BCSD Brazil (CEBDS) (www.cebds.org)
Chairman
Marcos Bicudo
Managing Director
Marina Grossi
Background information
Established in 1997, BCSD Brazil integrates the Regional network at the WBCSD, represents approximately the 50 major business groups whose income is equivalent to 40% of the national Gross Domestic Product (GDP) who creates about 600 thousand direct and an even larger number of indirect jobs.
The BCSD Brazil mission is to mobilize, raise awareness and help companies integrate sustainable development principles and practices into the business context, reconciling economic, social and environmental dimensions
In order to raise awareness and mobilize companies to broaden this vision, CEBDS joins forces with the most renowned academic institutions and non-governmental organizations. It represents companies in their dealings with governments, not only to defend the specific interests of their members, but, mainly, to build an overarching sustainable development policy for the benefit of Brazilian society.
To accomplish the mission, the BCSD Brazil objectives and strategic directions are:
Facilitator: Provide a solid platform for companies to exchange knowledge and experience, facilitating dialogue, engagement and partnerships between companies, NGO’s and governments.
Provider: Provide information, guidance, products and tools that help companies implement, measure and communicate their efforts to promote sustainable development;
Defender: Proactively represent the views of companies on sustainable development issues to governments and other stakeholders in debates and in the formulation of public policies;
Communicator: Disseminate best practices, showing the contribution of companies to sustainable development, in a clear and understandable manner, to society as a whole;
Catalyst: Encourage sustainability in member companies, through projects and partnerships that generate concrete results.
Activities
The Brazilian Business Council for Sustainable Development (CEBDS) will host its 4th International Conference on Sustainable Development – Sustentável 2011- at Pier Maua in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on September 27th-29th, 2011. The event will engage business leaders, policy makers from the public and private sector, researchers from universities worldwide, and civil society in a debate with specialists from all over the globe on “Vision 2050: Rethinking ‘Business as Usual’ to Create a more Sustainable Future”.
CEBDS is also engaged in the Brazilian version of the document Vision 2050, hosting 11 workshops until February 2012. The main goal is to translate the issues pointed at the document into the Brazilian reality. This version will be delivered at Rio +20 and the next step for CEBDS will be to concentrate its efforts into the implementation of such document.
CEBDS, along with ICC Brazil and Global Compact Brazil, is a member of the Business Action for sustainable Development - BASD Brasil. This initiative is inspired in the international BASD, focused in organizing the business sector to Rio +20. CEBDS is aligning its associates to present a position at the event.
Inspired in the BCSD’s Urban Infrastructure Initiative, CEBDS is launching a pilot project called ‘Rio Cidade Sustentável’ focused in implementing sustainable infrastructure to be presented in RIO +20 gathering efforts, know-how and solutions from companies, government and other stakeholders. The chosen area was a poor community (Slum) in Rio de Janeiro.
CEBDS has recently created the Sustainable Leadership Council (in Portuguese), a CEO-formed council that works directly with the Brazilian Minister of Environment, helping to establish a sustainability agenda.
Contact information
Marina Grossi
Executive Director
marina@cebds.org
Region: Latin America
Country: Brazil
Joined: 1997