World Economic Forum Annual Report 2006/2007

World Economic Forum Annual Report 2006/2007 13programme, and a sector-specific structuralreform initiative that will promote fair competitionand transparency. Additionally, the world’s fourlargest accounting firms agreed to lend theirsupport through the development of a frameworkfor companies to benefit from independentreviews of their anti-bribery programmes.There was a notable consensus that the Forumand its partners in both business and civilsociety have a responsibility to promote opendiscussion on globalization. Greaterunderstanding is needed of its advantagesand how its negative effects can be reduced.As President and Chief Executive Officer ofRenault, France, and President and ChiefExecutive Officer of Nissan, Japan, CarlosGhosn, said: “Most people who are hurt or whothink they are hurt by globalization know it. Mostwho benefit do not know it”. This is somethingwe are keen to pursue in the coming year.The activity at this year’s Annual Meetingreached a far wider audience thanks to thelatest technological innovations. These includedreal-time webcasts of our key sessions, regularpodcasts, commentaries written and sent outby bloggers and even discussions amongparticipants on SecondLife, the popular Webbasedvirtual community. This was particularlyappropriate to this year’s Meeting, given thatsocial networking and the implications of therise of the virtual world were at the forefrontof many of the discussions. The Forum is keento continue developing its knowledge ofcommunity building and recognizes that newtrends in technology will influence the styleof future Annual Meetings. With this in mind,the Forum is currently researching how thelatest communications technologies canbe utilized for the benefit of its participantsand the wider global audience.Open Forum Davos 2007For the fifth consecutive year, we openedour doors to the general public, via the OpenForum. Co-organized with the Federation ofSwiss Protestant Churches, the Open Forumis a series of sessions held in conjunction withthe Annual Meeting.More than 2,400 people took part in sevensessions. Participants came from all walks oflife, including business, civil society and the localDavos population. This year they included agroup of students from Geneva’s internationalschool, one of whom served as a panellist inan Open Forum session.The debates and discussions providedparticipants with insights on globalizationand the impact of some of its consequences.Individual sessions addressed issues such asCEO salaries, development aid and its results,sustainable energy consumption, managingaccess to oil, multiculturalism, the role ofreligions in society and the impact of brands.Discussions between the public and panellistsallowed for in-depth conversations.Panellists of this year’s Open Forum includedthe Prime Minister of Pakistan, Shaukat Aziz;Group Chief Executive of global advertisinggiant WPP, Sir Martin Sorrell; and theArchbishop of Dublin, Diarmuid Martin.2,400participants, from 90 countries, including 25 heads of statewere at the Annual Meeting 2007.