New INSEAD institute to host thought leaders, chief executives and experts to seek solutions that achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals

INSEAD, the Business School for the World, is partnering to sponsor the SDG Tent alongside the World Economic Forum, WEF, annual meetings in Davos, Switzerland. The INSEAD Hoffmann Global Institute for Business and Society will convene leaders of business and academia to advance the conversation on how to achieve the globally agreed Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs, and spur solution-oriented action.

Throughout the week of January 21, high-level government officials, CEOs, investors, entrepreneurs and experts will gather in Davos to discuss Globalisation 4.0. The conversation this year will centre on changing global geopolitical, economic and environmental outlook and our collective future. It is a crucial discussion as we enter an era in which we better understand our planetary boundaries and technology produces innovations at speed and scale never before seen in human history. The SDG Tent is place to put the Davos conversation into the context of on-the-ground reality faced by leaders and spark real-world impact. The tent encourages open debate around the role of business in helping to achieve more sustainable and inclusive development.

As an SDG Tent partner, the Hoffmann Institute will bring the academic rigour of INSEAD to Davos in the form of panels and workshops. Leading academics and executives will discuss how to transform business education in line with societal and technological progress. An INSEAD professor who has long studied sustainability will host a working lunch on growing opportunity in Africa. A third panel will further the discussion on how leaders can be more effective in today’s dynamic socioeconomic landscape.

Katell Le Goulven, the executive director of the Hoffmann Global Institute for Business and Society, said: “This year we are grateful for the opportunity to join the SDG Tent in Davos. The world is getting smaller and more closely connected – and we are creating massive wealth – but we could do better at working together to benefit all people and safeguard the natural capital we depend on. We are opening space for decision makers and experts to explore how to coordinate and accelerate the move to sustainability and inclusive prosperity. We want to use practical knowledge to break down barriers and inspire action.”

INSEAD in Davos events will feature the CEO of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Sue Desmond-Hellmann, former CEO of Unilever, Paul Polman, CEO of Alfalah GHP Investment Management, Maheen Rahman, and André Hoffmann, Chairman of the Hoffmann Global Institute for Business and Society Advisory Board and Vice Chairman of Roche Holdings, one of the world’s most sustainable pharmaceutical companies. These industry voices will be joined by experts from the UN, the OECD, USAID and the Brookings Institution.

The first panel discussion on Tuesday, January 22 from 5:15 to 7:00pm will discuss “Transforming Business Education.” Panellists will address the need for innovation in the face of challenge, raise the visibility of action already underway and inspire new champions.

Panellists include Paul Polman, the former CEO of Unilever (2008-2018); André Hoffmann, the chairman of the Hoffmann Global Institute for Business and Society Advisory Board; Ilian Mihov, dean of INSEAD; Sadia Khan, president of the INSEAD Alumni Association; and Subi Rangan, Professor of Strategy and Management at INSEAD.

On Wednesday, January 23 at 12:00pm, Luk Van Wassenhove, INSEAD professor of Technology and Operations Management and director of the INSEAD Humanitarian Research Group, will lead a workshop on “Innovative Business Models in Africa.” This working lunch will identify bottlenecks and challenges in achieving the SDGs for Africa and suggest innovative ways to overcome them.

Confirmed participants include Thomas C. Barrett, chairman of OECD Infrastructure Governance Forum; Liz Muange, USAID East Africa Trade and Investment Hub; Jean-Pierre Bourguignon, president of the European Research Council; John R. Allen, The Brookings Institution and Amandeep Singh Gill, United Nations.

On Thursday, January 24 at 5:15pm, Peter Zemsky, deputy dean of INSEAD, will moderate a discussion on “The Future of Leadership” to look at how leaders can and must navigate the increasingly complex business and governance landscape of the Digital Age, with real-world insight and actionable takeaways.

Panellists include Sue Desmond-Hellmann, the CEO of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation; Stephane Kasriel, the CEO of Upwork; Rain Yu Long, CHRO at JD.com; Maheen Rahman, the CEO of Alfalah GHP Investment Management; and Feike Sijbesma, the CEO of DSM.

All sessions will take place in the SDG Tent located on Promenade 139 in Davos. Sessions will be live streamed and everyone is encouraged to join the social media conversation using the hashtag #BusinessForSDGs. More information about INSEAD in Davos events can be found here.

– Jan. 21, 2019 @ 12:52 GMT |