SAN FRANCISCO, CA - August 13, 2008 - Business for Social Responsibility (BSR) is pleased to announce three intimate "In Conversation With" sessions with leading thinkers John Ruggie, Peter Blom and Peter Senge at its Conference this year. The BSR Conference, "Sustainability: Leadership Required," takes place Nov. 4-7 at New York's Grand Hyatt.

These 90-minute, interview-style discussions will give attendees a chance to hear from "pragmatic visionaries" on the topics of leadership, new sustainable business models and human rights. Each session will include ample time for questions from the audience.

"This is an extraordinary opportunity for Conference attendees to engage in an intimate dialogue with leading thinkers," said Diane Osgood, BSR's Vice President, CSR Strategy. "These sessions will give business leaders pragmatic and specific insights they can bring back to their companies."

The three "In Conversation With" sessions feature:

• John Ruggie: Ruggie serves as the UN Secretary-General's Special Representative for business and human rights. From 1997 to 2001, Ruggie was Assistant Secretary-General and Chief Advisor for Strategic Planning to UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, during which time he designed the UN Global Compact - an initiative that engaged some 3,000 corporations worldwide to promote UN principles in human rights, labor standards, environmental sustainability and anti-corruption. At the UN, he also prepared the UN Millennium Summit in 2000. Today, Ruggie is also the Director of the Mossavar-Rahmani Center for Business and Government at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government.

• Peter Blom: An award-winning pioneer of sustainable business models, Blom is Chief Executive of the successful European Triodos Bank. Founded in 1980, Triodos Bank now operates in five European countries, where it has challenged the "business as usual" relationship with shareholders and customers to create value for culture, people and the environment. Blom is also cofounder of the Social Venture Network Europe, and he recently was nominated as Knight of the Order of Orange-Nassau for his commitment to ensuring a sustainable society.

• Peter Senge: A Senior Lecturer at MIT and the founding chair of the Society for Organizational Learning, Senge has received international acclaim for his "systems theory" - a framework that promotes positive economic and organizational change by enhancing the capacity of all people to work productively toward common goals. The Harvard Business Review described his groundbreaking book, The Fifth Discipline, as one of the seminal management books of the past 75 years. His most recent book, The Necessary Revolution, offers an inspiring and pragmatic toolkit for how multinationals, government and nongovernmental organizations can bring about real, sustainable change.

About BSR

Since 1992, Business for Social Responsibility (BSR) has been providing socially responsible business solutions to many of the world's leading corporations. Headquartered in San Francisco and with offices in Beijing, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, New York and Paris, BSR is a nonprofit business association that serves its 250 member companies and other Global 1000 enterprises. Through advisory services, convenings and research, BSR works with corporations and concerned stakeholders of all types to create a more just and sustainable global economy. For more information, visit www.bsr.org.

BSR

BSR

Since 1992, Business for Social Responsibility (BSR) has been providing socially responsible business solutions to many of the world's leading corporations. Headquartered in San Francisco, with offices in Europe and China, BSR is a nonprofit business association that serves its 250 member companies and other Global 1000 enterprises. Through advisory services, convenings and research, BSR works with corporations and concerned stakeholders of all types to create a more just and sustainable global economy. For more information, visit www.bsr.org.

More from BSR