Now that the new year is ten days in, are you ready to really get it started?
Realized Worth is pleased to provide the following list of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and employee volunteering conferences happening in 2017. We hope to attend most of these events and learn from the best in the industry, so please let us know if you’re going to be there – we’d love to see you! If you’re curious about our personal opinions on the best and worst events, just reach out at contact@realizedworth.com and we’ll direct you to the most knowledgeable team member.
You can also easily connect with us via Facebook and Twitter.
You’ll notice this list only includes conferences that have at least one session or track focused on volunteering and/or employee engagement. If you’re looking for supply chain and sustainability events, click here. If you notice CSR or employee volunteering events we missed, or if you’re privy to updated details, please email us and be sure to include the date, location, and link.
Editor’s note: Most of the descriptions below are taken directly from their corresponding event’s website and do not necessarily reflect RW’s views.
Additionally, all fees are USD unless otherwise noted.
Sustainability with a Dash of Employee Volunteering
GreenBiz Summit
February 14-16 // Phoenix, Arizona
$2775-2875
“Sustainability leaders from the the world’s largest companies gather at GreenBiz 17 to explore pressing challenges and emerging opportunities in sustainable business today. The event offers a unique blend of presentations, workshops and networking opportunities framed by the State of Green Business report, GreenBiz Group’s award-winning annual research and analysis of key sustainability metrics and trends. Attendees return from GreenBiz 17 both inspired by what’s possible and prepared to immediately tackle their organization’s greatest sustainability challenges.”
Ethical Corporation Responsible Business Summit
March 27-28 // New York, NY
$1099-2600
The 2017 conference brings the best, the most innovative and most inspiring brands in responsible business to New York at #RBSNY – 200+ attendees learn how to deliver purpose for commercial success, the environment and stakeholders, including topics such as:
- Profit: Use sophisticated data to build a more effective CSR business case
- People: Influence stakeholders and drive culture change to make the right “sell”
- Planet: Accelerate progress through technology, environmental and supply chain risk mitigation
6th International Conference on Social Responsibility, Ethics and Sustainable Business
September 28-29 //Berlin, Germany
$TBD
“This is a series of academic conferences that creates networking opportunities for both researchers and practitioners to discuss recent insights on corporate responsible practices in the non-for-profit and for-profit sectors. The conference welcomes scholarly papers and practice contributions on the following topics: CSR and Sustainability, CSR and Business Ethics, Social Media and Grassroots Campaigns, CSR and Education, Communicating CSR, CSR Initiatives and Strategies, Corporate Governance, NGO Marketing, CSR in the Digital Age, Reputation and Crisis Management, Ethical Stakeholder Engagement. This conference is an effective platform for growth for early career researchers and practitioners and it fosters a strong professional and academic network worldwide.”
ICCSRSD 2017: 19th International Conference on Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainable Development
January 19-20 // London, UK
£300-500
“This event aims to bring together leading academic scientists, researchers and research scholars to exchange and share their experiences and research results on all aspects of Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainable Development. It also provides a premier interdisciplinary platform for researchers, practitioners and educators to present and discuss the most recent innovations, trends, and concerns as well as practical challenges encountered and solutions adopted in the fields of Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainable Development.”
International Conference on CSR, Sustainability, Ethics and Governance
July 26-28 // Perth, Western Australia
$227-772 (AUD)
“The event is one of the largest international conferences focusing on responsible business with delegates from over 40 nations expected to present their latest research and its practical implications for business, society, academia and politics. In a series of academic and practitioner panels critical insights from research and praxis will be shared in areas such as management, finance, tourism, and education as well as nonprofit management, development studies and other fields of interest.”
5th International Conference on CSR & Sustainable Development
May 9-10
// Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
$200-400
“The conference will bring together business representatives, non-government organizations, consultants, researchers, academicians, students and representatives from other elements of civil society to discuss a broad array of topics related to corporate social responsibility across the various parts of the world. Conference organizers welcome paper/case study/poster submissions from all disciplines on topics including but not limited to: supply chain sustainability, human rights and business sustainability, the role of NGOs and other elements of civil society, and more.”
Business for Social Responsibility 2017 Conference
Details TBD
“BSR is a global nonprofit organization that works with its network of more than 250 member companies and other partners to build a just and sustainable world. From its offices in Asia, Europe, and North America, BSR develops sustainable business strategies and solutions through consulting, research, and cross-sector collaboration. Learn more about BSR’s 25 years of leadership in sustainability.”
