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Dear Partners, Associates and friends of GRLI
Whilst we've journeyed in isolation throughout most of 2020, we've lived and learned through it in solidarity. Not only have we connected virtually on video calls, chats, emails and voice notes but our shared commitment to ongoing and collaborative inquiry served us well in a year that offered more questions than answers. The GRLI's long-standing commitment to having a low environmental impact and high societal impact stood us in good stead during a time when virtual convening became the norm and when "what's important now?" became the question of our time.
Amidst these crises, we have been reminded that we're not alone in advocating for and convening and facilitating the development of global responsibility. The GRLI connects a growing landscape of networks, initiatives and organizations sharing our vision. Our participation and contribution in different platforms and events help us steward the landscape insofar as the global responsibility discourse is concerned. Some of the recent highlights included:
- At our 2020 AGM, Partners and Associates considered the fragile state of global systems - environmental, social, economical & technological - and concluded that our work of developing Global Responsibility is more important than ever. The current global context requires a variety of efficient "vehicles" that can navigate varying terrain and uncertain conditions. Strengthening and expanding the reach of the GRLI’s work through our governance and operations was seen as critically important in our discussion about taking care of the GRLI as vehicle for effecting transformative change.
- The November Deans & Directors Cohort event co-hosted with Antwerp Management School (AMS) convened more than 60 Deans, Directors and their learning partners from business, public sector and civil society. A dashboard with learning and insight from the Cohort has been developed to which participants are adding further ideas and initiatives alongside their whole person biographies. Deans & Directors who wish to contribute to the Cohort's learning next year are encouraged to apply online.
- Our participation at the IAOM annual conference was facilitated by Rob Widing and Chris Laszlo with a short contribution by John North (video excerpt here)
- The track co-hosted at GBSN Beyond on "Decolonising Business Education" benefited from the learning of our associate Alison Kemper at Ted Rogers School of Management, Ryerson who first raised the question at our 2016 AGM (recording of GBSN Beyond available to registered participants)
- Our participation at the Responsible Management Education Research conference focused on alignment of the RME landscape (blog contribution by Milenko Gudic)
The growing "What's Important Now?" dashboard on our website tracks the supporting actions we undertake in developing various pathways of GRLI's work. Through this we see GRLI becoming a live repository of learning that catalyses actions and gathers and amplifies the momentum needed to make global responsibility real.
Looking ahead to 2021 and the immediate future please see below for a number of "Read, Listen, Respond" opportunities. Some of the time sensitive highlights include:
In the year ahead we will continue to ask and hold questions to which there are no easy or obvious answers - but ones that lead to new routes and paths for the development of global responsibility. If you or your organisation wish to contribute to our ongoing and collaborative work I invite you to join the GRLI today.
Despite the lock downs, heartbreak, economic uncertainty, isolation and separation, the community working for the development of global responsibility continues to rise above what could have been insurmountable challenges for all of us.
We look forward to 2021 where GRLI will convene, facilitate and advocate through deeper connections, increased mutual support and continued whole person peer-based learning that realises global responsibility here and now.
With warm regards,
John North
Executive Director
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