There is an emerging common “ethos” in the YGL Community, which can help guide the activities of the community, its individual members and could even serve as a road-map for other leaders.
YGL Response
A “collaborative study across the entire YGL community [which] seeks to hold a web-based conversation about ‘who we are’, what is universal to all of us and, also, to identify differences . A journey to discover the “DNA” of a Young Global Leader.”
Key 2010 Accomplishments
Outline agreed, funding secured, questionnaire developed with outside consultants (Blu-Prints)
Companies that drive responsibility and sustainability issues through their company also have power to effectuate change through their supply chains. A global standard could help accelerate this trend.
YGL Response
Establishing a Global Sourcing Governance Code that reaches beyond company borders through the entire supply chain could address a larger portion of responsibility issues and bring measurable and sustainable improvement to the world.
Key 2010 Accomplishments
The initiative is strongly supported by the EBS University’s Supply Chain Management Institute, Roland Berger Strategy Consultants and BrainNet Supply Management Consultants. The formed core team is talking on a regular (at least!) monthly, but mostly bi-weekly basis. I am hoping to activate more YGL members at the end of January.
Next Milestones
1. Completion of more workshops with major companies on a worldwide scale in order to carve out the final concept
2. Onboarding of a core YGL taskforce (one person per major region, probably 4-6) in order to conduct workshops and drive the pilot implementation worldwide
Later next year:
3. Successful first pilot runs and implementation initiatives with corporate partners (cp. workshop participants above) in order to generate success stories for triple bottom-line impact and benefits
4. Institutional anchoring and networking with lobbies, organizations and governments worldwide via WEF and UNGC in order to drive a solid framework, which can enable sustainable change and success.
Leadership
Christopher Jahns, Christopher Logan and Leo Schlesinger
The global financial crisis of 2008 and the ensuing economic recession has brought under question the character and trustworthiness of business managers around the world. Unlike other professions such as medicine or law, which explicitly recognize a commitment to serving the greater good and formally espouse a strict code of conduct, management is yet to do either. Widespread views of management often subordinate business contributions to the greater good to the maximization of short-term financial returns, and emphasize a narrow view of managerial responsibilities as serving the interest of shareholders over clients, employees, or society at large. These views misrepresent the full complexity of the management profession and its role in driving global prosperity and, as we have painfully learned, can have disastrous economic consequences when taken to the extreme.
YGL Response
The YGL Global Business Oath aims to transform the value system dominant today among business leaders around the world by: (a) Explicitly recognizing that the ultimate purpose of management is to serve society by bringing together people and resources to create sustainable and inclusive prosperity that no single individual can create alone; (b) Recognizing that the effects (good and bad) of managerial decisions on the welfare of society are amplified by the accumulation of resources under legal corporations; (c) Proposing a code of conduct – a modern-day Hippocratic Oath of Business – that spells out a commitment to “doing no harm” throughout the practice of management. Hence, the Hippocratic Oath of Business aims to commit managers and business school graduates throughout the world to a common Code of Ethics and raise their awareness of ethical values such as integrity, honesty, reliability and responsibility.
Key 2010 Accomplishments
YGLs developed the “hippocratic oath for business” together with 300+ YGLs worldwide, in a year-long process which ensured the applicability of it to the business context but also in different cultural contexts. A website was launched (www.globalbusinessoath.org) for people to sign the oath, individual YGLs secured their boards and organisations to sign – resulting in over XXX signatories. The YGLs also worked with other “Oath” organisations to share experience and attempt to harmonize the different codes.
Next Milestones
The Global Business Oath will be set up as an independent NGO with a dedicated secretariat. The governing board of the organisation will be 50% YGLs but will also include other Oath initiatives (MBA Oath, Aspen Institute, etc.). The YGL Directorate is working to ensure that current Active Member YGLs remain involved in the appropriate manner.
Leaders
Angel Cabrera, Samer I. Asfour, Tewodros Ashenafi, Elena Barmakova, Gustavo Cardoso, François-Philippe Champagne, Adrian D. Cheok, Andrew L. Cohen, Arturo Condo, Jennifer Corriero, Jitesh Gadhia, Suhas Gopinath, Haakon of Norway, Lars Hinrichs, Christopher Jahns, Penny Low, Leslie W. Maasdorp, Aaron McCormack, Patricia Menendez-Cambo, David Munro, Henrik Naujoks, Efrat Peled, Paolo Ribotta, Alvaro Rodriguez Arregui, Daniel Sachs, Dan Shine, Jens Martin Skibsted.
We need as many YGLs as possible to sign the oath and to use their platforms of influence such as business leaders associations (e.g. Mongolia) or boards of directors and senior management teams (e.g. Banco Compartamos in Mexico) to encourage other acting business professionals to join the movement.
For real progress to be made in this world we need to strengthen what unites us in stead of constantly focusing on what sets us apart. One thing that all human beings have in common is that we all want our dignity to be recognized. We want to strengthen the fabric of our common humanity so that we realize that we are interconnected, that we are all in this together and that the hardships that is experienced by another person also affects us.
YGL Response
We have developed a concept called Dignity Day which is a leadership course, an ethics course, a motivational seminar and an anti bullying effort for youth in a two hour package. We have done Dignity Days in more than thirty countries the last three years as a result of YGLs taking the lead around the world.