We look forward to more information on BSR’s 2017 annual conference!
Ceres
April 26-27 // San Francisco, CA
$550-1600
“Good governance, transparency, stakeholder engagement and bottom line performance are all hallmarks of a truly sustainable and profitable 21st century corporation. Across the globe, leading investors and corporations are accelerating innovative sustainable solutions that are building long-term value, while protecting the health of our planet and the economy.
Join us at the Ceres Conference 2017 in San Francisco as we hear from leaders who are catalyzing the biggest breakthroughs on these issues and recognize that, regardless of political headwinds, sustainability is the bottom line.”
Sustainable Brands Events
March 8-9, Tokyo, Japan // April 20-21, Istanbul, Turkey // May 7-9, Madrid, Spain // May 22-25. Detroit, MI, USA // October 30-November 1, Copenhagen, Denmark // October, Bangkok, Thailand // October, Cape Town, South Africa
Fees vary
“Sustainable Brands® events were founded on the belief that unleashing the best of our human ingenuity and innovation can change the shape of business, and with it, the world. Connect with professionals from different perspectives and disciplines in an optimistic, collaborative environment and create a shared vision of what is possible. Attend an upcoming event and learn more about past events by watching video highlights here.”
A Broad Focus on All Things Corporate Citizenship
The US Chamber of Commerce Corporate Citizenship Conference
November 15-16 // Washington, DC
$TBD
“On a daily basis, businesses serve as powerful forces for good around the world. From job creation to corporate citizenship initiatives, the private sector’s impact on society is enormous. Building corporate purpose has the potential to unlock even greater societal impact. A strong corporate purpose can unify a company and empower employees. It transcends business units to unlock the full potential of a company. It can strengthen supply chains and attract more customers. And if this sense of purpose infuses the entire value chain, real progress can occur.”
The US Chamber puts on a thought provoking corporate citizenship conference every year. We look forward to more details on the 2017 event!
2017 Shared Value Leadership Summit
May 9-10 // New York, NY
$TBD
“The 2017 Shared Value Leadership Summit will be held on Tuesday, May 9 and Wednesday, May 10 at the Conrad New York. We’ll be hosting for the fourth time in New York City and will feature a two-day agenda gathering more than 400 shared value practitioners. What can you expect at the summit? The 2017 Shared Value Leadership Summit will not only offer inspiration to the innovators who create shared value – but also the tools to get the work done. Expect to be inspired: The plenary stage will feature inspirational speakers who find business opportunities in social challenges.”
ACCP: The 2017 Conference
March 12-15 // San Antonio, TX
$TBD
“The mission of ACCP is to empower corporate responsibility leaders to improve the world and strengthen their companies. The conference will explore the ‘how’ of working across your organization and the ‘how’ of linking what you do to your company’s core reason for being. The conference features general sessions, learning labs, workshops, and The Masters’ Series. Be prepared to be inspired! Learning labs are 60 minute sessions that give you an opportunity to drill down into a topic in a small group setting and allow you to walk away with knowledge you can put into action.”
CECP 12th Annual Board of Boards
February 27 // New York, NY
Invite only
“CECP’s Board of Boards, a Forbes-named top three ‘power player’ event for CEOs, is a three hour, closed-door networking discussion. A benefit of being a CECP CEO, the event provides the opportunity for peers to discuss the business imperative for infusing stakeholder needs into core business strategy. Remarks from CEO Force for Good honorees inform a board meeting-style conversation. This year’s event includes first ever strategic investor presentations in the afternoon.”
Council on Foundations Annual Conference: Leading Together
April 23-26 // Dallas, TX
$199-1800
“Leading Together is the premier conference for the philanthropic community. It’s a rich, immersive, thought-provoking experience dedicated to exploring the essential role that philanthropy – and you – plays in society and creates transformational change. At Leading Together, you’ll learn, connect, and grow. You’ll mingle with thought leaders, industry pioneers, and more than a thousand of your peers from across the country and from all foundation types – over four energizing days filled with dynamic keynotes, sessions, and networking events. Plus, you’ll walk away with a renewed love for what you do – and what philanthropy can accomplish when we lead together.”
The 2017 Global Pro Bono Summit
March 7-10 // Lisbon, Portugal
$TBD
Since 2013, the Taproot Foundation and BMW Foundation have convened the leaders of the pro bono movement to share challenges and best practices among peers. The summit format and location change each year to accommodate the varied needs of attendees.
