2nd ucb-sbsem business & society symposium: overcoming barriers for a more inclusive, equitable and green society

The second Business & Society Symposium, a day of multi- stakeholder collaboration and learning with inspiring speeches, interactive workshops, and training with experienced facilitators to equip participants with critical tools to ensure collaboration is an effective lever for advancing social and sustainability objectives.The past decades have witnessed fundamental changes in the organisation of our societies: from rapid globalisation and a growing disconnect between the real economy and financial markets to growing inequality, climate change and other environmental and social challenges. Alongside these changes, the complex network of relationships between business, regulators, civil society and investors is in flux.The current proposal at the EU level for a Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) is an example of a complex relationship between stakeholders. Companies worry about the practicalities of implementation. Regulators fail to incorporate demands for a level playing field between large companies and SMEs. Civil society groups criticise the limited potential for impact, advocating for a broader supply chain approach involving collaboration with suppliers, NGOs and local governments. How can we bridge these gaps for an effective, aligned approach?Building on the first Symposium in June 2022, the distinctive approach of the second UCB-SBSEM Symposium is to co-create actionable solutions based on case studies around this year’s theme: advancing multi-stakeholder collaboration for a more inclusive, equitable and green society. We will use case studies co-created with participants as a springboard for discussion in interactive workshops at the Symposium itself, during which different stakeholders will identify pain-points, solutions and opportunities to collaborate more effectively.Moving beyond discussion, we invite you to imagine concrete solutions to overcome barriers that delay change, exploring answers to the critical question: How can critical stakeholders collaborate effectively towards a better future of business and society in Europe?