IoD Midlands Summer

More documents

Recommendations

Info

Keep up to date at www.iod.com/westmids and at www.iod.com/east-midlands Events Make your business part of the solution to the world’s greatest challenge The IoD is excited to host a virtual global conference for all IoD members and the wider business community on the theme Connecting the World: Tackling our Global Challenges Together, as we look to move out of the chaos created by Covid-19 and face up to the threat of climate change. The conference is being held online on 2 & 3 September 2021 and hosted and organised by IoD Scotland. It will explore how organisations can step up their responsibilities to build sustainable businesses for a fairer, greener world. The theme and timing of the IoD event are not accidental, as it comes just weeks ahead of the United Nations’ vital Climate Change Summit in Glasgow (COP26, from 1-12 November) which will look to set new international standards on emissions and environmental performance, in a bid to halt the climate emergency created by global warming. Many experts believe COP26 could be our last chance to set the world on a pathway to avoid a future catastrophe. At the IoD Global Conference we will ask a simple question that chimes perfectly with the agenda at COP26: Our fragile planet is under threat: how can business be part of the solution that saves it? Speakers To help us answer this question we have gathered together a world-class line-up of speakers to illuminate our discussions and provide their own expert insights into this crucial topic. Drawn from the spheres of politics, civic action and business, they include: • Rt Hon David Miliband, President & CEO of the International Rescue Committee, and former UK Foreign Secretary • Dr Rachel Sibande, Senior Director, Country Outreach, Digital Impact Alliance, and founder of Malawi’s first technology and innovation hub • Douglas Lamont, CEO of innocent drinks, who has led the company on its journey to becoming the largest chilled drinks brand in Europe • Dr Ifeyinwa Kanu, founder and CEO of IntelliDigest. With a PhD in environmental engineering, her Edinburgh-based company addresses the sustainability challenges posed by food waste. These are just our first four confirmed speakers, all of whom will discuss the key issues from their own unique and varied perspectives. More speakers will be announced over the summer, and the event itinerary will include Q&A panel sessions with the principal speakers and opportunities to interact with your fellow delegates in our online chat facility. We are also looking forward to input from Gen Z; we wish to ensure that young people take their rightful place where these key issues are being debated. Global Conference Speakers Rt Hon David Miliband President & CEO of the International Rescue Committee, and former UK Foreign Secretary David Miliband’s role with the IRC resonates at a global level, and his insight will be invaluable in framing how the UK can tackle the enormous humanitarian and economic challenges that we face. The IRC responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people whose lives are shattered by conflict and disaster to survive, recover and gain control of their future. In more than 40 countries its dedicated teams provide clean water, shelter, health care, education and empowerment support to refugees and displaced people. In an average year the IRC provides 1,474,900 children with schooling and education opportunities, reaches 1,621,000 people through its efforts to raise awareness about human rights, protection and gender-based violence, provides 1,756,800 people with clean water infrastructure and reaches 19,259,700 people with health education services and treatment. 40 www.iod.com/emidlandsevents
Speakers Dr Rachel Sibande Senior Director, Country Outreach, Digital Impact Alliance Rachel Sibande is a digital development specialist. She established Malawi’s first technology and innovation hub – mHub, which incubates and accelerates emerging innovative entrepreneurs. Rachel has led deployment of big data for development demonstration models in Africa and has extensive experience managing technology-led development projects in digital financial services, public health, agriculture, disaster management and elections monitoring in more than 14 countries. Douglas Lamont CEO of innocent drinks Douglas Lamont’s experience at innocent drinks will outline the opportunities and challenges of growing a global, truly sustainable business outside the UK, from the perspective of a company that grew from nothing to become a household name on the strength of its tasty drinks sourced with maximum concern for the environment. Douglas will also talk about his work as co-chair of the Better Business Act, which is aiming to change UK law to make sure every single company in the country puts balancing people, profit and planet at the heart of their purpose and the responsibilities of their directors. More on Better Business Act at https://betterbusinessact.org/ Other contributors – including you! What will make this Global Conference stand out will be the input from our delegates, who will be drawn from the IoD and beyond its membership. This is an interactive event that will give you the opportunity to showcase how your organisation’s actions are promoting sustainability and environmentally friendly business policies. And these won’t just be voices from large multinationals: the call to action to defeat climate change is often loudest among smaller enterprises, and all voices at the conference will carry equal weight. So whether you are a young entrepreneur running a start-up, the owner of a family business, the CEO of a charity or an NGO, working within the public sector or a director of an SME and large corporate, this is a unique platform from which you can learn, be inspired and engage with what will be the key issue of the future. The IoD Global Conference will reinforce the message that if climate change and sustainability aren’t at the top of your boardroom agenda now, they must be in the future. Delegates and speakers alike will be bound by a desire to move from rhetoric to collaborative action and to actively engage in the need to find solutions today for our world of tomorrow. This will be two days of outstanding CPD in a forum that will stimulate debate, Dr Ifeyinwa Kanu The issue of food waste is truly alarming in western societies and Dr Ifeyinwa Kanu will highlight how society might reduce this burden on the planet’s resources, by using engineering solutions to address the challenge. As the Founder and CEO of IntelliDigest Ltd, Dr Kanu is leading the company on a mission to empower global food sustainability, eliminate food waste and zero hunger. encourage peer-to-peer learning and offer practical policies for the future. This collaborative conference is open to IoD members and other business individuals who value being challenged and the opportunity to make connections so that new ideas can flourish. Rates The cost of this two-day online conference is £40 + VAT for IoD members, £60 + VAT non-members. For 10+ tickets, please contact conference@firstcityevents.co.uk for discount rate. Sponsorship We have partnership opportunities for organisations interested in sponsoring this high-profile global conference. We understand that sponsors are an essential part of any successful event and we work hard to create bespoke partnerships that provide real and tangible benefits. Please contact Joyce Lamond at conference@firstcityevents.co.uk or call 07711 432745. Follow the story and get instant updates on new speakers at: Got a question, want to know more or interested in sponsorship opportunities? Contact conference@firstcityevents.co.uk Book your places now. Click here www.iod.com/westmids/events 41
Page 1: SUMMER 2021 www.iod.com Midlands Th
Page 4 and 5: Keep up to date at www.iod.com/west
Page 8: Keep up to date at www.iod.com/west
Page 11 and 12: IoD West Midlands Student Mentoring
Page 13 and 14: Thanks, Ian IoD West Midlands would
Page 15 and 16: as a direct consequence of the abus
Page 42: Keep up to date at www.iod.com/west

IoD Midlands Summer

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?