Leaders on Purpose: Business’ Role in Advancing the Common Good

In order to unlock the trillions of dollars necessary to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and drive environment, social, and economic stability in a disruptive era, business leaders and CEOs need to be much more active in integrating for-profit enterprises and purpose-driven initiatives. That’s one of the key conclusions from the April 2019 Leaders on Purpose summit in Washington D.C.

Moderating the panel on blended finance, where different forms of capital are mixed to de-risk large-scale investment, J. Carl Ganter, CEO founder of Vector Center, guided the conversation between panelists Marisa Drew, CEO, Financial Inclusion, Credit Suisse, Keiko Honda, CEO MIGA, World Bank Group, and Hiro Mizuno, Executive Managing Director and Chief Investment Officer, Japan’s Government Pension Investment Fund.

Among the Session’s and Day’s Conclusions:

• A blended finance approach can help connect local governments, better manage risk, and lead to economic growth for countries, communities, and individuals.
• The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) sharpen NGO, company, and government focus. When there is early success in achieving aspects of a goal, it can serve as a catalyst for further initiatives, building upon lessons learned.
• Finally, achieving SDGs is not a problem of capital, but rather an inability to unlock the capital that already exists. Achieving the goals should be the priority of governments, companies, and NGOs alike.

The Leaders on Purpose CEO Summit “brings together some of the world’s top visionaries and leaders to accelerate a new kind of leadership at the forefront of a new business logic – one that, at its core, integrates purpose and profit.”