BEING BUSINESSWORTHY Oslo Business for Peace Summit and Award Ceremony 15th May 2014, Oslo City Hall www.businessforpeace.com WELCOME The Business for Peace Foundation “I think the idea behind the Oslo Business for was initiated and held its first Summit in 2007 to encourage and inspire Peace Award, and the potential impact it may business leaders to be businessworthy have, is important and inspiring.” and engage with society as partners, in developing shared value and increasing trust between business and society. H.E Kofi A. Annan The Foundation has promoted the concept of Being Businessworthy as a way to understand how business leaders can develop trust with communities, contribute to well being, and create conditions for sustainable development and peace. The Oslo Business for Peace Award 2014 marks the fifth time where trail blazing business leaders are rewarded for their commitment to creating value through a marriage between a solid bottom line and a higher purpose. In addition to the Summit and Award Ceremony in the Oslo City Hall, there are several side events on this and related topics being hosted May 14 – 15th. “The Just Man” by the artist Bruce Naigles, symbolizes the bond of trust between two people joining in a handshake to confirm their commitment to each other. A human flexes and raises a mighty form. It is the “Wheel of life” – the primal symbol of continuity. Naigles´ “Wheel of Life” does not join in a circular end, it is bisected by “the handshake that obligates” Through an ethical act, human beings contribute and become part of the cosmic order. The sculpture hints that ethical obligation is not a pre-given, but has to be carried forth by each and The Oslo Business every human being – again and again for Peace Award and again... Bruce Naigles (b. New York 1958): Description by Bjørn Li “The Just Man” 2 INTRODUCTION 2014 BUSINESS FOR PEACE HONOUREES The Oslo Business for Peace Award is the highest form of recognition given to individual business leaders for outstanding businessworthy accomplishments; for acting ethically and responsibly with the aim of creating shared value between business and society. The criteria for selection require that the nominees are examples to the general public and inspire the business community through ethical and responsible business practices. Honourees must have developed and cultivated successful international or national businesses in a manner that is recognized and appreciated in their communities, ideally by creating economic value in a way that also creates value for society. The worldwide search for the 2014 Honourees is a joint effort by the International Chamber of Commerce, the United Nations Development Program, the United Nations Global Compact in collaboration with the Business for Peace Foundation and the City of Oslo with the International New York Times as global media partner. The 2014 Oslo Business for Peace Honourees have been named by the Foundation’s independent Award Committee, consisting of Nobel Laureates in Peace and Economics. OSLO BUSINESS FOR 16:00 Registration at the Oslo City Hall PEACE AWARD 17:00 Welcome by Stian Berger Røsland, Governing Mayor of Oslo PRESENTATION 2014 Opening statement by Per L. Saxegaard, Founder and Executive Chairman, Business for Peace Foundation Summit and Award Presentation to the Business for Peace Honourees The State of the Union between Business and Society Address by Georg Kell, Executive Director, Nik Gowing, international journalist and United Nations Global Compact broadcaster, will be the moderator and Master of Ceremony for this year’s Oslo The 2014 Business for Peace Address Business for Peace Summit and Award by 2012 Business for Peace Honouree, Eduardo Eurnekian, Argentina 18:30 Award Ceremony Introduction by Shirin Ebadi, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate 2003 Presentation of the Honourees Audience questions and answers for each Honouree, by Nik Gowing 19:15 Closing Remarks 3 2014 HONOUREES company. An old-school business magnate, community work to bear on company policy. he felt the demands of a management job Her successes have been notable, and are his daughter had been suggested for were due to her insisting that the company must too big for a woman. engage with stakeholders in the communities Marilyn Carlson Nelson instead where it is active, on both local and global dedicated herself to working on community issues. For a number of years, Carlson has projects, to the benefit of both her state and been judged the best company for mothers the USA. She became a leader of United Way to work in, Forbes has declared it one of in Minneapolis, a coalition of community the world’s top 100 companies to work for. services organizations with 1200 local Today, over forty percent of its executives are offices around the nation. women, and the group has won international United Way works to establish effective recognition and awards for its stance on partnerships that serve community needs, business ethics and integrity. identifying these and creating best solutions