Nobel laureate to keynote at GBASE2010

The event aims to bring the mainstream issues around sustainability in the business environment as well as green corporate social responsibility (CSR) in Africa.

"Dr Pachauri will definitely light up the audience with a presentation that will set the agenda for Africa's role in climate change adaptation and mitigation in the post-Copenhagen-era," said Sam Ooko, CEO of SolarGren Media, the green marketing and strategic media communications firm that is organising the event, at the launch of the website for the event.

"This will put into perspective how African businesses can easily adapt with a clear understanding to strategies that will bring the continent to embracing sustainable opportunities that the Global Green Deal promises."

The event website - www.greenbusinessafricaexpo.com - features a speaker faculty that includes Phaedra Ellis-Lamkins who succeeded the Obama Administration's Green Economy Czar, Van Jones, as CEO at Green For All; Yulanda Chung, head of sustainable business at Standard Chartered Bank and Professor Maria Ivanova, director, Global Environmental Governance Project, Yale Centre for Environmental Law and Policy.

Under the theme, "Sustainable business as vehicle for Africa's economic growth and social uplift", GBASE2010 plans to provide business leaders at all levels with insight on developing and enhancing profitable and sustainable business enterprises and practices. Peers and experts in the field will speak on the current and future green and sustainable opportunities for businesses in Africa while improving their bottom line.

Attendees will have access to best practice case studies, tools and strategies to help them address corporate social responsibility challenges. The three-day event (including an optional eco-safari) will provide an opportunity to tap into the knowledge of global and African experts and practitioners in the field of social, environmental and corporate governance issues.

Event attendees can explore the top issues that are shaping the sustainable business and green CSR agenda in Africa, while learning how to build sustainability toolkits and launch or enhance green initiatives in their organisations to spur Africa's sustainability.

GBASE2010 will incorporate the first CSR Kenya Awards facilitated by africapractice that aims to reward outstanding and innovative corporate contributions to Kenya's sustainable development.

"The awards will showcase and reward integrity, honesty and on-going commitment by Kenyan companies to incorporate ethical values, compliance with legal requirements, respect for individuals, involvement in communities and protection of the environment into their business," said Nat Kang'ethe, chairman, africapractice East Africa.

The awards will be open to entries in January 2010 and winners will be announced at gala ceremony on 3 June 2010, the penultimate day of the summit.

Online attendee registration for GBASE2010 opens on 1 October 2009.

For more information, go to www.greenbusinessafricaexpo.com.