The 2016 Global Pro Bono Summit was held in Singapore and drew CSR and pro bono movement leaders from over 23 countries. The Summit challenged pro bono movement leaders to identify ways to increase their impact and hold each other accountable to delivering and facilitating pro bono work that drives social change.
We look forward to more details on the 2017 Global Pro Bono Summit in Lisbon, Portugal!
2017 Net Impact Conference
October 26-28 // Atlanta, GA
$TBD
“The Net Impact Conference is the leading forum for students and professionals who want to tackle the world’s toughest social and environmental problems. In addition to the 10 conference tracks, 100 sessions, and 300 speakers, each Net Impact Conference offers a whole host of special events, including networking opportunities, boot camps, offsite business tours, and impact workshops.”
We look forward to more details on the 2017 event!
CGI 2016 Annual Meeting
Details TBD
CGI’s Annual Meetings have brought together 190 sitting and former heads of state, more than 20 Nobel Prize laureates, and hundreds of leading CEOs, heads of foundations and NGOs, major philanthropists, and members of the media. Meeting participants analyze pressing global challenges, discuss the most effective solutions, and build lasting partnerships that enable them to create positive social change. To date, members of the CGI community have made more than 3,400 commitments, improving the lives of over 430 million people in more than 180 countries.
2017 Summit on Employee Engagement in Corporate Citizenship
June 29 // New York, NY
$295-495
“The theme for this year’s conference is ‘The Apex of Engagement’ and it will bring together CSR practitioners and other stakeholders to share the latest advances and thinking on employee engagement within the context of corporate citizenship. The Summit on Employee Engagement in Corporate Citizenship, presented by Charities@Work and ACCP, creates a space for corporate professionals focused on employee engagement, corporate citizenship, CSR, and employee giving and engagement to discuss challenges and seek solutions across these practices. Register here: http://bit.ly/2nHNEQw.”
2017 IAVE European Conference on Corporate Volunteering
May 8-9 // Madrid, Spain
€200-300
“The goal of the conference is to significantly advance both the discussion and the practice of corporate volunteering in Europe, engaging key thought leaders as well as executives and managers of companies committed to developing strong, high impact volunteer efforts. The conference will focus on corporate partnerships – with NGOs, with community and public sector organizations, and with UN agencies as well as company-to company collaborations.
The conference format is a mix of plenary sessions and forums. Plenaries are designed to present big ideas and provide inspiration. Forums are breakout sessions where participants share projects, partnership insights and best practices. For more information and to register: https://www.iave.org/euro2017”
Tried and True Events for CSR and Employee Volunteering
2017 International Corporate Citizenship Conference
March 26-28 // Boston, MA
$1595-2495
“The 2017 International Corporate Citizenship Conference is uniquely tailored to corporate citizenship professionals. The annual 2.5 day conference brings together industry experts and more than 600 CSR practitioners from around the world to network, learn, and grow. This year’s theme is corporate citizenship ecosystems.”
7a Conferencia Regional IAVE de Voluntariado de América Latina
October 18-20 // Antigua, Guatemala
$TBD
“Las Conferencias Regionales de IAVE se realizan en los años intermedios de las Conferencias Mundiales. Para el 2017, se ha elegido a Guatemala como sede de la VII Conferencia Regional de Voluntariado para América Latina y al Centro de Voluntariado Guatemalteco como coorganizador y anfitrión local para tan magno evento. Esta alianza es una gran oportunidad para que los líderes voluntarios de la región se reúnan y compartan experiencias, herramientas y conocimiento en temas de voluntariado. El evento se llevará a cabo en la hermosa Ciudad de Antigua Guatemala en octubre de 2017. ¡Empieza a preparar tus maletas!”
IAVE European Corporate Volunteering Conference
May // Madrid, Spain
$TBD
“Since the first world conference in 1970 in Los Angeles, IAVE has convened 22 more times in world conferences. Twice in that time, the conference has deviated from its tradition of meeting in even numbered years – in January 2001 in Amsterdam to kick off the United Nations International Year of Volunteers (IYV) and in January 2011 in Singapore in celebration of the 10th anniversary of IYV.
The structure of the conferences always includes plenaries with challenging and inspiring speakers; forums that dig deep into challenging issues confronting the field; workshops that are designed to present new ideas, expose highly effective practices and stimulate participant dialogue; and, ample time to meet informally and to learn about the host country.”
We look forward to additional details on the 2017 conference in Madrid!
