Sawsan Raslan is an ambitious young woman from Syria, who believes in the power of change. She has been part of the Caux family since 2016. She is passionate about volunteer work related to women’s empowerment, protecting the environment and promoting education.
Steven Lin is a CPLP alumni from Canada where he works as a Family Outreach Worker, helping young parents achieve their personal and parenting goals. He is passionate about youth leadership and has been engaged in various initiatives to help develop future leaders. He loves to learn new things and to chat with people. If you need someone who will listen, he is the one to go to.
Manuela Garay works as an office manager for an environmental organization in Canada. She has a passion for communication and believes it is a key to help make the world a better place. Through storytelling, using mainly words and photographs, she hopes to inspire people to take care of their surroundings and of one another. Manuela took part in the Caux Peace and Leadership Programme (CPLP) in 2017 and is excited to continue her involvement through the Creative Leadership conference and Weaving Our Narratives course.
Gabriele Segre is the Director of the Vittorio Dan Segre Foundation, a Swiss NGO dedicated to the promotion of the culture of coexistence among different identities. Prior to his current position, he served as Strategic Advisor for the United Nations, dealing with issues of organizational reform, culture change and leadership.
Morenike Onajobi was first introduced to IofC Switzerland in 2012 by Intermission Youth (Theatre) and was part of the leadership team of the Caux Peace and Leadership Programme 2016. Working as a senior trainer, Morenike specialises in personal introspection and leadership development.
Vivek Asrani has been part of the family business for 35 years and is currently the Managing Director of Kaymo Fastener Company, India. He graduated with a Bachelors in Science and went on to get a law degree. He was an executive body member of AIESEC from 1986-89 and the Founder President of Association of Youth for Better India (AYBI) from 1990 to 1993. He met IofC in 1992 and has been an active member since 1995. He currently serves on the Board of IofC India.
Vivek also serves on the boards of several NGO’s in India :
Nazrene Mannie, the Executive Director of GAN Global, is a specialist in the field of social policy focusing on youth employment and skills development. Nazrene joined GAN Global in August 2019. Since her arrival Ms Mannie has been appointed as a Geneva Champion and has worked closely with organisations such as the Global Alliance for Youth, private sector companies and international development entities such as the ILO, World Bank, IOE, UNESCO and OECD to drive forward the agenda for agile Workforce Development within the context of the Future of Work.
As pandemic-related lockdowns and travel restrictions slowly begin to ease and a return to normal life seems nearer at hand, we are at a critical juncture as to how we choose to act towards our environment. The spread of the novel coronavirus has shed light on some of the longer-lasting effects of human pressures on nature and it is up to us to make the right choice to preserve our planet in the post-pandemic reality.
There is no doubt that global lockdown has helped to clean up the air and to accelerate innovation in food supply chains and in the healthcare sector. The virus has also brought about increasing criticism of the global wildlife trade (said by the WWF to be worth roughly $20 billion a year), which is bringing us into contact with animals and habitats we were not previously exposed to. Dr Ben Embarek of the World Health Organization’s department of nutrition and food safety says that the number of previously unknown diseases linked to new contacts between humans and animals is rising. He advises increased regulation of the wildlife trade to help prevent similar health crises from occurring in the future. Such regulation would also be a critical step in preserving biodiversity and protecting endangered animals for illegal trade. At the time of writing, temporary bans had been issued in China: a big victory for animal rights activists.
These positive effects, especially the decreases in carbon and greenhouse gas emissions, can serve as a springboard to future sustainable policies, but it won’t be easy. According to Kimberly Nicholas, a sustainability science researcher at Lund University in Sweden, social science research points to interventions being more effective at times of change. This suggests that now – a critical moment in history – is the time for an intervention on behalf of the environment. But as the world, aside from health workers and essential businesses, remains shut down, so does the economy, leading to high uncertainty and unease. When the clouds finally clear, the immediate focus of governments will be to jumpstart the economy and get industries back on track to avoid prolonging the biggest global recession since the 2008 financial crisis. This spells trouble for long-term climate change policy, which is likely to be pushed down the political priority list.
Many experts argue that the long-term impact of the pandemic on the climate will depend on how countries and corporations respond to the economic crisis once restrictions are lifted, as policies to avert climate change require major infrastructural and societal changes. The International Energy Agency has warned that the aftermath of the virus will weaken investments in clean energy and in efforts to reduce emissions, adding that governments will most likely not consider global warming in their stimulus packages to restart the economy. But Jacqueline Klopp, co-director of the Center for Sustainable Urban Development at Columbia University in New York City, points out that the pandemic could be a wake-up call for politicians and governments to realize that other threats to humanity, including climate change, could be just as devastating and that it is critical to develop protective measures now.
