THE 11 CONVERSATIONS
It is said that there are only seven plots in drama. We think there are 11 big conversations about the challenges facing the world today – and that corporates need to join these conversations
THE AGE OF CONVERSATION
It is often said we live in the Information Age – although it might more properly be called the Age of Conversation. Take an average day in 2012. More than 2m blog posts are written – which would be enough to fill Time magazine for 770 years. Meanwhile, 526m people check Facebook every day and upload 300m photos. On top of this, each day there are 3.2bn comments and “likes” on Facebook. That’s a whole lot of liking going on. And on YouTube, 86,400 hours of video are uploaded, and 14m people like, share, and comment on these videos. It is a continuous cycle: post, comment, upload, view, like, respond, share.
Our modern world is an ever-expanding mass of burgeoning conversations: TED Talks, Do Lectures, RSA Animate, MIT World, SXSW, PopTech, the Skoll World Forum, the World Economic Forum, Google Zeitgeist, Clinton Global Initiative, Fortune’s Most Powerful Women Summit, The Times CEO Summit, The Wall Street Journal CEO Council... hardly a week goes by without a high-level global summit, platform, conference or forum. What on earth is everyone talking about? Read more.
ENVIRONMENT & RESOURCES
HEALTH
EDUCATION & SKILLS
COMMUNITIES
ENERGY & CLIMATE CHANGE
CONSUMER CULTURE
POPULATION
SECURITY
COMMUNICATION
HUMAN RIGHTS
GLOBAL ECONOMY
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ENVIRONMENT & RESOURCES
Many of us are barely aware of the fragility of the resources we depend upon for our survival. Even the basics, such as water, can no longer be taken for granted. The fact that there are more of us on the planet means the strain on our resources has increased.
“Sustainable growth” tops most companies’ agendas; Keith Weed outlines Unilever’s ambitious scheme to deliver on the concept to Brunswick’s Lucy Parker.
Where's the heat?
Resource scarcity / Extraction / Pollution / Waste / Biodiversity / Food security / Agriculture / WaterContact:
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Lucy Parker, Brunswick, London -
HEALTH
Health is one of the great arenas of human progress, from the eradication of smallpox to the development of prosthetic hands that are nimble enough to type. But this all comes at a cost. Treatments are more sophisticated, diagnostic techniques are getting better and populations are growing – all of which puts a huge burden on healthcare systems.
The healthcare burden concerns everyone, but as Lise Kingo and Alan Moses explain to Brunswick’s Gwynne Oosterbaan, Novo Nordisk plays a special role in combating diabetes.
Where's the heat?
Communicable diseases / Non-communicable diseases / Medicine / Healthcare systems / Nutrition / Workplace health / Pandemics / WellbeingContact:
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Gwynne Oosterbaan, Brunswick, New York -
EDUCATION & SKILLS
Across the globe and over the centuries, education has always been highly valued. For the individual, education can have a massive transformative effect. In fact, education is a right, recognized in the United Nations 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
IT giant Cisco has discovered that education outreach is a good investment as well as the right thing to do, says Amy Christen, who runs the company’s program. She explained to Brunswick’s Oliver Phillips.
Where's the heat?
Basic skills / Participation / Funding / Education systems / Curriculum / Competitive skills / Lifelong learningContact:
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Oliver Phillips, Brunswick, New York -
COMMUNITIES
Man is a social animal, hardwired to want to join groups. It is at the community level that most people experience everyday connections. Community is about local impact: while policymakers are concerned with the big international trends, individual day-to-day concerns surface at the community level. At a time when there is much public commentary about globalization, there is a flipside concern about keeping communities resilient.
Anglo American’s CEO, Cynthia Carroll, explains to Brunswick’s Lucy Parker how good community links give companies a competitive edge.
Where's the heat?
Multiculturalism / Unemployment / Public / private structures / Social enterprise / Community financing / Volunteering / Resilience / Families / Third sectorContact:
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Lucy Parker, Brunswick, London -
ENERGY & CLIMATE CHANGE
Rising living standards have resulted in a dramatic increase in demand for energy. Since the industrial revolution, total global commercial energy use has increased a hundredfold. Demand growth will continue in the future, but from different parts of the world. China has already overtaken the US as the world’s biggest energy consumer, increasing demand at a relentless pace: only 10 years ago, its total energy consumption was just half that of the US.
Tech companies have a huge role in addressing energy security and efficiency, says ARM CEO, Warren East. He spoke to Brunswick’s Sarah West.
Where's the heat?
