Highlights of the 11th International CSR Forum

  
The 11^th GoldenBee CSR International Forum rounded off on June 7, attracting a great attention of the public. More than ten agendas in CSR have been laid out and here we summarized nine highlights of the forum, which inspired by over 80 guest speakers. The highlights demonstrate what’s going on and the latest trend of CSR field in both China and the globe.
 
No.1. Challenges, opportunities and solutions for youth in the digitalized era
 
Topic: The European and Chinese enterprises and NGOs presents some challenges they face: how to fill the gap of 40 million young high-quality talents around the world in the digital economic era, how to deal with the high unemployment rate among European youth, and how to change the status quo where 400 million young migrant workers feel lost in the era of Global Industry 4.0?
 
Output: To seek solutions by tapping the innovation and learning capability of youth through the educational, management and social reform.
 
No.2. Embedding human rights in business is possible and could be succeed 
 
Topic: For companies, human rights is indeed a forward-looking and challenging issue, just like a hot potato. GoldenBee has first held the theme forum “Embedding Human Rights in Business” and introduced the findings of “Business and Human Right Blueprint” to China, trying to unveil the mystery of human right issue.
 
Output: Enterprises of any size, whether multinational, state-owned or private, should understand the key points of human right issue under different cultural background, focus on the departments of human resources, procurement and risk management and pay attention to six key elements to promote embedding human rights into management: cross-functional leadership, share responsibility, incentivize, provide operational guidance and training, foster two-way communication, review, analyze and integrate.  
No.3. Seeking the impetus for “Beauty Economy” from multi-stakeholder collaboration
 
Topic: This is the second time to explore the biodiversity protection at our forum. It demonstrated that as a main force of biodiversity protection, how the private sectors deal with difficulties and problems caused by biodiversity in seeking “Beauty Economy”, as it’s featured by its complexity, diversity and it changes from time to time.
 
Output: Enterprises need to leverage their innovation in management and scientific think-tank, seek common solutions in association with various social groups, organizations and stakeholders, and even change the existing business model as well.
   
No.4: Climate change drives the supply chain upgrading
 
Topic: Sustainable supply chain has been one of the focuses of the International CSR Forum for years. After the Pairs Agreement, we believe building up an eco-system for CSR with centering on sustainable supply chain, has become the significant thinking to address climate change along with the trend of economic globalization. In this case, how do we transform and upgrade the existing supply chain?
 
Output: Enterprises should seek systematic solutions from extensive communications and cooperation between industries, up and down steam suppliers, the third-party organizations or sectors, in terms of innovation in technology and management.
 
In addition, the forum has introduced a new practice: Memorandum of Cooperation on Promoting CSR Development in Zhejiang Province has been signed by Zhejiang CSR Promotion Association, China WTO Tribune and Foreign Trade Association and it represented a successful case of cross-sectoral collaboration in promoting CSR from different levels.  
No.5: Urban development and commercial revolution
 
Topic: Two thematic discussion concerning the urban challenges attracted companies and experts from the electricity, gas, construction, transportation, ICT, environmental technology and other fields. The discussions focus on how to solve energy shortages, environmental degradation and others social problems in the context of fast urban development.
 
Output: Companies or industries should carry out the technological innovation in the internet, environmental protection, energy and other fields, and build a cross-sector and interdisciplinary environmental and social management system to solve these problems. The process itself can be seen as a revolution of business. No.6. children rights protection could bring to all-win to business
 
Topic: Enterprises’ rescue for lost children has been one of the hotspot issues this year. Children rights protection has provoked discussion at the forum for the first time. This issue contains not only the obligation and responsibility, but also the business opportunities, and how can we really contribute to and promote the development of a more sustainable and dynamic economy?
 
Output: Children rights protection is stick to company’s risk management, branding operation permission, employees’ rights and higher productivity Therefore it needs to be embedded to decision-making and management of companies  
No.7: Redefining the values of investments by S-ROI
 
Topic: The ten-year CSR development in China brings the popularity of sustainable investment (namely responsible investment) among investors. How do we calculate the return rate and cycle of sustainable investment? At the forum, various types of organizations shared experience on values of investments brought by non-profit projects, commercial projects, inclusive financial loan, etc. through Sustainable Return on Investments (S-ROI).
 
Output: S-ROI, an assessment tool to monetize social benefits, can collect and qualify noncash gains and external benefits of sustainable investment. The quantifiable results influence internal senior management investment decision and help better communicate the benefits of such investment on environment and society with external stakeholders.
   
No. 8: More transparent public communication for higher competitiveness
 
Topic: Government agencies, enterprises and research institutes agree that the public expectation for enterprise transparency drives them to make innovation in stakeholder management and technological development. What principles should they follow in enhancing their transparency?
 
Output: Enterprises should engage in the improvement of public transparency by promoting open, multi-party participation, appropriate disclosure and persistence.
 
No.9: GoldenBee 2030 Declaration released in response to UN Sustainable Development Goals for 2030 Agenda
 
Topic: Based on China GoldenBee CSR 2020 Initiative, China WTO Tribune launched GoldenBee2030 Declaration with a number of companies and Global Compact China Network in response to UN Sustainable Development Goals for 2030 Agenda. The Declaration calls on Chinese enterprises to devote themselves to a sustainable future and become GoldenBee Enterprises. What role should they play in this process?

Output: 
The Declaration indicates that GoldenBee Enterprises will champion a responsible, sustainable future. With the deep involvement of Chinese enterprises in global economy, GoldenBee Enterprises will take responsible action and contribute to a better world.