The 54th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum takes place January 15 – 19, 2024, in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland. The meeting brings representatives from over 100 governments, international organizations, civic leaders, and experts to discuss the future of world events.
The overall theme of the meeting is Rebuilding Trust. The programming is divided into four categories: Achieving Security and Cooperation in a Fractured World; Creating Growth and Jobs for a New Era; Artificial Intelligence as a Driving Force for the Economy and Society; and A Long-Term Strategy for Climate, Nature and Energy.
With over 200 sessions running simultaneously via livestream, finding the right schedule can be difficult. Here are 10 programs on diversity, equity, and inclusion that business leaders should watch.
Men, Women, Pathways to Equity
January 16, 9:45 – 10:15 CET
Theme: Gender parity cannot be achieved by women alone. The role of fathers, sons, brothers, uncles and grandfathers is fundamental, as is the broader role of society and institutions.
Against a backdrop of testimonies and photographs, join this interactive session on the obstacles and challenges faced by female change-makers and explore the vital role of men, women and society.
Speakers: Jude Kelly and Joseph Fowler.
The Economics of Gender Parity
January 16, 15:00 – 15:45 CET
Theme: The potential gains from closing economic gender gaps could unlock a “gender dividend” of $172 trillion for the global economy, while closing the gender investment gap could add $3 trillion to assets under management in the US alone.
In a period of economic fragility, what changes need to be implemented to unlock the benefits of greater gender parity?
Speakers: Sri Mulyani Indrawati, Shereen Bhan, Mike Henry, Gabriela Sommerfeld, Annette Mosman.
Diversity in Practice
January 17, 10:15 – 11:00 CET
Theme: Advancing economic opportunity for underrepresented groups is critical to accelerating creativity, innovation and reviving long-term growth.
What lessons can organizations learn from ongoing efforts to encourage diversity and equity and what additional support is needed to ensure successful strategies?
Speakers: Mina Al-Oraibi, Michael Ensser, Lorenzo Simonelli, Caroline Casey, Anne-Laure Malauzat.
The World in Numbers: Gender Parity
January 17, 15:00 – 15:30 CET
Theme: At the current pace of change, it will take 131 years to achieve full gender parity.
This session delves into the current state of gender equality and the most promising pathways to accelerate gender equality in public and private sectors.
Speakers: Laura D’Andrea Tyson and Arancha Gonzalez Laya.
Advancing Racial and Ethnic Equity
January 17, 17:30 – 18:15 CET
Theme: Recent years have seen progress in workforce representation for people of colour, with 94% of jobs added by S&P 100 companies in the US in 2021 taken up by people of colour. Yet, systematic economic gaps remain.
What are the promising pathways for accelerating fairer economic outcomes?
Speakers: Shamina Singh, Robert C. Garrett, Luana Marques Garcia Ozemela, Angela Williams.
Press Conference: Business Case for Disability Representation
January 17, 18:15 – 18:45 CET
Theme: One in five of the global population has a disability, yet the representation of people with disabilities in advertising and media is far lower. This press conference presents findings from a new report from the Valuable 500 and creates a business case for companies to improve their performance in inclusive representation.
Speakers: Silja Baller, Christophe Catoir, Chantal Gaemperle, Caroline Casey, Alex Liu.
Building Equitable Transitions: Green and Fair
January 18, 10:15 – 11:00 CET
Theme: The promise of net zero in energy, transport, agriculture, housing and infrastructure will be unmet if the societal impact on jobs, access and affordability is not considered.
How can we align ambitious sectoral transitions with equitable and socially responsible outcomes?
Speakers: Rania Al-Mashat, Luc Triangle, Josu Jon Imaz, Jonas Prising, David Gelles.
Wrapped in Leadership
January 18, 10:15 – 10:45 CET
Theme: As the daughter of a Holocaust survivor, Diane von Fürstenberg vowed from a young age to be in control of her destiny. She went on to found one of the most recognizable brands and dress styles in fashion history and designed a bold life as a leader.
Join this conversation on women’s empowerment, the importance of courage and why it matters to embrace immigrants in the fabric of industries.
Speakers: Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy and Diane von Furstenberg.
LGBTQI+ Inclusion at Work
January 18, 11:30 – 12:15 CET
Theme: Inclusive economies are more economically resilient, yet over 40% of employers globally demonstrate no commitment to LGBT+ inclusion.
What lessons can companies learn from each other in successfully encouraging an inclusive work environment and what new breakthroughs are needed?
Speakers: Sarah Kate Ellis, Sander van’t Noordende, Milton Cheng, Martina Cheung, Jochen Wegner.
Overcoming Unfair Beginnings
January 19, 9:00 – 9:45 CET
Theme: From education to leisure and entrepreneurship to career opportunities, the socio-economic background we are born into continues to play a disproportionate role in determining our future.
As rates of upward mobility fall, what are the biggest obstacles to economic opportunity and how can business, government and civil society work together to overcome them?
Speakers: Zeblon Vilakazi, Vivi Yulaswati, Subhashini (Shuba) Chandran, Margery Kraus.