9.06.2005 ET

(CSRwire) MEDIA ADVISORY * MEDIA ADVISORY * MEDIA ADVISORY


What:

Telephone pre-briefing with Edelman, Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government, and the Prince of Wales International Business Leaders Forum on new survey due out Sept. 14, in time for UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) summit.

First-of-its-kind survey of Fortune Global 500 companies, global NGOs, global top-tier journalists and investors about how business is - and should be - supporting the MDGs and international development.

Authors can discuss:
• Multinationals: why and how do they think they can contribute to developing economies
  
• Obstacles to business involvement in development
  
• NGOs: what they think of companies that look for profits in developing countries and how they agree and disagree with the private sector
  
• The future of business involvement in emerging markets

• Jane Nelson, Director, Corporate Social Responsibility Initiative at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government
  
• Adrian Hodges, Director, Corporate and Partnership Development, Prince of Wales International Business Leaders Forum
  
• Chris Deri, Senior Vice President, Corporate Social Responsibility, Edelman

Businesses are pursuing market-based strategies to spur, and benefit from, development in poor countries so that they may become viable markets. Companies increasingly recognize that operating in the developing world is about more than extracting natural resources, building factories or providing charitable donations.

All agree that the private sector MUST play a role in international development, but debate what that role should be. Next week the UN will discuss progress on the MDGs and President Clinton will convene top leaders from business, government and civil society to address globalization issues for his "Global Initiative."

For more information please contact: