Business fights Poverty
Global GOALS Summit
19 – 21 SEPTEMBER 2023
Online | NEW YORK | Nairobi

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Now is the moment to re-energise business partnerships for a more equitable and resilient future. A confluence of challenges is driving a tsunami of poverty, crashing into the lives of vulnerable people and communities.
As the world comes together during the UN General Assembly to review progress on the 2030 Global Goals at their mid-point, we need transformative action and bold partnerships.
Our highly-rated Global Goals Summit, a three-day immersive blend of interactive in-person and online events, for the opportunity to engage in important discussions, make new connections, and gain new insights.
Co-hosted with Barclays, Visa Inc, and other partners, the summit delved into the key drivers of progress: unlikely partnerships, generative AI, and more.
The event has now finished. However, we invite you to register to access resource.
Together, we can create a more equitable and resilient future.
HIGHLIGHTS
The sessions deep-dived into topics such as:
Building Unlikely Partnerships to Tackle Global Challenges
A hybrid workshop with Barclays to deep-dive into examples of companies collaborating for impact and draw out lessons for your own partnerships.
20 Sept | Online | NYC
Overcoming Challenges and the Journey Ahead for Refugee Women
A hybrid workshop with Visa Inc to be inspired by and learn from the stories of trailblazing refugee women, their incredible impact on their communities and what is required from the ecosystem to enable refugee women to thrive in the future.
19 Sept | Online | London | NYC
Catalysing female entrepreneurship and improving access to healthcare
A workshop with Reckitt and WiNFUND to learn from 6 entrepreneurs from across Africa, and share insights on how best to support women entrepreneurs and leverage technology, including AI.
20 Sept | Online | NYC
Supporting Care Economy Enterprises Across Global Value Chains
A webinar with IDRC on how businesses can support entrepreneurs in the care economy, and their critical, yet undervalued, work that underpins our economies and lives.
19 Sept | Online
Acting Together to Achieve Large Scale Food Fortification Excellence
A hybrid workshop with TechnoServe to explore the latest research on food fortification, the critical role of millers, and how to join the fight against malnutrition.
21 Sept | Online
Taking a Farmer-Centric Approach to Boost Global Food Security
A Fireside Chat with Cargill to hear the latest thinking on the intersection between two critical issues: global food security and advancing farmer livelihoods.
20 Sept | Online | NYC
How Business Can Unlock the Benefits of Integrating Social and Environmental Goals
A hybrid workshop with Mars Inc to learn from the latest research on the business case for integrating social and environmental strategies into business strategy.
19 Sept | Online | NYC
Building an Equitable and Resilient Future
A Fireside Chat with Visa Inc and the Harvard Kennedy School Corporate Responsibility Initiative to explore the trends shaping business action for the future we want.
19 Sept | Online | NYC
Working Together to Tackle Gender-Based Violence
A hybrid workshop with Anglo American to identify new practical opportunities to collaborate across sectors to tackle the root causes of gender-based violence.
20 Sept | Online | NYC
Overcoming health inequities and preventing disease
A Fireside Chat with MSD to hear about the ways in which the private sector can help overcome health inequities and prevent disease, and how your business can take action to help reach everyone, everywhere.
19 Sept | Online | NYC
Building System-Level Partnerships for Transformative Change
A Fireside Chat with the UN Foundation’s Business Council for the United Nations and invited experts to learn about how we create system-level partnerships to drive transformational changes to meet the SDGs.
19 Sept | Online | NYC
Creating On-Ramps for a More Inclusive Digital Future
A hybrid workshop with Walmart to hear the latest thinking on how businesses can partner on an inclusive digital future for employees, suppliers and customers.
20 Sept | Online | NYC
inspiration and Innovation: Engaging Youth in Delivering on the SDGs
A Fireside Chat with Novozymes to explore how companies can bring the voice of youth into their SDG thinking and innovation and get ideas for your own approaches.
20 Sept | Online | NYC
Rethinking Business Partnerships for the SDGs
A hybrid workshop with Meta to explore the latest research by the UN on transformations to accelerate progress towards the SDGs, and what this means for business partnerships.
21 Sept | Online | NYC | Nairobi
Harnessing Generative AI for Social Impact: Driving Access to Quality Education
A hybrid workshop with Pearson to map out the opportunities and risks of generative AI for access to quality education for all, and explore the role business can play.
19 Sept | Online | NYC
Driving Inclusive Employment at the Base of the Economic Pyramid
A Fireside Chat with the World Bank Group’s International Finance Corporation (IFC) to find out how businesses are driving inclusive employment practices that enhance participation, advancement, and empowerment of workers at the base of the pyramid, and the benefits to both business and employees.
