The ability to influence behavior can determine an initiative’s success or failure. Relevant messaging, communications, and educational tools that change basic habits and attitudes can multiply the reach and impact of a project. CGI members will examine what strategies and tactics are most effective for promoting real, lasting behavioral change, while exploring how these tools can be designed into projects from the outset.

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Tremendous strides have been made in the field of impact investing over the past few years, including the development of methods for measuring social and environmental impact, the creation of promising marketplaces to source deals, and the engagement of governments in productive partnerships. Yet, for the impact investing industry to reach its true potential — a 2009 Monitor Institute report estimates $500 billion of capital will be unlocked in the next decade — product innovation to help convert mainstream investors from interest to participation is key. In this session, participants will engage in discussions about the particular investment funds, vehicles, and instruments they view as transformational, and will investigate ways to utilize the CGI platform for accelerating innovative product development and adoption.

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Land rights are essential for economic growth and market development. For individuals, access to land ownership is one of the greatest predictors of movement out of poverty; and for businesses, property rights enable more secure investment in developing or emerging markets as well as ensure stronger local markets. Many economists believe that institutions such as property rights are why the Global North has developed much faster than the South, as these rights incentivize investment and inclusion, which leads to overall economic growth. In this session, Tim Hanstad, President and CEO of Landesa and a representative from a leading corporation will discuss and debate the value of land rights to core business practices, including how they engender market-oriented development, enable local investment, lower risk, support local market development.

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The current global shortage of 4.3 million healthcare workers has left vast populations without access to quality care. While the burden of non-communicable diseases continues to rise, many still lack access to vaccinations, lifesaving drugs for infectious diseases, and primary care. Investment in quality training and improved health systems would support and retain a robust workforce to effectively address this global challenge. Participants in this session will explore scalable, cross-sector solutions to address the current health workforce crisis.

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The participation of women as leaders in peace processes transforms their potential impact. Research has proven that women’s experiences with building networks across communities and divisions allow them to be uniquely attuned to the needs of others. Their leadership also cuts corruption, propels economic recovery, and shifts budgets toward the funding of health, education, and environmental programs. Governments around the world are focusing more and more on leveraging women’s potential as agents of change, but good intentions are not enough to transform the security paradigm. It has been more than 11 years since the adoption of a UN resolution that requires women to be fully included in peace processes and post-conflict reconstruction, and yet there has been little change. This session will explore how women use their strengths to prevent and resolve deadly conflicts and stabilize post-war chaos. Participants will discuss solutions and work toward identifying the partnerships necessary to deliver meaningful results, while also focusing on the necessity of the private sector as a key partner in this issue.

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Companies and society both benefit when businesses account for social and environmental value in addition to financial returns. Organizations that nurture small suppliers, restore local ecosystems, and build new relationships are reaping the rewards of higher quality, lower costs, and reduced risks. In this session, CGI members will share key lessons from their experiences with designing business practices and partnerships that create jobs, protect the environment, and promote social equity.

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Good intentions abound among global changemakers, but translating that intent into action is much more difficult. To best serve the needs of people around the world, how can CGI’s community of leaders bridge the gap between designing impactful solutions and motivating people to participate in these solutions? Whether they focus on inspiring children to get excited about education, organizing a human-focused refugee camp, or designing a progressive living environment, the best solutions mobilize individuals as part of their approach. In this session, a series of speakers will share their experiences with designing to advance the interests of individuals, and leaders from across the NGO, business, and government sectors will address the following key question together: how can we design approaches that inspire individuals to take an active role in the process?

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This session will investigate best practices in designing and innovating products for the poorest consumers. Whether it is in relation to insecticide-treated bed-nets, medical devices, water and sanitation solutions, pharmaceuticals, vaccines, family planning commodities, cook stoves, talking books, or mobile devices, participants in this session will discuss a variety of ‘how’ questions that address this topic, including how we can ensure that the end user is engaged in the design and innovation process, how we can make high-quality products sustainable and affordable in developing countries, how we can realize the potential of emerging marketing while also creating social good, and how packaging, education, and marketing techniques can work to increase appropriate use of these products.

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The tourism industry is a multi-billion dollar enterprise, providing six percent of jobs and accounting for 30 percent of service exports globally. The industry’s impact is especially strong in developing countries, where such service exports total 45 percent. Because tourism is one of the world’s fastest and largest growing industries, it is necessary to ensure that the benefits of tourism are reaped locally and that safe environmental practices are employed. Sustainable tourism aims to be sustainable in three major ways: economically, through the inclusion of local communities in management and planning; culturally, through the preservation of cultural assets; and environmentally, through the conservation of local ecosystems and the deployment of green technologies. This session will explore ways that the hotel and tourism industries can play a significant role in this sustainability movement, looking specifically at job creation, workforce development, and the preservation of local ecosystems.

