At SIGEF Davos, Global Stakeholders Embrace Sustainability, Empowerment and Inclusion, for a Smarter Future

Increasingly, a large number of major global corporations, including Philip Morris International and Nespresso, are determinedly headed in the direction of sustainability, empowerment and inclusion. Through strengthened ties within vulnerable communities or via investing in the provision of more sustainable products, they have realized how important it is to embrace the challenges of our times.

That is what SIGEF, the Social Innovation and Global Ethics Forum, which was set up for the first time in Davos on the morning of January 22^nd, 2020 has clearly demonstrated. Building on its “Together Shaping a Smarter Future” theme, it displayed cases of innovation and technological development for the good of humanity, along with several other impressive initiatives and solutions, while it also brought stimulating insights into the topics that comprised the four panels which were presented to a qualified audience at the Kirchner Museum.

Disruptive Technologies, the Future of Finance, the UN Sustainable Development Goals and Women Empowerment were debated. Panelists included: Ms Karen Wilson, OECD Strategic Partnerships, Ms Katja Iversen, President of Women Deliver, Mr Charles Bendotti, Senior Vice President People & Culture Philip Morris International, Mr Jérôme Perez, Global Head of Sustainability Nespresso, Ms Ann Cairns, Executive Vice Chairman Mastercard, Dr. Michael Mirilashvili, Philanthropist and President of Watergen, Ms Christy Tanner, Executive Vice President and General Manager CBS News Digital, Mr Maxim Pasik, Executive Chairman Watergen, Dr. Nikolaus S. Lang, Managing Director and Senior Partner at Boston Consulting Group, Mr Xiaochen Zhang, President of FinTech4Good, Mr Zach Fenster, Chief of Staff Watergen, Mr Adi Mimran, Venture Partner Cyrus AI, Mr Hidetoshi Azuma, Executive Vice President of Cognitive Research Labs, Ms Vera Futorjanski, Innovation Expert and Advisor, Mr Vincent Subilia, Director General, Geneva Chamber of Commerce & Member of the Geneva Parliament, Anna Kletsidou, Head of Social Sustainability & Human Rights at Philip Morris International, Ms Adva Saldinger, Associate Editor Devex (moderator) and Sarah Backhouse acting as Master of Ceremony.

One powerful expression of this growing trend toward global scale innovation is Watergen, whose owner and president, Dr. Michael Mirilashvili, presented his vision for solving the global crisis of water scarcity through his company’s revolutionary drinking water-from-air device that “turns air into drinking water to provide affordable and pure water to everyone, everywhere.”

Thus, the Forum revealed an invigorating shared sentiment: it is one of an inclusive world that can definitely be shaped with the joint effort of all stakeholders from both the public and private sectors. With it, gender equality and wide access to new technologies would be bolstered; financial means and business opportunities would be open to all; and many an environmental and social advances would be gained.

Startups and fintech organizations including Fintech4Good, as well as NGOs led by Women Deliver, or media such as Horyou, or again international organizations and agencies the likes of Geneva Chamber of Commerce and the OECD, are walking the walk, and showing that, undoubtedly, an increased level of social and environmental commitment does help come to terms with inequality.

A few years ago, it would have been unimaginable that the finance and business worlds would seriously get to grips with social inclusion, or deal with environmental issues, or again bolster community empowerment or, even more unpredictably, use disruptive technologies for good. As Yonathan Parienti, founder and CEO of Horyou, the social network for social good, put it: “Capitalism is changing, and it is becoming more inclusive and more aware of society’s current needs and aspirations.”

That is the relevance of SIGEF Davos, and its legacy.

SIGEF Davos Organizers and Main Sponsors:
Horyou, the Social Network for Social Good
Horyou Foundation
Philip Morris International
Nespresso
Watergen
Cognitive Research Labs
HoryouToken

Advertisement