WORLD BANK, Culture & Development Network. Progressio has been invited to join this new network, created to implement projects which integrate cultural and development dimensions. Other members include UNESCO, The Getty Conservation Institute, ICCROM, ICOM, Smithsonian Institute, Aga Khan Trust for Culture, Inter-American Development Bank, Organisation of American States, Council of Europe, World Monuments Fund.

BUSINESS FOR GLOBAL STABILITY, an initiative launched by former World Bank economist Haim Roet, to raise corporate awareness of the role business can play to create stable environments, for itself to grow, and for society at large.

CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AMONG EUROPE’S SMES, a LEONARDO project part-funded by the European Union. Progressio is a partner with Italy’s CERFE, Denmark’s Mandag Morgen and The Netherlands' Institute for Social Studies. To be undertaken during 1999 and 2000, the action-research aims to understand what small and medium corporations can do in promoting social responsibility in Europe, how they can more effectively connected with the strategies and programmes of larger corporations, what and how SMEs' executivescan learn from each other in being better corporate citizens and how the EU can operate in tandem with SMEs to achieve a more responsible society.

STATE OF THE WORLD FORUM, ‘Diversity and Community in a Global Context: Celebrating Europe’, Belfast and Dublin, May 4-9, 1999. Progressio has organized the participation of over 150 business leaders in the First Enterprise Summit @ State of the World Forum under the theme of “Europe’s New Economy: Helping to Shape Sustainable Globalization”. CEOs and senior executives from PricewaterhouseCoopers, Dow Europe, Goldman Sachs, Groupe Danone, Marks & Spencer, BG, The Body Shop, BT, Shell International and several small & medium size businesses. The State of the World Forum is a unique international gathering which convenes leaders in diverse fields, such as politics, science, business, religion and the arts with active citizens from around the world, united in their willingness to contribute to humankind’s search for a new, truly global and humane civilization. The Forum was founded by Jim Garrison in 1995 in San Francisco and is co-chaired by Mikhail Gorbachev, Ruud Lubbers, Federico Mayor, Desmond Tutu, Queen Noor of Jordan, Muhammad Yunus, Sonia Gandhi among other distinguished individuals.

“ENTERPRISE AND DEVELOPMENT IN THE 21ST CENTURY” FORUM, with His Holiness the Dalai Lama, October 18th, 1999, Amsterdam, Nieuwe Kerk, The Dam. Progressio is co-convening this event with the Dalai Lama Visit 99 Foundation. Featuring Geoff Mulgan, Prime Minister Policy Unit, Downing Street, UK as moderator; Jermyn Brooks, Global Managing Partner, PricewaterhouseCoopers, UK; Hazel Henderson, Economist, Futurist and Author, USA; Ruud Lubbers, former Prime Minister, Netherlands, as speakers; Wessel Ganzevoort, Director, KPMG Inspire Foundation; Henk van Luijk, Professor of Business Ethics, Nijenrode University; Stanislav Menchikov, Author of “The Compassionate Economy”; Hans Opschoor, Rector, Institute for Social Studies, The Hague; Eckart Wintzen, Founder, Origin & Ex’tent BV; Erika Terpstra, Member of Parliament; Cees van Lede, Chief Executive Officer, Akzo-Nobel as discussants. The Forum aims to impact the end-of-millenium debate about the kind of economic and business system we want to achieve in the North and South in order to achieve a more sustainable and just economy. Up to 300 key decision-makers from business, government and the non-profit sector are invited. A summary of the Forum will be published and sent to 100 of the world’s most influential leaders.