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Our world faces a number of “grand challenges” — including access to affordable, reliable, and increasingly clean energy. New approaches to collaboration in technology development and policy are yielding important results and lessons learned. This dinner, hosted by Jim Rogers of Duke Energy, will feature a conversation among thought leaders with experience in new forms of collaboration in energy innovation and other grand challenges.

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Please join us for a discussion on the women’s economic empowerment movement moderated by Tina Brown, editor-in-chief of Newsweek and the Daily Beast, and a preview of selections from the upcoming PBS documentary inspired by the book by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn. This topic dinner will convene leaders from government, media, and grassroots organizations to address women’s critical role within the global economy and discuss opportunities to unleash their full potential. How can educational tools and financial resources expand to support women’s economic inclusion and entrepreneurial promise? Speakers will discuss partnerships, policies, and initiatives supporting women’s contributions to sustainable economic growth and security.

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At the last CGI Annual Meeting, Secretary Clinton called this “The Age of Participation,” and with this participation has come shifts in power and leadership that have been felt across the globe. In the last few years alone, we have seen many established leaders unseated as new voices have emerged. This topic dinner will look at how leaders and leadership are changing in a world that is increasingly interconnected and participatory. Harvard’s Professor Graham Allison will join Ambassador Angelopoulos and leaders from the business, government, and nonprofit sectors to discuss what it takes to lead today, assessing lessons learned and exploring how action and inspiration can be nurtured in the leaders of tomorrow.

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Over the past decade, there has been a great deal of progress towards improving economic opportunities for women. What have we learned and how do we keep the momentum going? This topic dinner will feature groundbreaking research that is helping to identify effective interventions, ranging from technology to market-based approaches. Join several of the world’s influential leaders to discuss achievements to date, challenges that still need to be addressed, and approaches for building on the momentum.

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This dinner is hosted by the United Postcode Lotteries: fundraisers for good causes through a unique lottery system in the Netherlands, Sweden, and Great Britain. The Postcode Lotteries are currently organizing the sixth edition of the international competition ‘Postcode Lottery Green Challenge,’ during which sustainable entrepreneurs from all over the world compete with their creative and innovative CO2-reducing business plans. Three finalists will present their ideas. The winner will receive € 500,000 to help bring his or her sustainable business plan to market. Two runners-up will win €100,000 each. During this topic dinner, former winner Eben Bayer will talk about his revolutionary bio-materials company.

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Student loan debt has reached historic levels and is now the largest source of American debt – surpassing credit cards and auto loans. At the same time, a significant structural shortfall is pushing the Federal Pell Grant program towards a fiscal cliff. This combination is alarming. Given that the federal financial aid programs currently support over 15 million postsecondary students in the U.S. annually by providing nearly $170 billion in grants, loans, and work-study, new thinking is required around college affordability and financial aid in order to significantly improve student outcomes – in achieving both access and success. How can we reengineer affordability strategies and financial aid – government, private, and institutional – to incentivize and complement current efforts to get more students in, and through, degree programs? With a problem of this scale, incremental policy changes will not be enough. Which innovative and creative ideas should be explored in order to reimagine aid design and delivery? This topic dinner will explore these questions and more in the area of college affordability and financial aid.

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Public-private partnerships (PPPs) are well recognized as critical to providing the synergy needed to address the world’s biggest issues. While PPPs have grown in their importance, this is occurring in a challenging business environment that has resulted in a necessity for productivity gains among the private sector. Every dollar invested now by the private sector must show some broader shareholder benefit, thereby resulting in a move from strict philanthropy by the private sector to social investments designed to address poverty while helping meet long-term business goals. This topic dinner will include a panel discussion among some of the top global humanitarian leaders. The panelists will share their views on the role of collaboration with the private sector, including win-win solutions to addressing poverty and building market share for the private sector as well as the role of branding, innovation, and digital technology.

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Whether leading education reform, advocating for health policies, or actively changing the communities in which they live, today’s youth are having an increasingly stronger and more proactive voice in addressing some of the most complex issues faced not just by their generation, but by us all. Join us for a thought-provoking conversation on youth empowerment as we present a diverse and inspiring look at the role of youth as drivers of social change.

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