SAN FRANCISCO, CA - October 15, 2008 - With the world's tumultuous financial markets and the U.S. presidential election dominating the news, Business for Social Responsibility (BSR) will host a debate at the BSR Conference in New York on November 5 on how these major events will impact the sustainable business agenda. The panel of experts will discuss a road map for how global business can maintain a long-term focus on sustainability amidst the current economic and political changes.
The opening plenary - which takes place from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m., the morning after the U.S. presidential election - tackles the topic of "Leadership in a Changing World":

• Will business maintain a focus on sustainability issues like energy, climate change and human rights given the short-term economic pressures?

• How can a commitment to sustainability help the business community regain the trust of consumers and investors?

• How will the new U.S. administration approach critical issues like climate change and the labor and environmental aspects of trade?

• Will the recent swing toward government intervention in markets mean the decline of voluntary efforts associated with corporate responsibility?

• How will emerging economies be affected by - and reshape - the global sustainability agenda?

"We are experiencing a period of rapid and disruptive change in the business and policy environment," said Aron Cramer, BSR President and CEO. "Navigating this crisis effectively underscores the importance of building a truly sustainable economy for the long term - and that requires leadership, from government, consumers, and most importantly, business. As difficult as the current environment is, it also represents a unique opportunity to make sustainable change happen."

This panel features leading experts in corporate responsibility:

Aron Cramer, BSR President and CEO, is recognized globally as an authority on corporate responsibility by business and NGO leaders and by his peers in the field. He travels the world delivering insightful advice on achieving sustainable business success to C-level executives of BSR's 250 member companies and other global brands, at major events like the World Economic Forum in Davos, and to a range of media outlets.

Zachary Karabell is President of River Twice Research, where he analyzes economic and political trends. Karabell, who will moderate this discussion, is also a Senior Advisor for BSR and makes frequent appearances on CNBC and regularly contributes to the Wall Street Journal and Newsweek. Previously, Karabell was Executive Vice President, Head of Marketing, and Chief Economist at Fred Alger Management, a New York-based investment firm. Karabell is the author of several books, including the forthcoming Chimerica: How the United States and China Became One and What That Means for the World.

Georg Kell is the Executive Director of the United Nations Global Compact, the world's largest voluntary corporate citizenship initiative, which has more than 2,400 participants from more than 80 countries. Kell began his career in Geneva, where he worked from 1987 to 1990 with the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). In 1990, he joined the New York office of UNCTAD, which he led from 1993 to 1997. In 1997, Kell became a Senior Officer in the Executive Office of UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, where he was responsible for fostering cooperation with the private sector.

Mindy S. Lubber is the President of Ceres, the leading U.S. coalition of investors and environmental leaders working to improve corporate environmental, social and governance practices. She also directs the Investor Network on Climate Risk, an alliance of more than 70 investors with more than $7 trillion in assets that coordinates U.S. investor responses to the financial risks and opportunities posed by climate change. Lubber has held leadership positions in government, finance, and the private and nonprofit sectors.

Ricardo Young is the Chairman of the Ethos Institute and President of UniEthos, the educational initiative of Ethos, an organization with 907 member companies. His expertise includes capacity building in corporate social responsibility and sustainable development. He is the author of a number of books, including From Yazigi to Internexus: A Travel Along the 50 Years of a Brazilian Franchise. He is also Ethos’ representative at the Global Compact and a member of the Brazilian Presidential Council of Social and Economical Development.

The BSR Conference, "Sustainability: Leadership Required," which takes places at the Grand Hyatt in New York November 4 - 7, features 35 breakout sessions and six plenary addresses by innovators in responsible business like Jeffrey Immelt of GE, IKEA's Anders Dahlvig, John Anderson of Levi's and Shin-Bae Kim of SK Telecom. For more information and to register, visit www.bsr.org/conference.

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.

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