Latest news with #2025WorldEconomicForum
Associated Press
07-02-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Accelerating Impact Businesses at the 2025 World Economic Forum
The 2025 World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting, held under the theme 'Collaboration for the Intelligent Age,' brought together approximately 3,000 attendees from over 130 countries. Among the participants were more than 50 heads of state and government, alongside hundreds of top governmental leaders, private sector voices, and civil society experts. As the world faces pressing challenges — ranging from geopolitical tensions and climate change to a global skilling crisis – the meeting in Davos provided a vital platform to foster dialogue and catalyze lasting solutions to shared problems. It also highlighted the importance of corporate responsibility, with social innovation taking center stage as an essential driver of progress. Social Innovation Takes Center Stage Social innovation is emerging as a foundation for addressing global inequalities and driving systemic change. This year, discussions around social innovation took on greater prominence, with Catalyst Now hosting the first-ever dedicated house for the topic. This space became a hub for thought leaders, practitioners, and policymakers to exchange ideas and spark action. Social innovation and collaboration go hand in hand, and the synergy between global initiatives and localized action is pivotal in creating meaningful impact. As a key partner, SAP supports Catalyst Now and its Africa Forward initiative, which empowers social enterprises through digital skills training, pro-bono consulting, and policy advocacy. With more than 1,000 members across 28 African countries, Africa Forward continues to foster job creation, sustainable funding, and advocacy efforts. The Annual Meeting also served as a bridge between African social entrepreneurs and decision-makers, including South Africa's Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation Professor Blade Nzimande, opening pathways for new partnerships and support. The panel featured two 2025 Schwab Foundation Awardees: Christina Mawuse Gyisun, co-founder of Sommalife, who shared her work empowering women shea nut farmers in West Africa, and Muzalema Mwanza, founder of Safe Motherhood Alliance, who highlighted her mission to ensure safe childbirth for millions of women in sub-Saharan Africa. This dialogue underscored the critical role of social entrepreneurship and what role Africa Froward can play in driving sustainable development across the continent. This is essential, as over 60 percent of Africa's population is under 25 years old and projected to account for 42 percent of the global youth demographic by 2030. While tech investment remains concentrated in Nigeria, Egypt, Kenya, and South Africa, the continent's potential in emerging green and digital economies is immense. Global Partnerships to Scale Innovation Addressing challenges at scale requires collaboration across sectors and geographies. The Global Alliance for Social Entrepreneurship, the largest coalition of its kind, exemplifies this collective effort. Hosted by the Schwab Foundation in collaboration with the World Economic Forum, the alliance brings together more than 110 organizations, including corporations, investors, philanthropists, and governments, to amplify the impact of social innovation. During the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2024, the Global Alliance launched the Rise Ahead Pledge. Twenty-five companies have signed the pledge since and committed themselves to increasing investments in social innovation. In 2025, they are reporting on their spending for the first time mobilized $277 million to drive meaningful change. These resources were channeled into key areas: We are an active partner in these efforts, demonstrating a commitment to creating sustainable pathways for social enterprises to thrive. Supporting Research to Shape the Future Research and data are critical to driving informed decisions and shaping the social innovation agenda. Several pivotal publications were launched during the meeting to provide actionable insights: A New Model for Procurement Procurement is increasingly recognized as a lever for social equity and sustainability. To accelerate this shift, SAP Executive Board Member Thomas Saueressig and Deloitte Global Chair Anna Marks announced the launch of the Social Procurement Innovation Accelerator, a joint initiative designed to reshape procurement practices and amplify social impact. This program combines cutting-edge supply chain technology with deep expertise in sustainability and transformation to provide organizations with a practical road map for impactful procurement strategies. It focuses on inclusive sourcing, ethical labor practices, and robust social impact measurement, enabling businesses to align procurement with broader equity and sustainability goals. By transforming procurement into a driver of systemic change, organizations can deliver lasting value for people, communities, and the planet. Empowering Tomorrow's Changemakers It is essential to maintain this momentum now and into the future by empowering young social innovators, fostering connections, and encouraging intergenerational understanding. This is particularly important because major decisions made at conferences often concern youth, yet they rarely have a seat at the decision-making table. To address this, we supported the youth delegations of We Are Family Foundation, ChangemakerXchange, and the WEF Global Shapers, supporting them to participate in hundreds of meaningful interactions such as panel discussions, 1:1 meetings or roundtables. Gina Vargiu-Breuer, chief people officer, labor director, and member of the Executive Board of SAP SE, hosted a roundtable on empowering young changemakers. The session brought together corporate leaders, young social entrepreneurs, and partners like UNICEF Generation Unlimited and Junior Achievement to engage directly with youth. It focused on the unique needs of the next generation, identifying key areas for collaboration and showcasing the transformative power of youth-led solutions to tackle global challenges. Looking Ahead The 2025 World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting demonstrated the transformative potential of collaboration in accelerating social innovation. By bringing together diverse voices and perspectives, it reinforced the importance of partnerships in addressing the world's most pressing challenges. For the SAP Corporate Social Responsibility team, it also served as a valuable opportunity to strengthen relationships within its ecosystem, fostering new collaborations that will help drive long-term impact. As global challenges persist, platforms like Davos provide the momentum needed to create a more equitable, sustainable future for all. Alexandra van der Ploeg is head of Corporate Social Responsibility at SAP.
