CGI 2024 Annual Meeting

As the CGI community meets once again in New York City, the global challenges we face are stark – and current efforts to meet the moment are coming up short at the scale needed to beat the negative trendlines we face.

We all know what’s not working. Our efforts to curb climate change aren’t accelerating fast enough; mis- and dis-information campaigns are influencing elections around the planet; health inequities are rising; and more people are falling into poverty than climbing out of it. Every morning, headlines read of more conflict and less cooperation.

But in corners of the planet near and far, there’s a different story unfolding – a story of persistence, innovation, and partnership. A story of what is working.

At the onset of this year’s United Nations General Assembly, we all have a responsibility to move beyond a focus on what’s broken. We all have a responsibility to identify, uplift, and scale the solutions that are defying the odds. We all have the responsibility to act with urgency and get to work because our future depends on it.

While philanthropy has endeavored to reach historically marginalized communities for generations, these efforts are less effective when donors chase headlines or demonstrate a lack of trust in their partners and grantees, or when attacks on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) result in restrictions on giving. Funders are increasingly looking for more effective ways to deploy capital and promote wealth redistribution as they interrogate their own wealth, dip into endowments, and work toward a rebalance of power. This session will explore what’s working in philanthropy today to help direct resources toward historically marginalized communities and frontline organizations and create a pipeline for a more equitable and inclusive future of funding.

We rely on journalists to report on the most urgent crises around the globe – humanitarian emergencies, armed conflicts, climate change, protests, and more. These journalists routinely contend with physical threats, the rise of misinformation, media deserts, and other challenges that are making reporting increasingly more difficult. At the same time, the way we consume news has fundamentally changed journalism, and everyone can have a role in reporting the news and exposing injustices and corruption. This session will explore what’s working to support a robust media sector able to report on the wide range of crises confronting our global community.

Water is fundamental to every living being on the planet, but access is becoming increasingly limited largely due to climate change. Last year, the World Resources Institute reported that almost half of the world’s population faces water scarcity for at least one month a year. Improving clean water access is critical to sustaining human health; improving economic, political, and food security; and adapting to a changing climate. This session will examine what’s working to provide safe and clean fresh water to communities around the globe.

In countries with developing health care systems – where 90 percent of preventable deaths occur – we are investing less than 10 percent of health research globally. Even in established and advanced health care systems, drugs and treatments are often only tested on a homogenous group of people, which can have significant consequences for public health. Innovations in the medical research and development process, including diversification of clinical trials, and technology development with diverse populations in mind, are unlocking access to precision medicine for more people and improving health outcomes to better serve all patients, regardless of gender, race, or geolocation. This session will examine what’s working to drive that progress forward and what is needed for further investment in more inclusive medical research and innovation.

In a world grappling with daunting global crises like climate change, humanitarian needs, and rising homelessness, finding effective solutions can feel like hitting a brick wall. Yet, sometimes the most innovative solutions are right in front of us, already discovered and waiting to be scaled or adapted to a different industry, challenge, or geography. Explore with us as we spotlight pioneers who have not only identified but successfully implemented unconventional and effective solutions to some of our most pressing global challenges. These groundbreaking ideas, once considered unattainable, are now reshaping how we tackle global issues and paving the way toward a brighter future. Discover how these bold initiatives are making a tangible difference and inspiring new approaches worldwide

Every day in the United States, 327 people – including 23 children and teens – are shot with a firearm on average. Despite widespread consensus on the need for action to prevent gun violence, policy and social challenges have stood in the way of progress on this issue. However, we have reached a critical tipping point, and civil society and private sector leaders are advancing important solutions and public health interventions that will help mitigate the gun violence epidemic in America and save lives. This session will explore what’s working in this public health effort and what can be learned from other countries’ successful efforts to curb of gun violence to finally decrease shootings and deaths in the United States.

As communities grapple with the effects of climate change, food insecurity, and biodiversity loss, local leaders are increasingly working to responsibly manage and steward their natural resources in innovative ways. Sustainable agriculture practices and community-led ecological preservation can help communities produce more food and protect the environment. This session will explore what’s working in communities worldwide to improve land management in ways that boost sustainability, biodiversity, and economic well-being.

Africa is poised for a massive population boom. With 60 percent of its population under the age of 25 right now, the U.N. estimates that by 2050, 1 in 4 people on the planet will be African. The continent is booming with innovation, business, art, and technology, and efforts to invest in education and entrepreneurship abound. This session will explore what’s working to advance opportunities for young people and sustain Africa’s development over the coming decades.

