The Forum featured 8 plenary sessions, 18 break-out sessions and 6 side events – all of them aimed to share business models, investment challenges, sector trends and thematic issues, for instance: the role of governments in creating an enabling environment; the linkages between the sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the inclusive business agenda; the financial sector's take on these types of ventures; empowerment of women; and impact measurement.
The Forum was organized by the ADB and a wide range of partners: IFC, the Inter-American Development Bank, Business Call to Action (BCtA), Inclusive Business Action Network (IBAN), the Government of Sweden, Crédit Suisse, CSR Asia, and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD).
WBCSD @ the 2016 Inclusive Business Asia Forum
WBCSD member companies were well represented as speakers, with representatives of Jain Irrigation, Sompo Insurance, Deloitte, Fujitsu, Yes Bank, Novozymes, and Coca-Cola sharing their insights.
For his part, Filippo Veglio of the WBCSD’s Social Impact Cluster, shared the Council's perspectives in a panel hosted by the Business Call to Action, which featured speakers from Novozymes, Deloitte, and Kennemer Foods International. He presented the business case for inclusive business as an innovative and profitable solution to achieve the ambitions set out by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). (see this WBCSD issue brief)
Veglio also moderated a session on the role of business associations and networks in promoting inclusive business. Panelists represented the following organizations: Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP), CSR Asia and FSG. The discussion highlighted the value proposition of these actors as facilitators and advocates of the inclusive business agenda, in addition to their opportunity to act as intermediaries between companies and policymakers.
More information:
- Here is a short summary of the ADB’s key take-aways from the Forum
- Read this comprehensive post-Forum report, prepared by the ADB
- Access speakers’ presentations and background documents
- WBCSD issue brief: Delivering on the Sustainable Development Goals: The inclusive business approach