Business has an important role in helping to achieve education for all – this conviction was voiced by speakers and participants at a recent event organised by the Global Business Coalition for Education and hosted by Facebook’s London office.
Welcoming the participants, Global Business Coalition Chair Sarah Brown highlighted how education is a critical component of a sustainable future.
The panellists, Gucci’s Chief Marketing Officer Robert Treifus, Intel’s Senior Director for Global Education Strategy Martina Roth, and Hewlett-Packard’s Director of Economic Progress Initiatives Jeanette Weisschuh, affirmed that corporate education initiatives were not only a matter of corporate social responsibility, but an important means to allow future generations to reach their full potential through education. Ms Weisschuh quoted HP founder David Packard: “The betterment of society is not a job to be left to the few. It is the responsibility of us all.”
Intel is a founding sponsor of 10×10’s Girl Rising, a global action campaign for girls’ education. GUCCI created CHIME FOR CHANGE, a global campaign to raise funds and awareness for girls’ and women’s empowerment through education, health and justice. HP coordinates HP LIFE, an entrepreneurship education and teacher training initiative, and sponsors the Global Poverty Project.
Education International is working with the Global Business Coalition for Education to improve the quality of learning and teaching for all through aiding international technology suppliers to connect to educators in deploying modern technology. For example, Intel and EI mapped out ways in which teacher organizations, school authorities, and students can collaborate to best use technology systems and strategies to further the learning process.