Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

'Growth' and 'employment' biggest challenges for 2012, say experts at WEF’s Summit on the Global Agenda

IBLF’s CEO Clare Melford sat on the anti-corruption council at the World Economic Forum’s 2011 Summit on the Global Agenda in Abu Dhabi, where it emerged that inclusive growth and employment creation were the most important global challenges for 2012.
Oct 14, 2011 1:30 PM ET

(3BL Media / theCSRfeed) October 14, 2011 - The International Business Leaders Forum recently attended the World Economic Forum’s 2011 Summit on the Global Agenda in Abu Dhabi, where it emerged that inclusive growth and employment creation were the most crucial global challenges to address in 2012. IBLF's CEO Clare Melford was invited to be a member of WEF's 'Global Agenda Council on Anti-Corruption', where - as one of 15 international experts - she debated with thought leaders from over 80 countries across 2 packed days. 

Clare explained: " The council on anti-corruption showed there is great support for the business contribution being made to the G20 process around global approaches to tackling corruption. Two ideas emerged - countries appointing an independent ombudsman as a route for companies to whistleblow and secondly, ways to promote the use of social media by citizens to hold business and government to account.” Take a look at some of IBLF's wide-ranging work with companies on the corruption agenda.

GAC members were asked to identify the most important global trends that will likely impact the global economy, society and environment in the next 12-18 months. Key findings were presented at the opening of the Summit - take a look here.

Another top trend that emerged from the survey of WEF's Global Agenda Councils was that of the 'public debt crisis' as the issue most likely to impact the global economy in the next 12 to 18 months. The report identified the following as important trends facing the global agenda in 2012: uncertain economic outlook, global power shifts, digital revolution, political entrenchments, instability of financial markets, scarcity of resources, climate change, and unemployment and inequality.

   Experts discussed five main themes over two days at this year’s Global Agenda Summit: 

  • Resource scarcity and demographic change

  • Digital governance and managing complex systems

  • Global rebalancing and economic reform

  • Inclusive growth and employment creation

  • Global and regional governance

Now in its fourth year, the annual event was an opportunity for WEF's diverse network of Global Agenda Councils to discuss the risks, opportunities and strategies involved across the big issues.   www.iblf.org   IBLF17723