21 Sept | Online
Agenda
Tuesday 19th September
8.30 TO 9.00 AM EDT / 1.30 TO 2.00 PM BST | FIRESIDE: AN EQUITABLE & RESILIENT FUTURE
Building an Equitable and Resilient Future
A Fireside Chat with Visa Inc and the Harvard Kennedy School Corporate Responsibility Initiative to explore the trends shaping business action for the future we want.
Access videos and session resources here
OPENING SPEAKERS:
Jane Nelson, Director, Corporate Responsibility Initiative, Harvard Kennedy School
Michelle Gethers, Chief Diversity Officer & Head of Corporate Responsibility, Visa Inc
9.00 TO 10.20 AM EDT / 2.00 TO 3.20 PM BST | HYBRID WORKSHOP: WOMEN REFUGEES
Overcoming Challenges and the Journey Ahead for Refugee Women
A hybrid workshop with Visa Inc to be inspired by and learn from the stories of trailblazing refugee women, their incredible impact on their communities and what is required from the ecosystem to enable refugee women to thrive in the future.
Access videos and session resources here
OPENING SPEAKERS:
Graham Macmillan, President, Visa Foundation
Shirin Pakfar, Chief of Section, Private Partnerships and Philanthropy, UNHCR
Ghadah Alnasseri, Head of Policy and Public Affairs, Hibiscus Initiatives
Veronica Rossini, Vice-President for Europe, Tent Partnership for Refugees
Sheyda O’Rang, Freelance Artist and Facilitator, Pan Intercultural Arts
10.30 TO 11.00 AM ET / 3.30 TO 4.00 PM BST | FIRESIDE: ADDRESSING HEALTH INEQUITIES
Addressing Health Inequities and Preventing Disease
A Fireside Chat with MSD to hear about the ways in which the private sector can help overcome health inequities and prevent disease, and how your business can take action to help reach everyone, everywhere.
Access videos and session resources here
INTERVIEWEES:
Drew Otoo, President, Vaccines, MSD
INTERVIEWER:
Lola Adedokun, Executive Director, Aspen Global Innovators Group and Co-Chair of the Aspen Institute Forum on Women and Girls, Aspen Institute
11.00 AM TO 12.20 PM EDT / 4.00 TO 5.20 PM BST | HYBRID WORKSHOP: INTEGRATING THE “E” AND “S”
How Business Can Unlock the Benefits of Integrating Social and Environmental goals
A hybrid workshop with Mars Inc to learn from the latest research on the business case for integrating social and environmental strategies into business strategy.
Access videos and session resources here
OPENING SPEAKERS:
Lisa Manley, Vice President, Sustainability, Mars Inc
Priya Kvam, Associate Director, Americas and Global Development, Forum For the Future
Victor Dagnelie, Innovation Manager on Better Environment, IDH – The Sustainable Trade Initiative
12.30 TO 1.30 PM EDT / 5.30 TO 6.30 PM BST | WEBINAR: THE CARE ECONOMY
Supporting Care Economy Enterprises Across Global Value Chains
A webinar with IDRC on how businesses can support entrepreneurs in the care economy, and their critical, yet undervalued, work that underpins our economies and lives.
Access videos and session resources here
OPENING SPEAKERS:
Lisa Hawkes, Global Sustainability Senior Manager, Unilever
Matthew Davidson, Senior Social Impact Executive, Ethical Trade, Primark
Anne Njambi Kabugi, Regional Gender Lead – Africa, IFC
Md. Zia Uddin, Director, Planning & Development, Folia Water Global Inc.
Erin Tansey, Director, Sustainable and Inclusive Economies Program Division, IDRC
Katja Friewald, Head of Women’s Economic Empowerment and Migration, UN Women Asia and the Pacific
Melina Cruz Villafaña, Co Founder, Homely
1.30 TO 2.50 PM EDT / 6.30 TO 7.50 PM BST | HYBRID WORKSHOP: AI & SOCIAL IMPACT
Harnessing Generative AI for Social Impact: Driving Access to Quality Education
A hybrid workshop with Pearson to map out the opportunities and risks of generative AI for access to quality education for all, and explore the role business can play.