Under her leadership, Carlson signed bringing together local resources. Her the international Code of Conduct to protect experience with community projects taught children from sexual exploitation in the travel Ms. Nelson how to motivate volunteers to industry, as the first travel and hospitality achieve more, by reaching for higher goals. company in North America to do so. MARILYN CARLSON NELSON Her achievements in many organizations Ms. Nelson discovered that through were so notable, and effective, that she was engaging productively with society, a Marilyn Carlson Nelson is Chairman and former considered a strong candidate for governor business can grow stronger and wiser, CEO of Carlson, one of the largest privately held of her state. At that point, her father realized creating shared value to the benefit of both. companies in the world, with 170 thousand how wrong he had been, and he made her For her significant achievements, Marilyn employees in 150 countries. CEO of Carlson. Carlson Nelson is named a Business for Her wise approach to doing business got a Immediately, she began changing Peace Honouree. launch when her father fired her from the Carlson, bringing her insights gained from intimidation of a kind nobody should have for the products of micro entrepreneurs, to face. thus reducing the risk of exploitation. The Ms. Damini is indomitable, she can’t organizations advocate for environmentally be stopped. Over 60 thousand micro sustainable business practices, and also entrepreneurs in Nepal are now enjoying the checks such practices by big businesses, benefits of her dedication, which began with holding them to account, if necessary. a small group comprising herself and a few This promotes the sustainable harvest of other women, in the Parbat district, 300 raw materials and makes it mandatory to kilometres from Kathmandu. conduct environmental impact screening in She realized the power of organization, all enterprises, from the micro to the macro. and encouraged other women to follow the Kesha Kumari Damini’s leadership example, in building district and regional has inspired many others to become groups. These were then organized at the entrepreneurs, explore self-employment national level, when she formed the National opportunities and overcome discrimination. As Micro Entrepreneurs Federation Nepal, in 2005. many families have improved their economic Ms. Damini promotes entrepreneurship conditions through her initiatives, their health among economically deprived groups, and and nutrition have improved, and they have encourages them to be self-employed and been able to send their children to school. KESHA KUMARI DAMINI empowered. The organizations provide When faced with seemingly impossible skills training and support entrepreneurs, obstacles, Ms. Damini charged ahead, in the To have achieved what Kesha Kumari Damini particularly women, in starting their own knowledge that her initiative would improve has done in Nepal, as a member of the Dalit businesses. The cooperatives she has the lives of those who followed her example, caste, is impressive beyond belief. organized have played an important role to the benefits of individuals and society. For Dalits are considered the lowest caste in in helping the Dalits develop a culture of her unstoppable spirit and businessworthy Nepal, and are systematically discriminated saving, thus decreasing their dependence on example, Kesha Kumari Damini is named a against. As she began her work to organize village lords for loans. Business for Peace Honouree. micro entrepreneurs throughout the nation, On the national level, the organizations Ms. Damini had to overcome threats and provide market linkages and sales outlets 4 they meet to discuss issues and hopefully of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture, a sign agreements. Yet we tend to ignore the federation he chaired until 2005. fact that each day, all over the world, millions His significant leadership and of meetings are held between business inspirational qualities were noted abroad, people of very different backgrounds. They and he has headed the General Union find mutual ground through their goal of of Arab Chambers, which comprises all achieving a good outcome for both parties. chambers in 22 Arab countries, grouping Adnan Kassar of Lebanon realized very hundreds of thousands of leading early that business activity could be a force businesses. His work led to the creation of contributing to stability and peace. And he the Arab free trade zone and paved the way also realized that without peace and security, for the Arab Common Market. both society and business would suffer, Ultimately, Adnan Kassar was elected unable to achieve their goals. to lead the International Chamber of His career spans a lifetime, beginning Commerce, in recognition of his ability to in Lebanon and in the end having a global make people and businesses work together, impact. Throughout, he has been motivated across boundaries, towards a common and by the ethos of the ancient Phoenicians, who unifying goal.