Business to Take a Stand on Sustainability at Crucial Lead-in to Rio+20, in Rio de Janeiro 15-19 June
(3BL Media) New York - March 27, 2012 - Just before presidents and prime ministers meet in Rio de Janeiro in June to agree on a way forward for sustainable development, chief executives and government-corporate partnership teams will be clearing a text on the private sector role in helping to save the planet from unsustainable and ultimately self-destructive practices.
With many governments facing fiscal austerity, business commitments and other outcomes of the Corporate Sustainability Forum 15-18 June at the Windsor Barra Hotel in Rio, will lend crucial support for the UN Conference on Sustainable Development, or Rio + 20, a few days later.
Speaking at a business forum last month, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon asked corporate leaders to "rise fully to the challenge" of promoting sustainability in business practices and showing leadership at Rio+20.
Journalists are invited to cover the Rio +20 Corporate Sustainability Forum – Innovation and Collaboration for the Future We Want, as well as the 19 June BASD Business Day, sponsored by Business Action for Sustainable Development. The five-day event is likely to be the largest private sector adjunct to a global inter-governmental conference ever, and one of the most significant to date in the development of the corporate sustainability movement.
The United Nations will accredit attending journalists. The official deadline for accreditation is 14 May 2012 (see accreditation details below). Full media facilities will be available at the Windsor Barra, and briefings of the media with guest appearances and Q&A sessions will be held daily.
The Forum is organized by the United Nations Global Compact, the world’s leading corporate sustainability initiative, with more than 10,000 participating businesses and other stakeholders in 150 countries. More than 1,000 business executives are expected to be at the Forum.
A multi-media Sustainia Expo will showcase a sustainable future based on concrete and tangible know-how and technologies, to be followed by a high-level event on 20 June introducing the Sustainia 100, a collection of 100 successful sustainability innovations and projects from which the Sustaina Award – the “Nobel Prize” of sustainability – will be awarded. The Sustainia Award Committee will be chaired by former Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, along with EU Commissioner Connie Hedegaard, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Chairman Dr. Rajenda K. Pachauri and former Prime Minister of Norway Gro Harlem Brundtland.
Rio+20 Corporate Sustainability Forum - Innovation & Collaboration for the Future We Want
15-18 June 2012
Windsor Barra Hotel and Congresses
Avenida Lucio Costa, 2630 - Barra da Tijuca
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Energy & Climate ∙ Water & Ecosystems ∙ Agriculture & Food ∙ Social Development
Urbanization & Cities ∙ Economics & Finance of Sustainable Development
Programme Overview:
- 15 June: Opening Plenary and Welcome Reception (PM)
- 16 June: Theme Sessions (AM & PM)
- 17 June: Theme Sessions (AM & PM)
- 18 June: Theme Sessions (AM), High-Level Plenary “Compact for Rio” (PM)
Media Accreditation
NOTE: The deadline to apply for accreditation is Monday, 14 May 2012. No accreditation requests will be accepted after this date.
Media access to the Rio+20 Corporate Sustainability Forum will require 1) UN accreditation AND 2) registration for the event. Following the rules established by the UN Media Accreditation and Liaison Unit (MALU), media accreditation will only be granted to journalists (print, photo, broadcast and online media) who represent a bona fide media organization.
- Visit our website for complete details: www.compact4rio.org/media
- MALU Accreditation Guidelines: http://www.un.org/en/media/accreditation/request.shtml
UN Global Compact Executive Director Georg Kell is available for interviews. Please see below for contact details.
Follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/globalcompact and #compact4rio
About the United Nations Global Compact
The UN Global Compact is a strategic policy initiative for businesses that are committed to aligning their operations and strategies with ten universally accepted principles in the areas of human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption. By doing so, business, as a primary agent driving globalization, can help ensure that markets, commerce, technology and finance advance in ways that benefit economies and societies everywhere. With 7,000 corporate signatories in 140 countries, it is the world’s largest voluntary corporate responsibility initiative.
Media Contacts Matthias Stausberg Head of Public Affairs & Media Relations stausberg@un.org +1-917-367-3423 Tim Wall Forum Spokesperson wallt@un.org +1-213-447-5954 Kristen Coco Public Affairs & Media Relations cocok@un.org +1-917-367-8566
