Business Leaders Exchange Solutions for Africa’s Biggest Social Issues

At the African Shared Value Leadership Summit in Kigali, Rwanda on 4-5 June 2020, business leaders from around Africa will find solutions to some of the continent’s most daunting social issues. The Summit will be a forum for businesses to work together to improve the continent’s social life and to share insights into the most effective ways for companies to address social problems as a central part of their business operations in Africa, as will leading leaders from some of the leading companies as well as decision-makers from government and civil society. The decision to hold Rwanda’s Summit 2020 offers delegates the opportunity to learn about the country’s economic and social developments over the last twenty years in line with Rwanda’s selected priority areas (RS1). “Solving sessions allow participants to discuss specific regional challenges as well as to contribute collectively and offer solutions,” says Tiekie Barnard, CEO of the Shared Value Africa Initiative. “The Summit’s collaboration with the Africa Leadership University(ALU), will be supported by students and graduates of the ALU Business MBA Class and ALU faculty members who compile the reportage of these sessions.” This provides an important opportunity for participants to learn and to shape networks all over the continent. Bachelor students are ambassadors throughout the Summit and Fred Swaniker will give a keynote lecture at the Summit. Africa Leadership Group member.

The solution sessions allow some of Africa’s greatest minds to tackle complex issues: how does Africa connect across borders in order to make the continent the global tourist destination? What is needed to establish African food security? Health care: outbreaks, pandemics and the future of the health expectations of Africa against reality: to track the social advantages of AfCFTA How do we build ecosystems with shared value in Africa? Africa? “The mutual business model of values, founded by Prof. Michael Porter and Mark Kramer of Harvard Business School is being followed by a growing number of companies worldwide,” said Tykie Barnard, the founder and CEO of the Mutual Value Africa Initiative. The Summit has become a platform for African entrepreneurs to exchange ideas and experience in implementing a business model of shared value in a diverse African context. ‘This offers opportunities for developing business initiatives to resolve social problems in a broad way and to contribute to achieving the United Nations’ sustainable development aims. The event brings together speakers from telecoms, education, manufacturing and mining sectors.

Discussions encourage participants to focus on new values and how to incorporate shared value in the core business plan and create incentives for shared value in addressing social and environmental issues. The Summit will also include African leaders sharing how their businesses create economic value and value for society and presentations from various sectors of industry. Abbott, KCB Group and Old Mutual Ltd. are now Sponsors of this Summit. More than 350 business executives per day, with participation from more than 18 nations, attended the Summit which was held in Nairobi on 23–24 May 2019 over two days.

The Summit will also encourage businesses to help achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals on the continent. “Leaders of industry, like previous years, should show how companies can contribute to achieve the goals and to address e social challenges at the Summit as a key part of their activities,” says Barnard.

Tickets and further information are available at http://bit.ly/3cwp5Nx. 

Data Source: Shift Social Development