Business Leaders, Professors and Students Expose Flourishing Enterprises – PS68
Fourth Global Forum
I just came back from a beautiful and uplifting experience whose purpose was to “Discover Flourishing Enterprises.” In this episode I share highlights with you. I bring many voices into this episode, as I took my recording gear with me. You’ll hear from the participants – why they were there, what was inspiring them in the moment and for the future.
The event I’m talking about is the Fourth Global Forum. It was at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland OH, hosted by the Fowler Center for Business as an Agent of World Benefit and AIM2Flourish. You hear more about those organizations throughout the show.
Episode Background
I invite you to read my blog post, Innovative Ways that Inspire Human Flourishing for All to learn more about the background of the Fourth Global Forum.
Picture this: 300 highly conscious people in the room – many reconnecting – so lots of hugging and laughter – and many making connections for the first time with people they knew only by reputation or virtually. It was joyful. We were excited to come together to inquire into the topic of “Discovering Flourishing Enterprises: the Key to Great Performance.”
Flourishing Enterprises
Over three days, following the Appreciative Inquiry methodology, we discovered what “flourishing enterprises” meant to each of us: where we had experienced flourishing in our lives; we dreamed what a flourishing future could be for all; and we rolled up our sleeves in working groups to design how we might accelerate this mission of “business as an agent of world benefit.” We created prototypes to bring our dreams to life, and then it was all about the action…. the commitments were made to amplify this very important work.
Flourishing Prizes
Throughout the three days, we celebrated and applauded the Flourish Prize winners who came from all over the world. To be awarded a Flourish prize, it required a strong partnership, comprising for-profit businesses, academic institutions and business students. The respective roles in this partnership are
- Businesses innovatively producing solutions to one of the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
- Professors in the business schools around the world who embrace this initiative in their business curriculum
- Business students who move out of the classroom to discover and interview enterprising businesses achieving one of the SDGs to deliver flourishing enterprises, and then publish their stories on the AIM2Flourish website.
Diversity is a Key to Flourishing Enterprise
The uniqueness and beauty of this Forum was the diversity of people in the room who could articulate a shared vision of business as an agent of world benefit. All of us were united in the mission of business as a force for good in the world. We were global thought leaders from academia, from a host of different business enterprises, from multinationals to start-ups. The energy of open-minded, curious entrepreneurs, multi-millionaires, philanthropists, impact investors, researchers, professors, business students, leadership and organization development practitioners and consultants only spiralled upward over three days.
Key Takeaways
- Explanations of AIM2Flourish and business as an agent of world benefit
- Examples of Flourish Prize Winners
- Voices of Participants highlighting
- What flourishing means to them
- High point moments and takeaways
Example Stories of the Flourishing Prize Winners
SDG Goal 2 – Zero Hunger
SDG Goal 12 – Responsible Consumption and Production
SDG Goal 3 – Good Health
SDG Goal 17 – Partnerships for the Goals
SDG Goal 8 – Economic Growth and Decent Work
Links to Generous Participants Whose Voices You Hear
Links to Websites
Fowler Center of Business as an Agent of World Benefit
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