As women and girls face increased threats to their autonomy and health decisions, the rapidly changing climate is exacerbating broader threats to sexual and reproductive health and rights particularly as a result of disruptions in supply chains and reduced income to procure necessary care and treatment. The resulting inadequate access to contraceptives, HIV and other STI screenings and treatment, mental health care, and abortion services can have devastating long-term consequences including infertility, cervical cancer, increased unintended pregnancies, pregnancy complications, and death during childbirth or as a result of unsafe abortions. Yet specific climate-related interventions are emerging as an area of opportunity and need. This session will explore what’s working to advance and protect women’s sexual and reproductive health and rights through climate solutions.

Historically marginalized workforce populations represent significant untapped global talent. Social enterprises around the world have led the way in developing innovative business models which meaningfully and profitably engage those most excluded from the labor market. Yet, there is still tremendous scope and opportunity for corporations, governments, and cross-sector partners to capitalize on this latent workforce brimming with potential to tackle barriers to employment while addressing global skill shortages. This session will showcase pioneering leaders who are reimagining approaches to skills development, job creation, and market-based investments that support inclusive economic opportunities for all.

There is an urgent global mental health crisis. An estimated 1 billion people live with mental health, neurological, and substance use disorders globally, according to Boehringer Ingelheim – but 70 percent don’t have access to the care they need. While mental health challenges have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and rising diagnoses of anxiety and depressive disorders, we know that access to quality treatment and support is the antidote. By prioritizing research funding, tech-based solutions, and innovative community-based approaches, we are beginning to see substantial progress in expanding mental health care access and improved global health outcomes. This session will examine what’s working to increase access to care and educate communities on mental health.

Racial inequality is persistent globally, in part due to structural barriers deeply ingrained in our economic, governmental, technological, and environmental ways of life. In recent years, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) rollbacks have become widespread, yet new efforts are making progress to mitigate these challenges and promote inclusion. This session will examine what’s working in the persistent fight against the status quo to reshape global systems, engage frontline communities, and create a more equitable and just future for all.

Waste products produce significant greenhouse gases and create public health risks when not managed properly. Every year, more than 2 billion tons of municipal solid waste – from food surplus to discarded textiles and plastic – crowd our landfills and contribute to the pollution of our soil, water, and air. The session will explore what’s working to advance innovative recycling and promote circularity in both consumption and production.

As humans are living longer on average, the changing makeup of the global population will have a dramatic effect on economic and health systems. Aging populations present unique challenges, particularly for women, who often face distinct health issues and economic vulnerabilities as they age. In response, innovative models for economic resilience and healthy longevity are shaping a different future for all of us as we age, from community-centric initiatives to new applications of technology and reimagined retirement policies. This session will explore what’s working to drive better economic and health outcomes for the world’s aging population.

Live sports and gaming are among the largest global industries, sharing a common goal: to unite people through shared experiences. Whether fans are packed into a stadium, crowded around a television, or connected online in virtual worlds, sports and gaming collectively engage more than 4 billion individuals worldwide, each with diverse perspectives and life experiences. With such an extensive global reach, these industries can – and do – shape the cultural zeitgeist. However, recently, both industries have faced criticism for how they spotlight different experiences in relation to social causes. However, in this session, we will hear from individuals who demonstrate that leveraging their platform as a catalyst to inspire important cultural shifts that support a more equitable and inclusive world is more than a checkbox—it is at the core of both industries.

The work of advancing social impact can be a lonely endeavor. Resource constraints, accelerating global challenges, and politicized news cycles all have made our commitment to make a positive difference in the world harder to realize.

While the work can feel lonely, you don’t have to do it alone. Whether it’s a formal partnership between organizations or informal support networks, finding and forging value-aligned connections can help sustain and fuel us as we face even the most difficult challenges.

Since CGI’s inception in 2005, more than 10,000 organizations have partnered on more than 4,000 Commitments to Action impacting more than 500 million people – a testament to the power of partnership and an example of a different way to build a community around a shared vision for a better future. As the world continues to fracture across geographic, political, and economic lines, there is greater urgency than ever to find creative ways to partner to reach shared objectives.

In this Mainstage Session, leaders from across the social impact spectrum will highlight the ways in which they break down barriers between peer institutions, cultivate partnerships and community, and align values and programs to create new, specific, and measurable ways to support one another.