Over December 9 and 10, 2015, GlobeScan will be hosting the third Living Progress Exchange (LPX). This online, text-based dialogue is sponsored by the new Hewlett Packard Enterprise, and builds upon the success of two previous LPX discussions and other online collaborations forums conducted by GlobeScan.
This upcoming dialogue comes at an important time for sustainable development. The recent launch of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the ongoing COP21 conference have brought such interrelated sustainable development changes facing the world into sharper focus across a range of sectors. And there is recognition that business’ role in driving progress is increasingly crucial.
Our recent GSS survey of global sustainability experts shows that the vast majority (92%) believe that COP21 will conclude with an agreement. And while a majority (60%) feels that the agreement will fall short of a binding mechanism, it is clear that experts believe the private sector, alongside government, has the most important role to play in the implementation of a post-Paris climate change framework.
You can join this discussion on December 9 or 10, depending on your time zone. See the agenda and a list of the special guests here.
Sustainably Meeting the Business Needs of the Future
One of the ways the private sector will do this is likely to be through the innovation and the use of technology. Experts in the survey recognize a number of companies as making big contributions to advancing climate solutions in recent years, and many of them are technology companies who are driving innovation and technological advances across a range of areas, including alternative energy.
In our first topic in the upcoming LPX, we will discuss how to sustainably meet the business needs of the future, and how technology can play an important role in this. How can we accelerate progress across the value chain in such areas as water and carbon footprints, energy efficiency, and manufacturing? And what needs to be done to help deploy solutions most effectively and to scale?
Closing the Digital Divide to Drive Inclusive Economic Progress
In our recent BSR/GlobeScan survey, we asked corporate sustainability professionals if inclusive growth is a priority for their business. Overall, 62 percent said it was a priority to some extent. We take this figure as an encouraging data point into our second discussion topic in the upcoming LPX.
If business is starting to focus on how they can most effectively contribute to an inclusive economy, how can technology help the private sector, civil society, and government to accelerate opportunity for all, to reach as many people as possible? How can technology best be deployed to drive progress in such things as access to essential goods and services, skills development, and equality?
We hope you will join this discussion on December 9 or 10, depending on your time zone. See the agenda and a list of the special guests you will be joining for the dialogue here.
In order to accelerate progress in solving some of our biggest challenges, we need to continually exchange ideas, and at GlobeScan we are proud of the work we do with organizations like HPE and others to facilitate this exchange.