Since 2008 we have organized Global Dignity Day on October 20. This day we go into schools around the world to focus on the fundementals of dignity in society as well as in our daily life.
In addition to Dignity Day we want to spur a global conversatoin focused on dignity and we promote dignity centred leadership and decition making.
Background
Global Dignity is an autonomous non-profit, non-criticism and non-partisan project. We wish to be inspiration-based; commending and encouraging best practice and dignity centered leadership rather than criticizing shortcomings.
The mission of the Dignity Project is to implement globally the universal right of every human being to lead a dignified life. This is a paradigm shift in thinking about our global challenges, a new language and a mindset to approach issues of poverty, peace, and progress.
We all have the ability to increase the dignity of others and thus we increase our own dignity. The dignity approach works on all levels: it works for children and for adults, it works for men and for women, and it works on the micro and macro level. Our aspiration is to eventually make every day of every year a day of dignity for men and women around the world, especially those without a voice to raise for themselves.
This idea depends on seeing dignity in action, and in all walks of life, based on 5 dignity principles.
Leaders
Co-Founders: Prince Haakon of Norway, Pekka Himanen, John Hope Bryant
Board Members: Prince Haakon of Norway, Pekka Himanen, John Hope Bryant, Hilde Schwab, Irene Woo Chu
Supported by Young Global Leaders
Looking For
We have a concept that is proven and works. We need scaling. For that we need funding. We are currently looking at how we can reach as many children through our Dignity Day concept as possible. We would like to set up a Global Dignity office with one or two people employed that can coordinate the activities around the world.
Get Involved
Educate yourself on Dignity and learn the Dignity curriculum here.
Sign the Dignity Principles and make them instrumental in your daily lives
You can host the next Global Dignity Day in your local– next global event to be held in October 2010, but you can make this happen any day of the week!
Upcoming Event: 2011 YGL Public Leadership Initiative Master Class – 12 & 13 July
The YGL Public Leadership task force had an excellent response and we have 70 confirmed attendees for the upcoming summer event in New York City. If you are interested and missed out the application deadline, please email YGLPublicLeadership@gmail.com to put your name on a waiting list.
FINDING
The World Economic Forum has undertaken an ambitious and timely effort to rethink and redesign the public systems, institutions and processes that enable global collaboration. While the structures of the existing global order undoubtedly need to change and be improved if we want to effectively tackle 21st century challenges, the new arrangements and organizations will ultimately only be as good as the people who make them work. That is, even the best institutions and systems need outstanding leadership if they are to excel.
YGL RESPONSE
This initiative explores how to foster the next generation of effective leaders in the public sector. In addition to holding sessions at World Economic Forum regional events, they are organizing
a Master Class on Public Sector Leadership in July, 2011.
KEY 2010 ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Conducted a survey on Public Leadership with the YGL Community and used the corresponding findings to structure sessions at multiple World Economic Forum Annual & Regional Meetings and to develop the Master Class for YGLs interested in joining the Public Sector. This group has work closely YGL Community Partner, PWC, and would invite you to peruse the below links and articles related to Public Leadership.
NEXT MILESTONES
The task force is currently concentrating its efforts on delivering a top-notch Master Class this summer. Following that event, it will discuss the next objectives.
RELATED LINKS
The War for Talent – http://www.pwc.com/en_GX/gx/hr-management-services/pdf/war-for-talent-goes-public.pdf
The World’s Leadership Deficit – http://www.thomascrampton.com/world-economic-forum/ygl-davos/
Australia’s Public Leadership Deficit – http://www.thomascrampton.com/young-global-leaders/public-leadership-deficit/
Upcoming Event: 2011 YGL Public Leadership Initiative Master Class – 12 & 13 July The YGL Public Leadership task force had an excellent response and we have 70 confirmed attendees for the upcoming summer event in New York City. If you are interested and missed out the application deadline, please email YGLPublicLeadership@gmail.com to put your [...]
“Our cities are becoming more and more crowded. A city needs cars like a fish needs a bicycle primarily because you can’t use all that speed because of the many obstacles. (…) in 20-30 years people will not primarily use cars to get around in the cities”. Dean Kamen
Is the best talent attracted to leading these new institutions? Why is it important for young leaders to be interested in public service? Are people motivated to serve for the common good? What are the new attributes that we need from future leaders? Who are the historical leaders that we can learn from and which of their successful characteristics that we should mimic? What do you hope for the future generation of leaders and why?
The YGL Global Business Oath aims to transform the value system dominant today among business leaders around the world by (a) explicitly recognizing that the ultimate purpose of management is to serve society by bringing together people and resources to create sustainable and inclusive prosperity that no single individual can create alone, (b) recognizing that the effects (good and bad) of managerial decisions in the welfare of society are amplified by the accumulation of resources under legal corporations, and (c) proposing a code of conduct—a modern day “Hippocratic Oath of Business”—that spells out a commitment to “doing no harm” throughout the practice of management.
The mission of Global Dignity is to implement the universal right of every human being to lead a dignified life. We all have the ability to increase the dignity of others and thus we increase our own dignity.
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