Speeches and conferences
When I have the opportunity of addressing distinguished audiences, I emphasize the concepts that sustain my activities aimed at promoting new forms of philanthropy. I try to create, in both philanthropic and entrepreneurial fields, the certainty that greater profit is possible through social improvements and the preservation of natural resources if the endeavors are planned for the long term.
Global environmental perspectives: the important is becoming urgent
May 25, 2007
Stephan Schmidheiny Speech, Ceremony to hand over the command of the rector at the INCAE Business School
Alajuela/Costa Rica
In the early 1990s -one and a half decades ago- the dimensions and the potentially existential threats of damages inflicted on the global environment became visible. Even though a lot of information and clear scientific understanding were missing, a series of tendencies clearly indicated that the human species was becoming a burden too heavy to what its habitat was able to carry due to its growth and behavior of consumption. It was then time to plan and to change course.
Speech by Stephan Schmidheiny.
Available in English (101 Kb)
Business, Sustainable Development and Creation of Social Capital
November 19, 2004
Speech given at the II Argentine Conference of Corporate
Social Responsibility
"Being optimistic is a personal attitude that I take when faced with a reality that I try to absorb solely as it is, and not as I would prefer it to be, in order to - in spite of this - have a positive outlook that will lead me to towards a solution, find a way, so that I may make a personal contribution and add my own grain of sand".
Speech by Stephan Schmidheiny.
Available in Spanish (55 Kb)
The Entrepreneurial Vision for Sustainable Development through Social Responsibility
2004
Magisterial Conference given during the Corporate Social Responsibility event organized by ENADE
Republic of Salvador
"The integration of the concept of social responsibility has modified corporate perspective. What is important today is rendering of accounts, dialogue with stakeholder, with neighbors, with suppliers, working with clients to better listen to their demands, and the alignment of worker’s interest. This has given way to a type of administration that is more centered around the human being; worried about giving human and social value, know-how and coherence to the company; all of which benefits a much broader global view and level of creativity".
Conference by Stephan Schmidheiny.
Available in Spanish (33.8 Kb)
The Role of Entrepreneurs in the Making of a Sustainable Country
March 03, 2004
Speech during the II Central American, Panama and the Caribbean Conference on Entrepreneurial Social Responsibility, “Convertise”
"True commitment lies in having everyone focused on the development of our societies, that we apply eco-efficient, socially responsible policies that can develop our markets in a sustainable way. In the end, it is all about creating and implementing an innovative and integral business concept that makes entrepreneurial social responsibility one of its central pillars, making it stronger, a fundamental factor of competitiveness for the companies of this region."
Speech by Stephan Schmidheiny.
Available in Spanish (24 Kb)
Sustainable development: A bridge between the entrepreneurial and social worlds
November 25, 2003
Speech given during the Global Reporting Initiative Panama meeting
Panama City, Panama
“It is possible that the concept of sustainable development began in Germany some 200 years ago, when a group of forest engineers were analyzing which was the best alternative for making use of forests in a sustainable way. They reached the conclusion that the productive base could significantly grow by means of continuous reforestation, and even the quality and value of the forests themselves would improve with adequate management.”
Speech by Stephan Schmidheiny.
Available in Spanish (30 Kb)
Civil Society Enterprises and Organizations: Associations for Social Development of Rio de Janeiro
October 24, 2002
Speech at the FIRJAN Seminar
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
“Brazil, like all Latin America, has more and better opportunities of reaching a sustainable future if forward-looking entrepreneurs work together with the best of civil society leaders, and innovative social leaders do the same with the best enterprises in order to build a more successful society, as one.”
Speech by Stephan Schmidheiny.
Available in Spanish (140 Kb)
New Associations Looking for Sustainable Development
April 30, 2002
Proposal before the World Bank
Washington D.C., United States
"What can non-governmental organizations (NGOs) do – and I am referring to enterprises as well as citizen groups - to help political leaders find that political will? One alternative is that enterprises and NGOs create teams that fight for the sustainable development cause. In fact, these associations are already starting up in different parts of the world."
Presentation by Stephan Schmidheiny.
Available in English (171 Kb)
The Sustainable Development Business: Enterprises and Countries in Global Competition
June 04, 2002
Speech, Ethos Conference, 2002
Sao Paulo, Brazil
"I am calling on companies to look for ways of inserting poor people into the market in a way in which both parts will benefit from the same. The bottom line would seem to be that businessmen will have to work with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and their leaders. NGOs know the poor, their possibilities, and their needs. Companies know how to innovate and introduce these innovations into the market. Together they can set up powerful and mutually beneficial organizations, and obtain results that, sooner or later, even politicians would have to recognize."
Speech by Stephan Schmidheiny.
Available in English(150 Kb)
Honorary Doctorate in Education, Catholic University Andres Bello (UCAB)
November 07, 2001
Speech of Recognition to UCAB
Caracas, Venezuela
“For our own benefit and that of our society, we must be able to give our children a solid education, away from poverty, and strengthen their abilities to create and take advantage of the opportunities they receive, to generate wealth as well as to live with dignity. This is what I expect in return from investing in education.”
