Bank Poverty Reduction and Economic Management Network Otaviano Canuto argues that developing countries will be engines of growth and could carry the world economy in the future, provided they have a clear strategy. If so, there may be enormous opportunities for nimble companies to claim market leadership by helping developing countries to establish these growth strategies. A different role for business in development will certainly emerge. But what will be its parameters, objectives and responsibilities?
Are you interested in this topic? Join us for a discussion at the EABIS Colloquium. EABIS – The Academy of Business in Society- is the international reference point for companies and management institutions to collaborate on sustainability thought leadership, research and executive development (www.eabis.org). INSEAD co-founded The Academy in 2002 and remains one of its most active global partners. Each year the EABIS Colloquium convenes over 300 senior figures from business, policy & government, academia and civil society to address a key dimension of the global sustainability debate.
The theme of this year’s Colloquium is “A New Era in Development: The Changing Role and Responsibilities of Business in Developing Countries”. INSEAD will host the 10th EABIS Annual Colloquium from Wednesday 26 until Friday 28 October 2011 at the INSEAD Europe Campus in Fontainebleau featuring speakers such as Pierre Jacquet – Executive Director, Agence Française de Développement; H. Elizabeth Thompson – Assistant Secretary-General, United Nations & Executive Coordinator, UN Conference on Sustainable Development Rio+20; Nazeer Ladhani – Senior Advisor, Aga Khan Development Network; Pierre Nanterme – Chief Executive, Accenture, and many more.
For more information and registration, please visit our website:http://www.insead.edu/events/eabis/ or contact Mirte Gosker.
One of my tasks as Research Associate at the Humanitarian Research Group at INSEAD was the coordination of this Colloquium, a three-day conference with 300+ experts from the business & development world. I was coordinating all different stakeholders, being the Humanitarian Research Group, EABIS, the INSEAD events team, speakers, press and other external parties while guiding the content evaluation process of the written contributions to the Colloquium.