Globalization . . . as if people really mattered.
An honest conversation on integrity, responsibility, and accountability

Imbalances exist in the ways globalization has evolved. The financial markets and mass media have leveraged the vast power of the Internet to gain remarkable power, but the integrity of business leaders has been called into question. Civil society – especially non-governmental organizations – has organized like never before; but political institutions, responsible for the social well being of their citizenry, have evolved less rapidly and have seen their influence erode. These imbalances have left the most vulnerable in society at the greatest risk.

Globalization has created vast wealth and opportunities, but has been a poor distributor of both. The World Economic Forum and the World Social Forum address these issues from different perspectives. The “winner takes all” mentality leaves a majority of the world in poverty and a minority gaining even more. Trust in the fundamentals of our global economy has been undermined. Economic exclusion, combined with racial, cultural, and religious divisions, creates an explosive mix at all levels of society.

What role must the various sectors of society – business, labor, media, government, religion, academia, and local and global activists – play together in order to ensure a just globalization? How can trust be built between all the partners for sustainable communities and sustainable development. Is globalization “as if people really mattered” possible? What role can you play?

The 30th anniversary of the Caux Conference for Business and Industry will draw together representatives from each of these sectors for honest conversations, leading to workable solutions. The conference is being hosted by Caux Initiatives for Business, with the active collaboration of the International Communications Forum, Hope in the Cities International, and the Junior Round Table.

Confirmed speakers include:

* Roderick Abbott
Deputy Director General, World Trade Organization
* Edward Bickham
Executive Vice President, External Affairs, Anglo-American Mining Corporation
* José María Figueres
Managing Director, Centre for the Global Agenda, World Economic Forum
* Philippa Foster-Back
Director, Institute for Business Ethics
* Anant Nadkarni
General Manager, Group Corporate Social Responsibility, Tata Ltd, India
* Dieudonne Oyono
National Program of Governance, Republic of Cameroon
* Dominique Peccoud
Society of Jesus, advisor to the International Labour Organization
* Ignacio Ramonet
Director, Le Monde Diplomatique and co-organizer of the World Social Forum
* J.F. Rischard
Vice President for Europe, World Bank and author of High Noon: 20 Global Problems, 20 Years to Solve Them
* TK Somanath
Executive Director, Better Housing Coalition (Richmond, Virginia, USA)
* Theresa Szeliga
Chief Ethics Officer, Boeing Corp.
* Kimon Valaskakis
President, Club of Athens, Global Governance Group

Who should attend

The conference is open to all concerned and committed individuals. Business, labor and community leaders, policy makers, journalists and broadcasters, and professionals in all fields will find the discussions engaging and practical.

The 30th anniversary of the Caux Conference for Business and Industry will include participants from the International Communications Forum, Hope in the Cities and the Junior Round Table.

Conference Details

Conference Format Plenary sessions, highlighted by keynote speakers from around the world, will be supplemented by times for personal reflection, workshops and small group discussion. Click here for the latest conference agenda.

Conference Location Mountain House, the international conference center of Initiatives of Change, in Caux, Switzerland.

Registration Registration forms are available from the Caux Conference Secretariat at Mountain House, 1824 Caux, Switzerland—fax +41 21 962 9355, e-mail confsec@caux.ch. Registration can also be done on-line at www.caux.ch. For those requiring visas, please register early, as 10 weeks are required for visa applications.

Registration deadline: 7 July 2003 (registrations received after this date may not be accepted)

Cost 730 Swiss francs (approx. $500 or €500) per person, which includes conference registration fee, accommodation, and all meals.

Conference organizer
Caux Initiatives for Business

Conference partners
Hope in the Cities
www.hopeinthecities.org

The International Communications Forum
www.icforum.org

The Junior Round Table
www.juniorroundtable.org