USCIB Delegation Concludes Successful Geneva Week

USCIB members and staff concluded USCIB’s fourth annual “Geneva Week” last week, strengthening lines of communication between the private sector and key UN agencies and missions. Discussions throughout the week focused on the role of business in UN80 reform, Innovation and IP, and International Health Policy. The USCIB delegation included member representatives from AB InBev, Cargill, Deloitte, DIAGEO, E&Y, Ferrero, FMC Corporation, Google, Johnson & Johnson, JTI, Microsoft, MSD, and Novonesis.  

The delegation visited UN missions from several countries including Switzerland, Chile, Brazil, Philippines, Vietnam, Singapore, Japan, Australia, the United Kingdom, and United States. The delegation met with Director-General Daren Tang and other high-level representatives from the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).  

Key events at this year’s USCIB Geneva Week included a meeting with Tressa Finerty, Chargé d’Affaires and other officials at the US Mission to the UN in Geneva, a Health Policy Roundtable and Dinner hosted by Ambassador Luigi Vignali, the Permanent Representative of Italy to the UN in Geneva, to discuss contributions of the private sector to addressing global health issues, and sessions with the Permanent Representatives of Australia and Singapore. 

The USCIB Foundation also held an Expert Roundtable on Business and UN80 Reform, co-organized with E&Y and hosted by the Fédération des Entreprises Romandes Geneve. The invitation-only event brought together 70 senior leaders from UN agencies, Permanent Missions, and the private sector for a forward-looking exchange on the future of UN80 reform, focusing on institutional alignment, system-wide efficiency, and strengthened public-private collaboration. 

Opening keynote remarks at The Foundation event were delivered by Finerty and Tomas Lamanauskas, Deputy Secretary General at the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). A fireside chat featuring Steven Gemmel (Microsoft) and Gillian Hinde (E&Y) highlighted the UN80 Business Pledge initiative, a pro-active private sector initiative to support UN80 reform through capacity building and partnership. The program also included two panel discussions addressing system-level reform and future pathways for more effective business engagement with the United Nations.  In his closing remarks, USCIB Vice Chair, Gerald Kunde, Ferrero, who served as Head of the USCIB Delegation during Geneva Week, stated that The USCIB Foundation will continue to engage with member state representatives to highlight the unique business capabilities that will support a resilient and impactful UN. 

The USCIB delegation concluded Geneva Week on May 1, meeting with officals from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the WHO Foundation, and then attending an information session with the International Organisation of Employers (IOE).