Hi Dubai
27-01-2025
- Business
- Hi Dubai
Key Insights on the Future of Jobs from Davos 2025
The 2025 World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, held from January 20 to 24, brought together global leaders to address one of the most pressing issues of our time: the future of work. Under the theme "Investing in People," the discussions centered on navigating the profound shifts in careers and the workforce driven by technological advancements, demographic changes, and the urgent need for sustainability. The Future of Jobs Report 2025 provided a stark yet hopeful outlook. By 2030, nearly 25% of current jobs will undergo significant structural changes, with 170 million new roles emerging and 92 million being displaced. This transformation, while daunting, presents an opportunity for individuals and organizations to adapt and thrive. Emerging sectors such as engineering, electric vehicle technology, and the green economy are poised for growth, while traditional roles face decline due to automation and artificial intelligence (AI). Ivanka Trump, a prominent voice at the forum, emphasized the need for a skills-based approach to learning. "We have to think about skills-based learning, as opposed to purely credentials... Employers care about the skills," she stated. This sentiment was echoed throughout the discussions, highlighting the importance of resilience, flexibility, and technological literacy in the workforce of tomorrow. The Role of AI: Augmentation, Not Destruction AI took center stage in many conversations, with leaders challenging the narrative of AI as a job destroyer. Instead, they framed it as a powerful tool for augmentation. Ginni Rometty, Chairman and CEO of IBM, stressed the need for new education models and pathways to retrain workers. "You have to value skills and not just degrees. You have to have new education models and new pathways to get people retrained and back into the workforce," she said. Robert E. Moritz, Global Chairman of PwC, underscored the importance of continuous learning. "The mindset of continuous learning is really important as the number one skill set—for our teachers learning how to teach and for our students learning how to learn," he remarked. This focus on lifelong learning is critical as the pace of technological change accelerates. Demographic Shifts and Global Challenges Demographic changes emerged as another key topic. High-income countries are grappling with an aging population, driving demand for healthcare roles. In contrast, low-income nations must expand education-related professions to support their growing working-age populations. Saadia Zahidi, Managing Director of WEF, highlighted the dual challenge: "How do we ensure that people have pathways to social mobility? One of the most important ways to do that is to ensure that people have the right education, the right skills, and the right jobs." Diversity and Gender Equality as Economic Drivers The forum also emphasized the importance of diversity and gender equality in driving economic success. The Gender Parity Sprint initiative aims to close the gender gap in economic participation by 2030. Studies presented at Davos revealed that diverse teams perform better both organizationally and financially. Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus articulated a compelling perspective on the role of women in economic development: "If the goals of economic development include improving the general standard of living, reducing poverty, creating dignified employment opportunities, and reducing inequality, then it is natural to work through women." His remarks underscored the necessity of addressing gender inequality to achieve comprehensive economic progress. The Green Skills Imperative As sustainability transitions from aspiration to necessity, the demand for "green skills" is surging. However, the current supply of talent with these skills falls short. Workforce development initiatives must urgently bridge this gap to prepare workers for roles in clean energy, conservation, and sustainable practices. For professionals in countries like Bangladesh, this represents a global opportunity to build careers in less-explored but rapidly growing domains. A Call to Action The discussions at Davos 2025 served as a clarion call for governments and businesses to prioritize sustainability, diversity, and reskilling. Marc Benioff, Chairman and CEO of Salesforce, issued a direct challenge to attendees: "If you are attending this conference, you need to commit to job training. If you are attending this conference, you need to commit to reskilling." The overarching message from Davos was clear: adapting to the future of work is not just about surviving change but seizing the opportunities it presents. Whether through reshaping education systems, fostering continuous learning, or championing inclusivity, success will require collaboration across all sectors and communities. As Benioff aptly concluded, "Reskilling is not optional; it is essential." News Source: International Publications Limited
Yahoo
26-01-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
What CEOs have to say about Trump's tariffs: YF at Davos 2025
Yahoo Finance went to the 2025 World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, to hear what global and corporate leaders have to say about the future of their respective industries and the global economy as a whole. One topic that was on everyone's mind was President Donald Trump's return to the Oval Office last Monday. Watch the video above to hear what top chief executives have to say about Trump's proposed tariffs, including Williams-Sonoma CEO Laura Alber Ralph Lauren CEO Patrice Louvet Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan Skybridge Capital founder Anthony Scaramucci PepsiCo Chair and CEO Ramon Laguarta Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff Catch up on Yahoo Finance's coverage of the 2025 World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland. For more expert insight and the latest market action, click here. This post was written by Luke Carberry Mogan.
