The World Evangelical Alliance has been recognized as one of the key contributors to Faith in Action, a report released on January 17 by the World Economic Forum (WEF) on how faith-based entities and businesses are developing partnerships that are addressing today’s global crises.
Chris Elisara, co-director of the WEA’s Sustainability Center, was a co-author of the 40-page report and drafted five of the eight case studies presented, which cover four social sectors: (1) environmental care, just transition and sustainability; (2) health and healthcare; (3) inclusive communities and resilient cities; and (4) technology governance.
“It was difficult to select just eight total case studies for the report,” Elisara commented, “because faith organizations, including many evangelical ones, are doing many innovative projects with businesses that are making a difference. We hope that the case studies chosen will provide insights and inspiration enabling business leaders and faith-based organizations to achieve greater impact.”
WEA secretary general Thomas Schirrmacher was a member of the report’s advisory board of global faith leaders. “Evangelicals understand deeply that ethically driven business can, and in fact does, contribute much good to society,” Schirrmacher stated. “The WEA wants to encourage and promote more partnerships between the business sector and evangelical organizations that can have an impact on global crises.”
One of the case studies featured the Transformational Business Network (TBN) Alliance, which is championing enterprise solutions to poverty in low-income, underserved areas of the world through multi-sectoral collaboration. Kim Tan, a co-founder of the TBN Alliance, was a featured speaker at the WEA’s Future of the Gospel Forum last October.
“Eighty-five percent of the world’s population follow a religious or spiritual tradition, and global leaders must find new ways to engage with faith-based groups and others in civil society that are the closest to the communities and solutions needed today,” said David Sangokoya, Head of Civil Society Impact at the World Economic Forum. “The report reflects on how business can accelerate positive societal impact together with faith actors through partnerships, and additionally what the world of faith can bring towards driving corporate social impact, improving employee engagement and bridging ideological divisions.”
The World Economic Forum engages with more than 100 religious leaders, faith-based organizations, interfaith groups, multi-faith networks and experts on religion. Sangokoya said that the Forum is pleased to have developed a community of dialogue around issues of faith and business, and that it will seek to grow and nurture that community during 2024.
The WEA looks forward to ongoing participation in the World Economic Forum faith and business community and to bringing many evangelical-led businesses and organizations into the discussion as well. For more information or to learn how you can participate, contact Elisara at [email protected] or Timo Plutschinski of the WEA Business Coalition at [email protected]. Download a copy of the report at this link: https://www.weforum.org/publications/faith-in-action-religion-and-spirituality-in-the-polycrisis/
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