A conference of Deusto and the Global Network for Corporate Citizenship
Bilbao, 26‐28 June 2013
 
Rather than in an era of changes, we are standing at the threshold of a change of era.

As in any transition, challenges and opportunities, old and new realities overlap. We live in a world where finances and economics have already had two or three heart arrests in the last five years, and in which we are not yet curbing climate change or succeeding in solving the problem of growing scarcity of water, food and energy. Yet, there is also a new and vibrant emerging reality of social entrepreneurship, sustainable innovation, companies that embrace innovation and apply it to their sustainability practice with exponentially positive results both for the company and society.

Thus, this is timely conjuncture to question ourselves about the role of sustainable business, make a clear assessment of the international progress made so far, and try to formulate new paths for greater impact.

The aim of the Global Dialogues is to assess the current situation of CSR/Sustainability after a decade of practice, and to jointly examine new practices and developments at the company and at the international level.

The Dialogues will have two main actors: on the one hand top executives in charge of sustainability practice in global companies (CSOs) and, on the other, some committed academics and thinkers, since experience tells us that this is the right mixture to get fruitful results. We are envisioning four dialogues in an intense two-day gathering, according to the following agenda.