Business as a Platform for Change

The Fortune CEO Initiative is a forum for corporate leaders who are committed to addressing major social problems as part of their core business strategies. The Initiative grew out of an historic meeting of 100 CEOs with Pope Francis at the Vatican in December 2016, and is based on a belief that infusing broader purpose into corporate strategies has become increasingly important in attracting and motivating talent, deepening bonds with consumers, steadying corporate reputation in an era of declining trust, and preserving a well-functioning society in a time of political tumult.

Through annual gatherings and monthly calls CEO Initiative members exchange best practices and leadership techniques for addressing key issues, and work to identify opportunities for collective action. Participation is by invitation only, and benefits of membership in the CEO Initiative will extend beyond the annual meeting. Click here to read a compilation of CEO Initiative collaborative reports from 2020.

As Connect fellows, you will have access to a livestream of the conference’s main stage sessions. Be sure to add this event to your calendar and tune in on November 15 and 16 to view.

Overview

FORTUNE CEO INITIATIVE 2021: A New Path Forward: Collaborating to Solve the Challenges of People and Planet

This year, the CEOI will be emphasizing the role of public-private partnerships through Collaboratives in four strategic areas:

 

The CEOI Collaborative Working Toward a Sustainable World
Building a green economy that expands opportunity while reducing waste and CO2 emissions. 

 

Co-chairs:
Rich Lesser, Chief Executive Officer, Boston Consulting Group
Jim Loree, Chief Executive Officer, Stanley Black & Decker
Vicki Hollub, President and CEO, Occidental Petroleum Corporation


Fortune editorial chair: Alan Murray, Chief Executive Officer, FORTUNE

 

The CEOI Collaborative on Redesigning the Workplace 
Rethinking culture and retraining people to build an inclusive, economically secure workforce.

 

Co-chairs:
Chano Fernandez, Co-chief Executive Officer, Workday
Julie Sweet, Chief Executive Officer, Accenture

 

Fortune editorial chair: Maria Aspan, Senior Writer, FORTUNE

 

The CEOI Collaborative on Building Stronger Communities
Investing in our local communities to create shared prosperity for employees, customers, suppliers and other stakeholders.

 

Co-chairs:
Rob Acker, Chief Executive Officer, Salesforce.org
Michelle Seitz, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Russell Investments

 

Fortune editorial chair: Matt Heimer, Senior Features Editor, FORTUNE

 

The CEOI Collaborative on Tech that Works for Everyone 
Envisioning and guiding the ethical and wise use of technology as a unifying, equitable force in business and society.

 

Co-chairs:
Jennifer Tejada, Chief Executive Officer, PagerDuty
Tiger Tyagarajan, President and CEO, Genpact

 

Fortune editorial chair: Brian O’Keefe, Acting Editor-in-Chief, FORTUNE

 

Fortune will convene 60-minute virtual conversations for each CEOI Collaborative in the coming months. At the annual in-person meeting there will be breakout sessions for each of the four CEOI Collaboratives with public and private sector leaders to develop ideas and recommendations to translate new approaches into business strategies.