• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
John Elkington

John Elkington

A world authority on corporate responsibility and sustainable development.

  • About
    • Ambassador from the future
  • Past lives
    • Professional
      • Volans
      • SustainAbility
      • CounterCurrent
      • Boards & Advisory Boards
      • Awards & Listings
    • Personal
      • Family
      • Other Influences
      • Education
      • Photography
      • Music
      • Cycling
    • Website
  • Speaking
    • Media
    • Exhibitions
  • Publications
    • Books
    • Reports
    • Articles & Blogs
    • Contributions
    • Tweets
    • Unpublished Writing
  • Journal
  • Contact
  • Show Search
Hide Search

Leaving Belo Horizonte

John Elkington · 8 August 2024 · 2 Comments

Propaganda for my session
Dinner on the first night
Preparing for the event
My guardian angels

Flew into Belo Horizonte, via São Paulo, on Tuesday – to speak at the 15th CONCRED conference for credit unions, organised by Confebras. Some 3,000 people attending. As ever, loved the spirit of the thing, and was guided through the days by Claudia Luciane Leite, on the left of the last photo.

The plenary session began with a stunningly good Brazilian band, with orchestra, playing a series of Beatles songs. Made me feel right at home. And one highlight was a really interesting talk with Gabriel Galípolo, who some see as being groomed to become Brazil’s central bank head.

Have been hobbling through the proceedings, after somehow cracking a foot bone last week. My left foot has been heavily bandaged for a week now – and have also been wearing new support shoes to get me through all the walking around airports and the like.

Spent much of my spare time in the Radisson Blu hotel working on a long article on the impending next stage of the sustainability revolution. Seemed to make good progress.

But extremely unwelcome news as our driver Marcos dropped me at Belo Horizonte airport for the trip to São Paulo. This afternoon another plane bound for SP crashed, killing all 61 people on board. Got in touch with Elaine to say that it wasn’t my flight, to find Gaia had already told her the same. But startling to think how quickly these things can happen.

Talking to Gabriel Galípolo, monetary policy director at Brazil’s Central Bank, at Tickling Sharks launch
Doing an interview where I had to hold the microphone
Another interview, this time for a channel for cooperatives

Uncategorized

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. João Pedro says

    5 September 2024 at 5:09 am

    That last new was really distasteful, but I’m glad you enjoyed your time in Brazil.

    And I’m sorry about your foot, Prof. Elkington.

    Reply
  2. Andréa Sayar says

    6 September 2024 at 12:03 pm

    It was a great honor for us, Belo Horizonte’s citizens and coop members to hear you during the Concred.
    Particularly, for me, as Education and Sustainability Manager at Sistema Ocemg, that always hear my president, Ronaldo Scucato, mentioning your 3 P’s, during his lectures, it was kind of emotional.
    Thank you so much for being here in my city.
    You will be always very welcomed !

    Reply

Leave a Reply to João Pedro Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

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.

Recent Comments

  • Jonathan Watkin on Reminder of Glencot Years
  • Robert Knowles on Reminder of Glencot Years
  • PATRICK DICK on Reminder of Glencot Years

Journal Archive

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

John Elkington

Copyright © 2025 John Elkington. All rights reserved. Log in