There’s no question that economic development which incorporates long-term sustainability would require a number of infrastructural changes, irrespective of whether we are in a recession. But in this time when we can see the effects of more sustainable practices (albeit in circumstances that no one asked for or expected), the pressure to act is critical. Professor Paul Monks, an expert in air pollution, says that the improvements we have seen already – most prominently in global air quality – force us towards the realization that there is huge potential for us to look at the changes we can make to our lifestyles and work habits. Community responses and pressure on their local and national governments may prove to be critical. Do we want to go back to the status quo and keep increasing the long-term risks to humanity, or do we want to go through the difficult but temporary grind of making infrastructural changes in order to set our planet and future generations on a better and greener path?
How can we create a better system that is just for people and respectful to nature? What role will innovation play in it and how can civil society and policymakers affect the change? We believe that we must use this crisis as an opportunity to affect systematic change for people and for the planet.
We will discuss these and other topics during our Caux Dialogue on Environment and Security, which will take place online 1-4 July 2020. Please join our community if you want to be a part of this change!
Karina Cheah is a Communications intern with IofC Switzerland, also assisting with the Caux Dialogue on Environment and Security and the Summer Academy on Land, Security, and Climate.
Irina Fedorenko is the Managing Director of the Caux Dialogue on Environment and Security.
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Moderator: Rainer Gude
There are few better places to have meaningful connections and discussions than the terrace of the Caux Palace, with its exceptional view of the Lake Geneva and the Alps. This summer, we cannot gather there.
But we will connect online in the spirit of Caux to meet the world and share a moment together before we start the Ethical Leadership in Business sessions.
Global challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change and the economic crisis provide us with a chance to be innovative and to adapt the way we live and do business. Sharing experiences and expertise is a big part of leveraging such change.
The Ethical Leadership Roundtable on ’Innovation and Entrepreneurship: building resilience in the economy and society’ will facilitate exchange on small and big innovations and adaptations in such fields as health care, education, work, commerce, payment services, delivery and entertainment.
Speakers
Moderator:
Attendees will learn about:
Moderator: Rainer Gude
There are few better places to have meaningful connections and discussions than the terrace of the Caux Palace, with its exceptional view of the Lake Geneva and the Alps. This summer, we cannot gather there.
But we will connect online in the spirit of Caux to meet the world and share a moment together before we start the Ethical Leadership in Business sessions.
Quality education and lifelong learning are key elements in building a resilient economy.
Speakers
Moderation
Attendees will learn about:
Moderator: Rainer Gude
There are few better places to have meaningful connections and discussions than the terrace of the Caux Palace, with its exceptional view of the Lake Geneva and the Alps. This summer, we cannot gather there.
But we will connect online in the spirit of Caux to meet the world and share a moment together before we start the Ethical Leadership in Business sessions.
At a time of unprecedented crisis, business leaders have to make prompt decisions, based on a limited amount of information. Simultaneously they need to anticipate future opportunities to increase business sustainability. At times of crisis and uncertainty, it is important to reassure employees and customers – and this requires empathy, compassion and trustbuilding. At the same time, leaders need to protect business performance.
Speakers
Moderation
Moderator: Rainer Gude
There are few better places to have meaningful connections and discussions than the terrace of the Caux Palace, with its exceptional view of the Lake Geneva and the Alps. This summer, we cannot gather there.
But we will connect online in the spirit of Caux to meet the world and share a moment together before we start the Ethical Leadership in Business sessions.
What is my role in shaping our future? How can I take leadership for change in my community? What special role do companies and entrepreneurs have?
The Leadership in the Community workshop offers a place to explore how we can become the change we want to see in the world. As there are no pre-existing recipes, this workshop aims to help each participant define their own way of engagement and leadership.
It will focus on:
Leader
Please note that this programme is subject to change.
NB: Please note that for technical reasons the Caux Forum Online will be held mainly in English with some sessions in French. No interpretation will be offered. Thank you for your understanding.
Currently Senior Director, Education&Talent at digitalswitzerland, Danièle Castle began her career in B2B public relations at Burson-Marsteller International in Geneva. After working at Elizabeth Arden and Ares Serono International where she headed the Corporate Public Relations department worldwide, she created her own agency, Genevensis Healthcare Communications, in 1999, specializing in marketing/communication in the health and life sciences fields.
