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John Elkington

John Elkington

A world authority on corporate responsibility and sustainable development.

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B Summit And SDG Forum

John Elkington · 24 September 2019 · Leave a Comment

Terminal 5 moment as rain continues outside
Flying along the Dutch coast
Part of my message, thanks to the FT
(several of the images that follow are scooped off Twitter)
A different perspective
The SDGs and our coming Exponential Decade
This slide goes down well, arguing for woman power
Jay Coen Gilbert shows the B Corp declaration on climate emergency and system failure
Making a commitment with Liat and Chris of UBQ Materials
Graffito en routes to Brussels
Ditto
Thriving in the U-Bend
Women again
Almost the only person in the room wearing a tie, I suspect
Headed home on. the Eurostar

Delighted to keynote the B Corp Summit in Amsterdam, at the Muziekgebouw. Around 650 attendees, including Sabine Oberhuber, who it was wonderful to catch up with overlooking the water. The Green Swans concept went down a storm. As it did the following day, 24 September, when I was in Brussels, keynoting the SDG Forum in The Square conference centre.

Interesting panel session followed this second keynote, moderated by Annabelle Van Nieuwenhuyse, the Belgian presenter, with (Baron) Pieter Timmermans (CEO of the Belgian Confederation of Industry, FEB), Launy Dondo (UK Belgian Youth Delegate for Sustainable Development), Marc Leemans (Chairman of the Christian Union, a trade union) and Nicolas Van Nuffel (Perspective 2030).

Timmermans could hardly have been more unreconstructed, effectively arguing that industry only creates solutions, not problems. It was almost as if he was trying to be a caricature. At one point he said that Green Swans “might fly, but if they are not fed and watered they will die.” Well, yes. Happily, though, the youth, union and think-tank panellists were all powerfully aligned with the Green Swan agenda. But a perhaps timely reminder of just how far we still have to go in some quarters.

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Introduction

I began this blog with an entry reporting on a visit to the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution on Cape Cod, on 30 September 2003. The blog element of the website has gone through several iterations since, with much of the older material still available.

Like so many things in my life, blog entries blur the boundaries between the personal and the professional. As explained on this site’s Home Page, the website and the blog are part platform for ongoing projects, part autobiography, and part accountability mechanism.

In addition, my blogs have appeared on many sites such as: Chinadialogue, CSRWire, Fast Company, GreenBiz, Guardian Sustainable Business, and the Harvard Business Review.

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About

John Elkington is a world authority on corporate responsibility and sustainable development. He is currently Founding Partner and Executive Chairman of Volans, a future-focused business working at the intersection of the sustainability, entrepreneurship and innovation movements.

Contact

john@johnelkington.com  |  +44 203 701 7550 | Twitter: @volansjohn

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