NextBillion - An Initiative of the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan

Industrial energy efficiency has always been about people. The latest technologies often get the most attention, but it’s the people who manage the plant, find the opportunities, develop the solutions, and make the decisions – large and small – that determine the efficiency of today’s facilities. It’s more challenging than ever to go it alone and that is why in 2017, we’re focused on developing the community of people involved in industrial energy efficiency.

As in years past, we’ll explore the latest thinking on managing plant energy use, national energy policy, and program administration. This year, we’ll also include events that will help you take what you learn and turn it into action. We’ll offer more networking sessions to introduce you to people who can help you accomplish mutual goals.

Find out which organizations participated in the 2015 Summer Study Industry here.

Likely Participants Include: Energy efficiency program administrators, evaluators, and contractors; public utility commission and consumer counselor staff members, corporate energy managers and government relations professionals; professionals in the utility sector with responsibilities for efficiency programs, resource planning, regulatory compliance and government relations; energy efficiency solution providers; state energy office officials; energy management firms; and energy efficiency advocacy organizations.

Sponsors of the conference get waived registrations. For more information on the benefits of sponsorship, click here or email industry@aceee.org.

President of the Rockefeller Foundation and former Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development, Rajiv Shah, joins ODI in conversation on the major global challenges of our time – and his vision of how we can tackle them.

Ten years on, TEDGlobal returns to Africa. Since our 2007 conference in Arusha, Tanzania, the continent has experienced spectacular economic, demographic and creative growth, and has made exciting progress toward its rightful place in the world. Yet many African nations are beset by challenges. And the stakes have never been higher. As populations continue to surge, both opportunity and danger are rising.

At TEDGlobal 2017, we’ll bring together an incredible group of speakers who can collectively help shape how this plays out. Dreamers and doers. Technologists and entrepreneurs. Business leaders and creatives. The event ten years ago felt like history in the making. The ideas and connections forged then have had untold impact. We want to reignite those sparks and invite anyone passionate about the future of Africa, and the future of the world to come and be part of something special. TEDGlobal2017: “Builders. Truth-Tellers. Catalysts.”

Financial Inclusion Innovation Summit (FIIS), previously known as the Pacific Microfinance Week (PMW), is a three-day event that will include a formal conference, workshops, field visits, seminars, and roundtables, providing the region’s most comprehensive platform on Financial Inclusion for the Pacific’s financial sector stakeholders. Hosted by the Bank of Papua New Guinea, this event will bring together up to 200 participants from across the region and beyond to discuss and debate pertinent issues impacting financial inclusion in the region.

In 2017 the event is marking its 10^th Anniversary as the major multi-sector gathering of financial inclusion stakeholders in the Pacific and is recognised as a landmark event, over many years covering relevant topics, issues, innovations and world-leading case studies in Financial Inclusion. It attracts participants ranging from financial sector regulators, microfinance practitioners, advocates, academic institutions, donor agencies, international financial institutions, NGOs, domestic government agencies and others.

At FIIS 2017, delegates will access innovations, share knowledge, network and engage in technical exchanges to further the effective, efficient and sustainable delivery of financial services within the unique constraints of the region.. It attracts participants ranging from financial sector regulators, microfinance practitioners, advocates, academic institutions, donor agencies, international financial institutions, NGOs, domestic government agencies and others.

At FIIS 2017, delegates will access innovations, share knowledge, network and engage in technical exchanges to further the effective, efficient and sustainable delivery of financial services within the unique constraints of the region.

Wealth Creation as a key enabler of prosperity in the region will be a major topic, and important dialogue on long term and sustainable wealth creation across the region will be facilitated. Other topics which will be discussed and debated at FIIS 2017 will include:

The FIIS 2017 will be hosted by the Bank of Papua New Guinea and be held at the Stanley Hotel in Port Moresby from 29-31 August. This event will bring together up to 200 participants from across the region and beyond to discuss and debate pertinent issues impacting financial inclusion in the region.

An overview of financial inclusion in the Pacific region including the latest statistics and updates on significant financial inclusion initiatives.
•Industry reform and market responses – how can access to finance for SMEs be accelerated?

•Showcases of new innovative products, services, delivery channels and programs of financial services providers.

•Enabling microenterprise – what are the supply and demand side influences on microenterprise development in the Pacific?

•Customer centricity – Moving beyond access to design products and services which truly meet the needs of customers.

A draft program will be available soon!

Project Context

For NGOs,  inclusive business can be an innovative and complementary approach to contribute to development goals, especially in countries with diminishing donor support and increasing private sector presence. Indeed, NGOs are already taking different roles, which range from corporate partnerships to develop inclusive business models, to setting up own social ventures or facilitating impact investments. It does, however, require a new approach and mindset. While each NGO has gathered individual experiences, there is little exchange on lessons learned and good practices to advance NGO engagement in inclusive business.

Project Objective

Endeva is organising a ‘peer-to-peer learning’ workshop, accompanied by several webinars, targeted at leading international NGOs. Our goal is to facilitate the exchange of experiences on the various roles NGOs can take in inclusive business, as well as related organisational aspects.

Project Output

The workshop, taking place in Berlin on September 4-6, will provide space to share common pitfalls and best practices between peers, aiming to further and improve the organization’s inclusive business models. We will also draw upon Endeva’s extensive knowledge gained from working with, studying and setting-up NGO-driven inclusive business. Following the workshop, participants will receive a detailed documentation of the outcomes and a follow-up conversation focusing on their specific challenges and ideas.

If you are interested in joining and learning more about the workshop, please send an email to Isabel at i.vonblomberg@endeva.org.

The Conference theme is: “Creating a unified foundation for the Sustainable Development: research, practice and education”.

This theme emphasizes the strong foundation that is provided by using research to inform our everyday practices, policies, and analytical approaches.

The 2017 Conference will once again provide a forum for the sharing of ideas, presentation of research findings, and discussion of professional issues relevant to Sustainability Science.

This ambition will proceed in a multidisciplinary way across the various fields and perspectives, through which we can address the fundamental and related questions of Sustainable Development. This interdisciplinary forum is for scholars, teachers, and practitioners from any professional discipline who share an interest in—and concern for— sustainability in an holistic perspective, where environmental, cultural, economic and social concerns intersect.

Turbulent times call for smart, decisive action. Some call it joining the resistance, we call it getting the job done, wherever it is. When committed women and girls gather with a common vision, the wheels of disruption are set in motion. #WomenFunded2017 is one of those spaces. Join us in this non-solicitation zone, a safe space for funders and leaders in the women’s movement to find common ground.

Knowledge is power. But it doesn’t have to be boring. Instead you will experience the knowledge, skills and resources offered in multiple ways. After two and a half days of interactive workshops, labs and plenaries on digital strategies, global/local advocacy, organizing and more, you’ll leave with the #powertools you’ll need take care of business when you get home.

If you care about equity, if you care about women and girls #WomenFunded2017 is for you. If you are ready to eradicate discrimination in all its forms, #WomenFunded2017 is for you. You’ll join more than 350 women leaders from women’s foundations and non-profits, along with corporate foundation leaders, senior business and tech execs and issue experts. This is our time to motivate and mobilize for the change we seek, to be the change.

This year’s BAM Conference will bring together hundreds of business professionals and thought leaders from around the world who are eager to learn how to reconcile their faith and work. With the theme “Bridging the Gap”, the three-day event will close the divide between where you are now and where you want to be, and equip you to use your God-given skills to make an impact through business.

Join us as we share insights, stories and tools that will fuel your business as mission journey.

The 2017 BAM Conference will be the 7th event held in the USA by BAM Training.