IAVE 15th Asia-Pacific Corporate Volunteer Conference
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia // November
$TBD
“Since the first world conference in 1970 in Los Angeles, IAVE has convened 22 more times in world conferences. Twice in that time, the conference has deviated from its tradition of meeting in even numbered years – in January 2001 in Amsterdam to kick off the United Nations International Year of Volunteers (IYV) and in January 2011 in Singapore in celebration of the 10th anniversary of IYV.
The structure of the conferences always includes plenaries with challenging and inspiring speakers; forums that dig deep into challenging issues confronting the field; workshops that are designed to present new ideas, expose highly effective practices and stimulate participant dialogue; and, ample time to meet informally and to learn about the host country.”
We look forward to further details on IAVE’s 2017 conference in Malaysia!
Engage for Good (formerly The Cause Marketing Forum)
May 31-June 1 // Chicago, IL
$TBD
“This year, on its 15th birthday, the Cause Marketing Forum is getting a makeover. This field of companies and causes doing well by doing good together has changed enormously since 240 souls gathered at the first CMF conference in 2003. There’s still a huge way to go, but corporate social initiatives are becoming more longterm, integrated and strategic than the more promotional efforts we focused on back in the early days. In keeping with that evolution, we’re excited to share we’re changing our name from the Cause Marketing Forum to Engage for Good. It’s a brand that better reflects our mission of helping companies and causes succeed together by engaging consumers and employees in a variety of ways.”
We look forward to more information on the Cause Marketing Forum’s annual event!
PYXERA Global Engagement Forum: Live
April 4-5 // Washington, DC
Request an invitation
On April 4-5, 2017, PYXERA Global will convene an invite only forum focusing on specific solvable problems related to global health, agriculture, and economic opportunity. Join leaders from across sectors for two days of intensive collaboration to move the Global Goals from aspiration to achievement.
Companies and Causes Canada
Details TBD
“Companies & Causes Canada is an initiative of the US based Cause Marketing Forum. Since it was founded in 2002, CMF has worked toward the goal of increasing the number of successful company/cause alliances by providing business and nonprofit executives with the practical information and connections they need to succeed.”
Each year, David Hessekial and the Cause Marketing team put on a spectacular event. We hope to see more details on this year’s conference soon!
Volunteering, Specifically
Points of Light Conference on Volunteering and Service
June 19-21 // Seattle, Wa
$250-700
“Points of Light’s Conference on Volunteering and Service is the largest service related convening of nonprofit, government, business and civic leaders in the world. Each year, thousands of people who really care about the future of volunteer service convene in one place – to learn from, share with and get inspired by one another – to work together to increase the number of volunteers in the world and the impact of the work they do.”
CEV Capacity Building Conference
April 6-7 // London, UK
$TBD
“Representatives from CEV member organisations from across Europe will gather together with interested UK / London based stakeholders in April 2017 in order to consider the volunteering strategies that are needed in Europe and how to design and implement them. Workshop leaders will share their experience and practice together with participants with a view to building capacity and developing a best practice guide for use across Europe by governments, local authorities, volunteer centres, volunteer organisations and companies.”
HR and Employee Engagement
Your Workplace Conference
June 1 // Toronto, ON
$595 (through February 17)
“Your Workplace Conference is presenting innovative, cutting edge Canadian and international trends in HR. Designed to spark conversation and connection, this event will be delivered with the theme, imagine your workplace — what you could achieve if deliberate intention rather than unconscious reaction drove your business. This unique event will blend science with the art of implementation to improve the quality of organizations. Come and learn how to achieve high employee engagement and inject unprecedented productivity into the soul of your organization.”
The CIPD Employee Engagement Conference and Workshop
January 25-26 // London, UK
£395-845
“In a world where we are seeing an increase in remote and flexible working, it is becoming harder to engage and motivate staff. Organisations need to think of innovative ways to connect employees and improve the employee experience as a whole. With a variety of formats; this year’s conference will provide the tools to use technology to connect a dispersed workforce, create a value based company culture and improve wellbeing and engagement across a diverse workforce.”
HCI 2017 Employee Engagement Conference: Creating an Engaged Culture through Purpose, Connection, and Neuroscience
July 24-26 // San Francisco, CA
$1795-1995
“Engaged cultures are made up of fierce, change-ready people who drive innovation, and challenge the marketplace with products and services that connect directly to the customer base. HCI believes that to build this type of culture, organizations must clearly articulate their purpose and values and reinforce those values by recognizing and rewarding behaviors that further those competencies.
