Family Business Conference (session I)

Family business contributions to the SDGs
in partnership with FBN
Event
Session Type
Conference
Session Themes
Family Business
Room number
Hall 3 Room 8-A
Contact Email
Christiane.Stepanek@un.org
18 October 2023
09:30 - 11:00 Abu Dhabi
Asia/Dubai

Family businesses worldwide have increasingly recognized the need to become more transparent and communicative about their social and environmental impact, both locally and globally. On key issues such as social equity and climate change, families are looking for ways to contribute to the SDGs and ensure their future legacy.

In 2019, UNCTAD and the Family Business Network jointly launched the Family Business for Sustainable Development (FBSD) Initiative – the first partnership between the United Nations and the global family business community. Since then, the FBSD partnership has provided a platform for family businesses to embed sustainability into business strategies, track progress and assess impact. In this session, we will hear from participants in the initiative as well as from leading family businesses about their sustainability journeys and their roles in helping to achieve the SDGs.

Session themes:

  • How far have family businesses come in terms of aligning their legacy with the SDG goals? What are the key steps they need to take?
  • What are the business opportunities and benefits for family business in connecting to the SDGs?
  • What role does transparency play in helping family businesses accelerate their sustainability journeys?

Speaker(s)

Director, Division on Investment and Enterprise, UNCTAD and Lead, UNCTAD World Investment Forum
Co-Chairman, Forbes Marshall and Chairman of the Family Business Network
Founder, Octave Institute
Advisor, Lansberg Gersick Advisors
President, Free Trade Zone Association of the Americas, Dominican Republic

Moderator(s)

CEO, The Family Business Network