International Summit of co-operatives announces keynote speakers

Joseph Stiglitz, Mark Kramer and Robert Reich are three of the keynote speakers to take the stage at the International Summit of Co-operatives from 11-13 October. The event, which...

Joseph Stiglitz, Mark Kramer and Robert Reich are three of the keynote speakers to take the stage at the International Summit of Co-operatives from 11-13 October. The event, which takes place every two years in Quebec, is expected to bring together over 3,000 delegates from across the world.

Joseph Stiglitz
Joseph Stiglitz

The Summit will look at the existing global socioeconomic and geopolitical trends and challenges and the ability of co-operatives to act.

A globally acclaimed economist, Joseph Stiglitz was awarded the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences in 2001. A university Professor at Columbia University, he has written extensively about inequality, trade agreements and the main issues affecting the world economy.

At the Summit Professor Stiglitz will talk about the impact of the financial and economic crisis on inequality and the potential responses to the widening gap between rich and poor.

His most recent book, The Great Divide: Unequal Societies and What We Can Do About Them (2015), argues that inequality is a choice and a result of unjust policies and wrong priorities.

In 2011 Professor Stiglitz was named by Time magazine as one of the 100 most influential people in the world.

Mark Kramer
Mark Kramer

Mark Kramer is co-founder and managing director of Foundation Strategy Group (FSG), a consulting firm advising businesses on how to adapt to social change. In his presentation he will explain how creating value for society overall promotes growth in a sustainable manner. Mr Kramer serves as a Senior Fellow at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. Along with Professor Michael Porter of Harvard Business School, he has co-authored many articles in Harvard Business Review and Stanford Social Innovation Review.

Also joining the list of keynote speakers, Robert Reich is Chancellor’s Professor of Public Policy at the University of California at Berkeley. He has served as Secretary of Labor under President Bill Clinton and on President Barack Obama’s economic transition advisory board.

 

Robert Reich
Robert Reich

A frequent writer for the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times and the Financial Times, he was also awarded the Vaclav Havel prize for his contributions to economic thinking. His presentation will focus on restructuring the global economic and political system to create greater equality in the distribution of incomes.

Commenting on the Summit’s keynote speakers, Monique Leroux, president of the International Co-operative Alliance and co-host of event, said: “We are delighted to welcome these distinguished economic thinkers to the 2016 International Summit of Cooperatives. Their participation speaks to the interest and credibility of the event as a forum for discussing business models and initiatives that can best serve global prosperity, including the cooperative option.”

More information on the Summit’s programme and keynote speakers is available on the event’s website.

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