Fossil fuels / Alternative energy / Carbon emissions / Nuclear power / Energy security / Smart grids / Transport / Energy efficiencyContact:
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Sarah West, Brunswick, London -
CONSUMER CULTURE
When a country’s economy is strong, consumer culture thrives. Individuals are motivated by the desire for certain products or services and businesses respond with innovations and new products. Critics may argue that this leads to unfulfilling and environmentally unsustainable lifestyles. But consumer spending represents a significant part of mature economies: around 70 per cent in the US.
China’s growing middle class is changing consuming patterns, as jewelry giant Chow Tai Fook’s Executive Director, Adrian Cheng, can attest. Ginny Wilmerding caught up with Adrian.
Where's the heat?
Resource use / Consumer empowerment / Brands / Emerging middle class / Crowd power / Consumer responsibilityContact:
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Ginny Wilmerding, Brunswick, Hong Kong -
POPULATION
Ten thousand years ago, there were only a few million humans on Earth; they were rare beasts. By 2050, there may be as many as 9bn of us. This “human juggernaut” is having a massive impact on the global environment, with over-fishing, deforestation, water shortages and loss of species placing considerable strain on the resources required for survival.
Demographics are fundamental to many global challenges, says Quintin Price, BlackRock investment chief, when he spoke to Brunswick’s Catherine Collloms.
Where's the heat?
Population growth / Youth bulge / Ageing / Refugees / Women / Urbanization / MigrationContact:
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Catherine Colloms, Brunswick, London -
SECURITY
In an increasingly interdependent and dynamic world, the array of possible threats and risks is rapidly evolving. Clashes between different political and social ideologies remain a concern, while securing access to vital resources is re-emerging as a potential source of conflict.
Visa is at the cutting edge of cybersecurity, a growing concern as commerce goes digital – Visa’s Ellen Richey and Douglas Michelman explain to Brunswick’s Joe Carberry.
Where's the heat?
Peace and reconciliation / Terrorism / Changing nature of warfare / Defense industry / Arms proliferation / Crime / CybersecurityContact:
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Joe Carberry, Brunswick, San Francisco -
COMMUNICATION
The communications revolution goes far beyond Facebook updates or satellite navigation systems: it means rural farmers in India can have up-to-the-minute data on crop prices and plan their harvests accordingly. It means it is possible to get a diagnosis from a doctor without a visit.
In the 21st century, transparency has to be built into the strategies of companies and governments, says digital expert Don Tapscott to Brunswick’s Jon Miller.
Where's the heat?
Mobile technology / Access to information / Social networks / Citizen empowerment / Transparency / Power of the media / CollaborationContact:
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Jon Miller, Brunswick, London -
HUMAN RIGHTS
Dignity, liberty, equality and brotherhood – these principles underpin the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, written by the international community in the wake of the horrors of the Second World War. The concept of human rights has become central to the basic laws and constitutions of many different countries throughout the world. Those that do not share these values can expect to face criticism for any abuses.
The Thomson Reuters Foundation plays to its strength – information – to foster women’s rights, says CEO Monique Villa to Brunswick’s Jon Miller.
Where's the heat?
Labor rights / Child labor / Supply chains / Diversity / Democracy / Freedom of expression / Forced migration / PrivacyContact:
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Jon Miller, Brunswick, London -
GLOBAL ECONOMY
Trade between countries is thousands of years old, but in the past three decades it has skyrocketed – quadrupling between 1980 and 2008. Global trade also moves faster than ever, processed in milliseconds rather than minutes. This scenario creates a system that is highly complex, interconnected and potentially unstable. Recent financial turmoil shows that it is very hard for individual economies to remain untouched by what is happening elsewhere.
Standard Chartered addressed head on an issue that is likely to linger for decades: trust in banking. Mike Rees and Tracy Clarke discuss the context with Brunswick’s Susan Ho.
Where's the heat?
Economic growth / Development / Trade / Financial systems / Income inequality / Jobs / Global institutions / Corruption / CurrenciesContact:
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Susan Ho, Brunswick, Hong Kong -
MAKING THE CASE FOR BUSINESS
Each of The 11 Conversations is about finding responses to the world’s big challenges. The stories we’ve heard in the preceding pages show that business has a positive contribution to make – since only business has the skills and resources to really make an impact. A number of leading voices are making the case that business is part of the solution, not part of the problem.
We spoke to Bob Zoellick, Outgoing President of the World Bank Group and Dambisa Moyo, International Economist and Best-Selling Author
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JOINING THE CONVERSATIONS
A quiet revolution is taking place in the way that corporates engage with the world. Companies are beginning to see that communications is not about bombarding people with messages but about going out and engaging in a conversation.
Contact:
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Lucy Parker and Jon Miller, Brunswick, London
Watch Lucy Parker and Jon Miller introducing the 11 Conversations