What Happened at #Catalyze14?

WASHINGTON, D.C., April 9, 2014 /3BL Media/ – Catalyzing Growth in Emerging Markets, a two-day live and online conference, hosted by PYXERA Global, convened leaders from the private, public, and social sectors earlier this week.  Comprised of several events including the Public Private Partnership Forum, an honorary reception, and the International Corporate Volunteerism Conference, each activity addressed the central theme of catalyzing emerging market growth.

What Happened at the Forum
The Public Private Partnership Forum convened a cross-section of senior leaders from public, private, and social sectors on April 7^th to address why there is a clear imperative for corporations to more closely partner with the public and social sectors.  “Partnership requires communication.  It means learning to speak one another’s language.  When successful, the impact is enhanced in ways that each partner likely never imagined,” noted Deirdre White, CEO of PYXERA Global. “My hope is to initiate this kind of dialogue and amplify the impact that a true partnership can have.”

Moderated by Fortune Magazine’s Nina Easton, The Forum addressed closely-related topics to the overarching event’s theme of catalytic emerging market growth.  In a conversation on powering new business in new markets, for example, leaders from The Dow Chemical Company, the Overseas Private Investment Corporation, and Credit Suisse examined how industry and investment can stimulate market growth in emerging economies.  Executives from the Intel Foundation, EY, and The Africa-America Institute spoke about the need for leadership at every level of the pyramid to address both the challenges and opportunities that new markets present.  In a session on the power of global corporate diplomacy, U.S. Congressman Jim Moran and executive leadership from JPMorgan Chase Foundation and Population Services International looked at what is now required for leadership in a globally connected world.  

Global health was also a timely theme as ONE Campaign, USAID, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration leaders took on the question – how can cross-sector partnership afford healthier lives for more of the world’s population?  In the Forum’s final conversation on shared value, IBM and PYXERA Global discussed roadmaps and operational realities behind true cross-sector partnership.

Broadcast live from the Newseum on pyxeraglobal.org and sponsored by The Dow Chemical Company, the Forum drew a wide audience  online.  The Forum was further amplified through a global Twitter conversation on #Catalyze14.

An honorary reception followed the Forum, in honor of those committed to the future of cross-sector partnership.  Sponsored by EY, the reception convened an elite community of stakeholders, including those participating in the Forum, other members of Congress and their staff, and an array of corporate, private, and public stakeholders pursuing global engagement opportunities.

Sharing ICV Knowledge and Networks
On April 8^th, the International Corporate Volunteerism Conference featured an evocative series of interactive workshops, flash chats, and panels designed to deepen the conversation around international corporate volunteerism, or global pro bono.  Sessions such as Partners in Innovation, How Pro Bono Volunteerism Fosters Leadership, and Hardwiring CSR to Leadership Development focused on new ways global pro bono is being integrated into company’s business units, while sessions such as The ICV Continuum, which featured over a dozen companies sharing programmatic knowledge, emphasized the mechanics of global pro bono at different stages of development.  PYXERA Global also released its Annual ICV Benchmarking Survey, an annual survey of over two dozen companies investing in global pro bono and shared new findings on ICV trends and program drivers.

Deirdre White, CEO of PYXERA Global spoke about the shifting role of the private sector in the international development landscape.

About PYXERA Global
PYXERA Global (@PYXERAGlobal) leverages the unique strengths of corporations, governments, social sector organizations, educational institutions, and individuals to enhance the abilities of people and communities to solve complex problems and attain mutually beneficial goals. Our vision is of companies, governments, and NGOs working together in new ways to efficiently increase global well-being through standard business practices.

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