HR leaders need to rethink the behaviors we reward to ensure we’re not rewarding actions that don’t propel the organization forward. It’s just as important to understand the ‘why’ we recognize before thinking about ‘how’ we recognize.”
Employee Engagement Summit: Europe’s biggest employee engagement event
April 20 // London, UK
£595-1995
“The third Employee Engagement Summit to be held once again at the Victoria Park Plaza in Central London on April 20 2017 promises to be the biggest and best yet. The 2017 Summit will include delegate friendly interactive technology designed to encourage networking and full immersion into the day’s proceedings covering topics such as: Employee Engagement, Links to Performance & Profitability, Evolution of Work, Transformation & Change Management, Technology, The Digital Employee, and Reward & Well Being.”
Mental Health in the Workplace: Creating an Engaged, Productive, Mentally Healthy Workforce
May 16-17 // New York, NY
$1995
“As an HR professional or leader workplace mental health is one of the most important challenges you face. It impacts productivity, absenteeism, health care costs, employee engagement and corporate culture. This first time program will provide an essential forum and vital information on this increasingly critical subject covering topics such as: recognizing and addressing the impact of depression and anxiety in the workplace, creating a wellness culture, using the insights from positive psychology to create a happier more engaged workforce, using mindfulness to optimize employee mental health, addressing the issue of stigma around mental health, the impact social isolation can have on your workplace, and the role of mental health in fostering work life balance.”
Fun and Practical Events by Workplace Giving Tech Providers
VolunteerMatch Annual Client Summit
Details TBD
“VolunteerMatch, is a nonprofit organization best known for its web services, which aim to strengthen communities by making it easier for people to find good causes. The organization also partners with businesses to provide tools and services to help companies, brands, campuses and government manage volunteer programs and support corporate social responsibility initiatives.”
Each year, VolunteerMatch puts on a great event for clients and partners. We hope to see more details on this year’s conference soon!
YourCause CSRWorks: It’s Up to Us
April 11 // Plano, TX
“YourCause is a Software as a Service (SaaS) provider using proprietary technology to build meaningful connections between corporations, employees and nonprofits. We don’t let anything get in the way of innovating how connections support global change. See how YourCause got its start and what drives our future.”
Each year, YourCause hosts two fun-filled days in Dallas connecting, collaborating and communicating on how to make a greater impact in our companies and the world for clients and friends. We look forward to more information on this year’s event from Matt Combs and his team!
+Impact Conference by CauseCast
Details TBD
“Causecast is the leading provider of workplace giving and volunteering solutions for visionary companies who know that highly engaged employees are the engine for business growth and enduring social change.”
In 2016, CauseCast hosted the inaugural +IMPACT Conference where inspirational change makers, community impact leaders and employee engagement professionals came together for insights, advice, and networking. We look forward to another great event this year by Ryan Scott and his team!
Goodness Matters by Benevity
February 7-9 // Palm Springs, CA
Free
“Benevity is the global leader in online workplace giving, matching, volunteering and integrated grant management solutions. Some of the world’s most iconic brands rely on Benevity’s award winning solutions to power their Goodness Programs and corporate philanthropy, helping them attract, retain and engage today’s workers by connecting people personally to causes that matter to them.”
Each year, Benevity holds a client summit that receives rave reviews from attendees. Click here for an example. We look forward to more details on this year’s event by Bryan de Lottinville and his team!
BBCON 2017 by BlackBaud
October 17-19 // Baltimore, MD
$TBD
“Hosted by Blackbaud, bbcon conference brings together thousands of fundraisers, philanthropists, educators and industry thought leaders to discuss current trends, best practices, and outcome based solutions that help advance the social good movement. Whether you’re a nonprofit, individual fundraiser, corporation, foundation or educational institution, the conference offers unparalleled learning experience and innovative technology insights that will fuel your passion and guide your fundraising strategies to help you make greater impact for your organization and its mission.”
Causecast +IMPACT East Conference
May 15-16 // Washington, DC
$395-695
“Join your fellow professionals to shape the future of workplace giving + volunteering, meet nonprofit leaders, and see how to create strategic impact during changing times. Learn more and RSVP: http://bit.ly/ImpactDC26”
This list will be updated regularly throughout the year. Again, please do reach out to us if we’ve missed anything, or have not yet updated details you’re aware of. Thanks!
Realized Worth designs and implements corporate volunteer programs. Call us to discuss opportunities for your company, or email us via contact@realizedworth.com. You can also connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.