Global Leaders Pledge to Achieve SDGs at the Global CSR Summit held at U.N.

Leaders from across the globe gathered at the Global Corporate Social Responsibility (“ CSR ”) Summit, held at the United Nations on October 30th 2018. They addressed the challenges, exchanged their shared vision as global citizens, and reached a joint declaration to incorporate CSR into core business strategies, accelerating the realization of the United Nations’ 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (“ SDGs ”). Attendees closed with three different declarations for joint action: Social Impact Entrepreneurship Action, Global Education for SDGs Action, and Global Impact Investment Action.

The Global CSR Summit, held during a critical time for global sustainable development, was jointly organized by the Global CSR Foundation (“ GCSRF ”), United Nations NGO/DPI Executive Committee, and Worldview Global Culture Alliance (“ WGCA ”).

Sustainable Organizations present at the Summit included: Goldian Group, Eyas International Education Group, Social Entrepreneurs Star, Ucommune, Chinese Cultural Foundation, El Kalla Foundation, ChainDD, StarBridge Cultural Communication Co., Ltd., Blue Ocean Capital, and CulNo Tech Beijing Co., Ltd.

The Global Education for SDGs Joint Action Declaration was made by representatives from: YOUniversity, ChildWise International, El Kalla Foundation and Young Global Leadership Foundation.

Nearly 100 sustainable visionaries attended the conference, including representatives from the United Nations, NGOs, and businesses. Distinguished guests at the summit included: Dr. Linda Stillman (Chair/Founder, Young Global Leadership Foundation), John W. Allen (Former vice chairman of the Business Council at the United Nations), and Dwight N. Hopkins (Alexander Campbell Professor, University of Chicago).

The Corporate Social Responsibility Awards, Social Impact Leadership Awards, Youth Leadership Awards, and Impact Investing Award honored those who are leading the charge on realizing the SDGs.

Award winners included: Dr. Hassan El Kalla (Chairman and Founder, The El Kalla Foundation), Manyuen Kou(Chairman, Goldian Group), Dr. Mao Daqing (Ucommune), Yajuan Xu (National GM, Eyas Kids Kindergarten), Shunfeng Peng (Founder, Daschow Tech), Xia Wu (Founder and CEO of HiDii Chinese Style), Chen Wang (Professional Musician), and ChainDD Inc.

The summit was the inaugural event for the GCSRF; the GCSRF was founded in 2018 to further increase business participation to help achieve the SDGs as laid out in the 2030 United Nations Agenda. Jing Zhao Cesarone, founder and CEO of the GCSRF, said at the event that, “it is essential to build awareness and understanding of the U.N.’s SDGs through developing and implementing relevant CSR programs such that corporations, NGOs, and individuals can make it a part of their mission.”

Jasmine Wang, Co-chair of WGCA, noted that, “impact investment challenges the long-held view that market investments should focus exclusively on achieving financial results.”

Bruce Knotts, Chair of the NGO/DPI Executive Committee, in a video message emphasized that, “sustainable development is a marathon, not a sprint. So, may today’s event serve as the first step of many.”

Dwight N. Hopkins, member of the Board of the GCSRF, closed that, “The Summit made clear that there can be a double bottom line — Corporate Financial Performance goes hand-in-hand with Corporate Social Responsibility.”

Related Report:

• www.gov.cn: http://www.gov.cn/xinwen/2018-10/31/content_5336150.htm
• xinhuanet: http://www.xinhuanet.com/world/2018-10/31/c_1123640992.htm
• US ChinaPress : http://ny.uschinapress.com/m/spotlight/2018/10-31/156350.html
• BusinessWire:https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181031005919/en/Global-Leaders-Pledge-Achieve-SDGs-Global-CSR