Sustainable Social and Ecosystem Stewardship

International Conference of the Greening of Industry Network
June 15-17, 2007

Hosted by: CMA Centre for Responsible Organizations, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada

Conference Chair: Dr. Sanjay Sharma

Conference Announcement and Call for Contributions

GIN2007 Conference Registration

 Go to Conference Home Page at Wilfrid Laurier University

Just posted: Base of the Pyramid (BoP) Workshop and Book with Greenleaf

•••

Where is Waterloo? CLICK for Map

Conference Theme
To make genuine progress on sustainable development, businesses need to move from separate strategies for "greening" and "community engagement" toward an integrated stewardship of the resources, ecosystems, and communities that are impacted by their operations along the entire supply chain-from cradle to grave, from one generation to the next, from one species to another, and from one society to another.

Sustainable stewardship requires an understanding of how the local and regional ecosystems and communities impact on, and interact with, global ecosystems and communities. This understanding and practical action requires a collaborative process of shared learning, knowledge creation and integration, sharing of responsibility, and working with stakeholders such as academics, businesses, government, NGOs, and communities. This theme builds on and integrates previous GIN themes of preservation of resources, fair global trade, regional development, and partnerships for sustainable development.

The GIN2007 conference will focus on three broad sub-themes related to sustainable ecosystem and social stewardship:
• Sustainable innovation of products, services, processes and business models.
• Sustainable infrastructure, for example, energy, transportation, communication systems.
• The role of corporations in ecological stewardship and fostering social sufficiency at the base of the pyramid. Just posted: Base of the Pyramid (BoP) Workshop and Book with Greenleaf Publishing.

Some of the ideas that the conference may explore are below. Proposals on other ideas and topics related to the main theme are welcome.
• What does sustainable stewardship mean for organizations?
• To what extent and how have organizations begun to transition from greening and community engagement to stewardship?
• What are the drivers of, and barriers to, such a transition by organizations?
• What capabilities do organizations need to make such a transition? How will organizations develop the knowledge to begin such a transition?
• What types of innovations in products, services, systems, processes and business models will facilitate such a transition?
• What is the role of public-private-NGO partnerships, regulation and public policy, and international bodies/agreements such as the Kyoto Protocol in facilitating sustainable stewardship?

The theme is relevant for academics, industry and government practitioners, consultants, members of NGOs, and individuals interested in sharing knowledge and learning about the global interconnections between local, regional, and global economies, communities, and ecosystems, and the ways in which these interconnections can be shaped for social and ecosystem stewardship.

The conference will summarize the current state of knowledge on sustainable stewardship and develop a research agenda and policy recommendations for business, governments, NGOs, and other stakeholders to help contribute to sustainable ecosystems and communities. The goal is also to facilitate the strengthening of a network of colleagues interested in similar issues and help generate a new sense of purpose and personal commitment to work toward sustainable stewardship of our resources and communities.

Call for Contributions
The Call is now closed. Thanks to all who submitted presentation proposals. We are now reviewing the submissions and constructing the Conference Program. The best presentations will be further reviewed for GIN publications, for example, a special journal issue or in a book of case studies. Conference proceedings will be added to our on-line searchable archive of GIN conferences, available to GIN Members.

Program
The conference starts on Friday afternoon, June 15, 2007 with a welcome reception. On Saturday, June 16, a morning plenary on the topic will be followed by breakout sessions. Two more plenary sessions on the afternoon of June 16 and the morning of June 17 will be followed by breakout sessions and workshops. The conference will adjourn on Sunday, June 17, 2007 after lunch at 2:00pm.

Rather than formal paper presentations, the dominant mode of the conference will be dialogue. Oral presentations will be kept very brief, with one or two overheads/transparencies, if any at all, sticking to the main points and questions that will stimulate a discussion on the central issues and themes. Once again this year, with thanks to G Winter, we offer these Dialogue Guidelines. As the program and plenary speakers are firmed up, information will be posted continuously. For complete guidelines for presentations and optional full papers, go to Conference Home Page at Wilfrid Laurier University.

Registration
GIN Members receive a 30 percent reduction on registration. Registration cost for the entire program for non-members is $600.00 Canadian $ CAD, reduced to $420 CAD for current GIN members. Non-members can JOIN GIN! and get the reduced price (best value!). Please note that registration is in Canadian dollars CAD. The fees include the welcome reception on June 15th, a dinner on June 16th, two lunches and continental breakfasts on June 16th and 17th.

Not a member? Register for the conference and JOIN GIN! in one step to get the 30% reduced conference rate, for members only. GIN membership includes a year's subscription of eight issues to the international Wiley journal Business Strategy and the Environment Volume 16 (the journal alone would cost US$330), exclusive on-line, searchable access to GIN conference proceedings since 1998, and 20% off most Wiley books. You may join or renew your membership in one step when you register for the conference. Conference participants are responsible for costs of their registration, travel, and accommodations. All rates in Canadian dollars ("C$" or "CDN" or "CAD"):

Registration: Go to Conference Home Page at Wilfrid Laurier University.

Location: Schlegel Centre, School of Business & Economics, Wilfrid Laurier University, 75 University Avenue West, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.

CLICK for Map

Accommodations: Go to Conference Home Page at Wilfrid Laurier University.

• The Waterloo Inn, 475 King Street North, Waterloo, Ontario (tel 1-519-884-0220, fax 519-884-0321, http://www.waterlooinn.com). Please inform the hotel that you are registering for GIN 2007 conference in order to obtain the special rate of CAD $140 per night (inclusive of taxes). These rates are also available for two days before and after the conference dates for registrants.

• Wilfrid Laurier University Residences for a single person at CAD $40 per night (inclusive of taxes). (tel 1-519-884-0710 ext. 3958, fax 1-519-725-7574, http://info.wlu.ca/~wwwconf/)

Air travelers, fly in to:
• Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ)
• John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport (YHM)
• Buffalo Niagara International Airport (BUF)

Ground Transportation from Toronto or Hamilton:
Airways Transit 1-519-886-2121 or www.airwaystransit.com
Approximately CAD $69 one way.

Directions to the Waterloo Inn from Toronto, Hamilton, and Buffalo.

•••

The conference chair for GIN 2007 is Sanjay Sharma, Canada Research Chair in Organizational Sustainability and Director of the CMA Centre for Sustainable Organizations, Wilfrid Laurier University, Canada.

Dr. Sanjay Sharma
Chair, GIN 2007 Conference
Professor, School of Business & Economics
Wilfrid Laurier University
75 University Avenue West
Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3C5, Canada

Contact: Go to Conference Home Page at Wilfrid Laurier University.

Since 1991
The GIN conferences, 26 events in 12 countries around the world since 1991, comprise a unique experience and record of bringing people and the issues together for a big perspective on sustainable development, forging productive connections among research, policy, and practice.

•••

Sustainable Social and Ecosystem Stewardship

An International Conference of the Greening of Industry Network
June 15-17, 2007
Hosted by: CMA Centre for Responsible Organizations, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada

•••

Copyright ©, 1991-2007, The Greening of Industry Network - All rights reserved.