Business is the path to peaceful prosperity for millions on the globe today, but business people and peace activists often see each other as having nothing in common. What is needed are business people and social change practitioners who are capable of creating together much more sustainable models of nonviolent social change through new approaches to business partnerships across traditional divides of race, class, religion or other enemy divides. Through our program social change practitioners will get the business skills necessary to make peacebuilding ideas that successfully operate on a massive scale. Business people, for their part, will find that there are hidden markets and cost effective opportunities throughout the value chain that they did not think were in existence or accessible because of conflict.
Activities:
1. Create a mid-career educational and training program for business people and social change practitioners (A CRDC certificate in business and social change).
2. Create education seminars, webinars and podcasts, for business people and mid-career peace and development professionals.
3. Maintain active advisory board of business and social change experts and practitioners.
4. Create a fund for supporting business partnerships in conflict zones, including coaching, training, business development strategic advice, conflict management resolution consultations, and financial grants.
5. Conduct research on how to reform existing industries to incorporate conflict resolution practices in a way that transforms its operations and its effect on conflict zones from negative to positive in terms of conflict resolution. Research how the businesses can simultaneously be sustainable, generating profit and value for the key players.
6. Identify partners in conflict zones to help in research and implementation
7. Research best practices from related fields and business structures.
8. Teach courses on business and conflict resolution
9. Lay the groundwork for a dual degree in conflict resolution and MBA masters