Speech by Stephan Schmidheiny.
Available in English (153 Kb)
Honorary Doctorate in Arts, Rollins College
May 13, 2001
Speech of Recognition to Rollins College
Winter Park, Florida, United States
"Many of you will take part in the entrepreneurial world. Don’t be so narrow minded as to wait until you are 55 or 60 to, only then, start planning how “to give something back to society.” Be progressive. Have a broad standpoint. Have a long-term outlook. Think in global terms. May each one of your actions be in harmony with social needs and environmental reality. Only in this way will you do better business in a better world."
Speech by Stephan Schmidheiny.
Available in English(126 Kb)
The Contribution of the Virtual World to Sustainable Development
October 16, 2000
Lecture before the WRI Electronic Dividend Conference
World Resources Institute (WRI), Seattle, United States
"The Internet and associated hardware and software are the best tools we have had since the steam engine for creating wealth and redistributing the opportunities to create it. But wealth creation requires a positive mindset. So I am trying to create examples, trying to create an entrepreneurial environment, a wealth-creating mentality. More, I want to see Latin America (and much of the rest of the world) create wealth not from raw materials and natural resources – of which we have a dwindling supply - but from our limitless reserve of creativity, intelligence and information."
Speech by Stephan Schmidheiny.
Available in English(140 Kb)
Forestry and Globalization: An Entrepreneurial Perspective
October 07, 2000
Opening Speech on Occasion of the 100 Anniversary of the
Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies
Yale, Connecticut, United States
"Today’s most important discussions on issues regarding the forestry dilemma develop between the industry and NGOs, and are not taking governments into account. Governments continue in the forestry leasing business, though they do have less influence in what happens within them. This induces the need for more effective agreements among enterprises, the academic world, research organizations and NGOs."
Speech by Stephan Schmidheiny.
Available in English (163 Kb)
The Development of Man and Society – On the Importance of Common Sense
March 24, 2000
Conference in Brainfair – International Brain Week
ETH, Zurich, Switzerland
"The overwhelmed individual of today, not even able to identify the interrelations that determine his own life and surroundings, is even less able to rationalize them. Society, considered as a whole, is not able to organize the surrounding conditions so that our current behavior will not hurt our future capabilities. Society’s incapacity to project based on long term general interests leads us, according to Darwin’s laws, to the control of both individual and group interests."
Speech by Stephan Schmidheiny.
Available in English (180 Kb)
Entrepreneurs for Sustainable Development
June 26, 1993
Honorary Doctorate from Central American Institute for Business Administration (INCAE), Speech of Recognition
INCAE, San José de Costa Rica, Costa Rica
"Every established order is as solid as the human beings supporting it. The honest and responsible attitude on the part of entrepreneurs facing important political issues like, for instance, environment and social problems, constitute a manifest constituent for the running of a market economy. To credibly stand for such a business principle demands comprehension, flexibility and the capacity to transmit ideas and submit them to public opinion."
Speech by Stephan Schmidheiny.
Available in English (166 Kb)
Earth Summit Speech
June 06, 1992
UNCED Conference, Plenary Session
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
"We found that the concept of efficiency offers a natural link between business excellence, environmental excellence, and forms of economic development which eliminate poverty and restrain population growth. We coined the term "eco-efficiency" to describe those companies - and those nations - which are able to add maximum value with minimum resource use and minimum pollution".
Speech by Stephan Schmidheiny.
Available in English (140 Kb)
The Economic Opportunities of the United States after Global Agreements on Environment
March 06, 1992
Address to the Smithsonian Conference
Washington DC, USA
"...sustainable development implies redefining the rules of the economic game. We must go from the current resource depletion and increased waste, consumption and contamination habit to one of conservation; and from a scenario of privilege and protectionism to one of just and equitable opportunities for all. Business leaders want to participate in the creation of the new rules of the game and will try to make them simple, practical, and efficient".
Presentation by Stephan Schmidheiny.
Available in English (132 Kb)
Environment and Development International Financing
January 05, 1992
Conference, Meeting of Prominent Public Figures
Tokyo, Japan
“The need to have healthy and equitable economic growth throughout the world, but especially in developing countries, continues being the principal barrier among those critical challenges raised by sustainable development. The most adequate and least expensive way of carrying this out is through the technological cooperation from enterprise to enterprise. This gives a strong boost to business development, creates a solid framework, stimulates capacity to generate wealth and makes these countries competitive.”
Conference by Stephan Schmidheiny.
Available in English (148 Kb)
The Entrepreneur’s Mission in a Sustainable Development Model
May 08, 1990
Lecture in the Environment Seminar
Technological University of the Helvetian Confederation (ETH)
Zurich, Switzerland
"There are two fundamental challenges left for mankind which will have to be solved within the market economy framework in the XXI Century. One is to find the road that will lead us toward an eco-compatible development and, the other is to find a just solution in order to guarantee an adequate development for the Third World."
Presentation by Stephan Schmidheiny.
Available in Spanish (156 Kb)