At the conference there was a lot of discussion on the business value of CSR and a lively debate on philanthropy vs. market solutions. I kicked-off the forum sharing my thoughts on the demands and opportunities that are created by the global marketplace. The quick summary is the world is flat; global challenges will have to be met to achieve maximum economic growth; strategic philanthropy is required; scalable solutions can only be achieved through collaboration; and we can achieve more and create truly sustainable solutions by unleashing the full capability of corporations through market solutions.
I was honored to have dinner with Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, the wife of the Prime Minster of Malaysia and an accomplished person on her own right. She gave an impassioned speech on the impact responsible companies can have on the global community and their own bottom-line. She also stayed late into the evening helping recognize companies in Asia that are doing it right.
On the personal front I was asked to help my ten year old niece, Lauren, with a school project. She created a doll made of poster board, called Flat Stanley, and I was tasked with taking photos of him as I traveled on my trip. My niece will then take the pictures and tell her class about the travels of Flat Stanley. When I discussed the pictures I took with my niece on Sunday, she said something that was very poignant. "I always thought the world was so big, but it really is so small." It then dawned on me, just as Thomas Friedman suggested, the world is becoming more flat. Just like Stanley.