UN Global Compact Network India to Host 13th National Convention on 8th June, 2018 in Bengaluru

Global Compact Network India (GCNI), a local Network of the United Nations Global Compact, New York is holding its annual flagship event 13th National Convention on the theme of 'Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

This year, the Convention by GCNI is of a greater significance as it is coinciding with the UN India Business Forum being hosted jointly on 7th June, 2018, Hotel Shangri-La, Bengaluru. As part of a long term association, Accenture will support the event as the Knowledge Partner of GCNI. D K Hota, CMD, BEML is leading the convention as the Chairman while Shashi Shanker, CMD, ONGC as the President.

Dr. Harsh Vardhan, Hon'ble Union Minister, Ministry of Science and Technology (India), Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and Ministry of Earth Sciences, GoI has been invited to grace the Convention as the Chief Guest and Amitabh Kant CEO, NITI Aayog as the Keynote speaker. Apart from them, a board of eminent speakers comprising of CEO, CXOs and Heads from Corporates, PSUs, Academia, Civil Society organizations and UN Agencies globally.

Some of the speakers include Yuri Afanasiev (UN Resident Coordinator India and UNDP Resident Representative in India), Vishvesh Prabhakar (Managing Director, Sustainability, Accenture Strategy), Dr. H Chaturvedi (Director, BIMTECH), Dr. Bhaskar Chatterjee (Secretary General, Indian Steel Association), Dr. Raman Ramachandran (Chairman and Managing Director, BASF India Ltd. and Head, BASF, South Asia), Dr. Shalini Sarin (SVP HR- BG Professional, CSR and BoP Leader- Lighting, Philips), Tom Thomas (CEO, Praxis), Marcos Neto (Director, Istanbul International Center for Private Sector in Development, UNDP), Heather Grady (Vice President, Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors (RPA), San Francisco), Brig Rajiv Williams (Corporate Head - CSR, JSL Stainless Ltd.).

The unique feature of this Convention is the launch of GCNI - Accenture CEO Study, Exclusive CEO Panel, Concurrent Sessions on SDGs (Quality Education, Integrating Human Rights into Sustainable Business Strategy, Affordable Urban Housing: Challenges and Perspectives, SDG Philanthropy Platform) and a special session on Innovative Practices Awards 2018 on SDGs.

"The implementation path to achieving SDGs would not only help India grow but also help us growth and sustain our society without taking away what we owe to our future generations. As we inch towards creating the New India, we need to understand what needs to be done and act now," says D K Hota, CMD, BEML.

Kamal Singh, ED, GCNI says, "GCNI Convention 2018 theme puts emphasis on the real, on-ground actions that the businesses need to take to make a real impact on achieving the SDGs while also creating economic value for the Nation. It will include concepts such as organizational performance on SDGs, circular economy etc. which India Inc. needs to follow in the coming years."

Over 400 delegates from Government both Central and State, UN and its systems, Civil Society organizations, SME's, Members of Academia industry bodies' representatives are likely to attend this year's National Convention.