Access videos and session resources here
OPENING SPEAKERS:
Kacper Łodzikowski, Vice President, AI Capabilities, Pearson
Brigid Evans, Director of Government Relations, Pearson
Ravi Shankar Chaturvedi, Managing Director, Digital Planet, The Fletcher School, Tufts University
Naria Santa Lucia, General Manager, Digital Inclusion and Community Engagement, Microsoft Philanthropies
Kasia Jakimowicz, International Digital Development Expert, Human Capital Development, World Bank
Wednesday 20th September
8.30 TO 9.00 AM EDT / 1.30 TO 2.00 PM BST | FIRESIDE: BUSINESS & THE SDGS
Harnessing the Potential of the Private Sector to Deliver the SDGs
A Fireside Chat with Barclays and the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office to hear how governments see the role of business in delivering the SDGs.
Access videos and session resources here
OPENING & WELCOME SPEAKERS:
Deborah Goldfarb, Global Head of Citizenship, Barclays
Rt Hon Andrew Mitchell, Minister of State, UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
INTERVIEWEES:
Pamela Molina, Director of Sustainability and President, Agrolibano and Fundación Agrolibano
Liz Patterson, Deputy Director, Partnerships and Infrastructure, UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
INTERVIEWER:
Zahid Torres-Rahman, Co-Founder and CEO, Business Fights Poverty
9.00 TO 10.20 AM EDT / 2.00 TO 3.20 PM BST | HYBRID WORKSHOP: UNLIKELY PARTNERSHIPS
Building Unlikely Partnerships to Tackle Global Challenges
A hybrid workshop with Barclays to deep-dive into examples of companies collaborating for impact and draw out lessons for your own partnerships.
Access videos and session resources here
OPENING SPEAKERS:
Ajaita Shah, Founder and CEO, Frontier Markets
Eric Hudson, Founder and CEO, Preserve
Pratibha Vuppuluri, Co-Founder & Managing Partner, Unreasonable Collective
MODERATOR:
Frances Cabrera, VP, Barclays
10.30 TO 11.00 AM EDT / 3.30 TO 4.00 PM BST | FIRESIDE: FARMER LIVELIHOODS & FOOD SECURITY
Taking a Farmer-Centric Approach to Boost Global Food Security
A Fireside Chat with Cargill to hear the latest thinking on the intersection between two critical issues: global food security and advancing farmer livelihoods.
Access videos and session resources here
INTERVIEWEES:
Michelle Grogg, Vice President, Corporate Responsibility and Sustainable Development, Cargill
César Galaviz, Rancher, Farmer and Agronomist, Río Fuerte Sur
INTERVIEWER:
Katie Hyson, Director of Thought Leadership, Business Fights Poverty
11.00 AM TO 12.20 PM EDT / 4.00 TO 5.20 PM BST | HYBRID WORKSHOP: INCLUSIVE DIGITAL FUTURE
Creating On-Ramps for a More Inclusive Digital Future
A hybrid workshop with Walmart to hear the latest thinking on how businesses can partner on an inclusive digital future for employees, suppliers and customers.
Access videos and session resources here
OPENING SPEAKERS:
Welby Leaman, Senior Director, Global Public Policy, Walmart
Aiaze Mitha, Global Lead, Digital Finance for the SDGs, UNDP / UNCDF
Katarina Kahlmann, Chief Program Officer, TechnoServe
Drew Keller, Director, Institute for the Study of Business in Global Society, Harvard Business School
1.00 PM TO 1.30 PM EDT / 6.00 TO 6.30 PM BST | FIRESIDE: YOUTH AND THE SDGS
Inspiration and Innovation: Engaging Youth in Delivering on the SDGs
A Fireside Chat with Novozymes to explore how companies can bring the voice of youth into their SDG thinking and innovation and get ideas for your own approaches.
Access videos and session resources here
PANELISTS:
Morten Enggaard Rasmussen, Executive Vice President, People, Sustainability & Brand, Novozymes A/S
AiLun Ku, President & CEO, The Opportunity Network
1.30 TO 2.50 PM EDT / 6.30 TO 7.50 PM BST | HYBRID WORKSHOP: GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE
Working Together to Tackle Gender-Based Violence
A hybrid workshop with Anglo American to explore lessons and practical opportunities to collaborate across sectors to tackle the root causes of gender-based violence.
Access videos and session resources here
OPENING SPEAKERS:
Jane Pillinger, Visiting Senior Research Fellow, Department of Social Policy and Criminology, Open University
Natalie Deacon, Director Corporate Affairs and Sustainability, Avon International
Hermien Botes, Head of Sustainability Engagement, Anglo American
Thokozile Mcopele, Vice-President: Global Corporates and Development Organisations, ABSA
MODERATOR:
Alice Allan, Collaborations Director, Business Fights Poverty
3.00 TO 4.20 PM EDT / 8.00 TO 9.20 PM BST | HYBRID WORKSHOP: ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE
Catalysing female entrepreneurship and improving access to healthcare
A workshop with Reckitt and WiNFUND to learn from 6 entrepreneurs from across Africa, and share insights on how best to support women entrepreneurs and leverage technology, including AI.
Access videos and session resources here
OPENING SPEAKERS:
Hamzah Sarwar, Global Social Impact and Partnerships Director, Reckitt
Patty O’Hayer, Global Head Communications & Government Affairs, Reckitt
Pradeep Kakkattil, CEO, HIEx and Co-founder, WiNFUND
Dr. Shamim Nabuuma Kaliisa, CEO and Co-founder, Chil Femtech Center Inc
Corinne Momal-Vanian, Executive Director, Kofi Annan Foundation
Judith Oketch, Founder and CEO, Ambulex Solutions
Olivia Koburongo, Co-Founder and CEO, MamaOpe Medicals
Belinda Shaw, Founder, Cape Bio Pharms
Adeola Ayoola, Co-founder and CEO, Famasi Africa
Dr. Mercy Ashaba, CEO & Co-Founder, Peleyta Health
Corinne Hart, Senior Gender Advisor and Team Lead, Energy, Environment and Climate, USAID
MODERATOR:
Her Excellency Toyin Saraki, Founder & President, The Wellbeing Foundation Africa
THURSDAY 21ST September
8.30 to 9.00 AM EDT / 1.30 to 2.00 PM BST | FIRESIDE: INCLUSIVE EMPLOYMENT
Driving Inclusive Employment at the Base of the Economic Pyramid
A Fireside Chat with the World Bank Group’s International Finance Corporation (IFC) to find out how businesses are driving inclusive employment practices that enhance participation, advancement, and empowerment of workers at the base of the pyramid, and the benefits to both business and employees.
Access videos and session resources here
INTERVIEWEES:
Alexis Geaneotes, Operations Officer, Gender and Economic Inclusion, IFC
Iqbal Muslimin, Co-founder & Chief of Sustainability, Evermos
INTERVIEWER:
Yvette Torres-Rahman, Co-Founder and CFO, Business Fights Poverty
9.00 TO 10.20 AM EDT / 2.00 TO 3.20 PM BST | ONLINE WORKSHOP: FOOD FORTIFICATION
Acting Together to Achieve Large Scale Food Fortification Excellence
A online workshop with TechnoServe exploring the latest research on food fortification, the critical role of millers, and how to join the fight against malnutrition.
Access videos and session resources here
OPENING SPEAKERS:
William Warshauer, CEO, TechnoServe
Christina Tewes-Gradl, Founder and Managing Director, Endeva
Paloma Fernandes, CEO, Cereal Millers Association
Dominic Schofield, Program Director – IGNITE, TechnoServe
10.30 TO 11.00 AM EDT / 3.30 TO 4.00 PM BST | FIRESIDE: SYSTEM-LEVEL PARTNERSHIPS
Building System-Level Partnerships for Transformative Change
A Fireside Chat with the UN Foundation’s Business Council for the United Nations and two authors of the just-launched UN Global Sustainable Development Report to learn about the levers that will drive transformational changes to meet the SDGs.
Access videos and session resources here
INTERVIEWEES:
Imme Scholz, Co-Chair of the Independent Group of Scientists, Global Sustainable Development Report (GSDR)
Ambuj Sagar, Deputy Director, Strategy & Planning and Vipula and Mahesh Chaturvedi Professor of Policy Studies, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, and Co-Author, GSDR
INTERVIEWER:
Ilze Melngailis, Senior Director, Business Council for the UN and Private Sector Engagement, UN Foundation
11.00 AM TO 12.20 PM EDT / 4.00 TO 5.20 PM BST | HYBRID WORKSHOP: PARTNERSHIPS & THE SDGS
Rethinking Business Partnerships for the SDGs
A hybrid workshop with Meta to build on the latest research by the UN on transformations to accelerate progress towards the SDGs, and what this means for business partnerships.
Access videos and session resources here
OPENING SPEAKERS:
Amanda Gardiner, Head of ESG, Meta
Payal Dalal, SVP, Social Impact, International Markets, Center for Inclusive Growth, Mastercard
Astra Bonini, Senior Sustainable Development Officer, United Nations Department Of Economic And Social Affairs
Duncan Muriira Koome, Program Project Manager, African Futures & Foresight Action Forum
MODERATOR:
Jane Nelson, Director, Corporate Responsibility Initiative, Harvard Kennedy School