Partner Advisory Board Meeting 2025

On October 7th, we hosted our annual Partner Advisory Board meeting, bringing together our network of funding partners, board members and guests under the patronage of Their Majesties King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden.

The gathering, held at the Royal Palace in Stockholm, served as an important platform for strategic dialogue about the corporate sector’s role in advancing children’s rights. Their Majesties’ participation highlighted the continued royal commitment to this important cause.

Strategic direction and engagement

The meeting opened with remarks from HM King Carl XVI Gustaf, followed by a welcome address from Annette Brodin Rampe, Chairwoman of Global Child Forum’s Board. Ekin Ergün Björstedt, our Secretary General, presented the forward-looking strategy “Stronger Together,” emphasising deeper engagement with the corporate sector, enhanced visibility and sector-driven initiatives.

The meeting had several thought-provoking presentations:

• Olof Gränström, societal analyst, delivered a compelling keynote on children’s health and global development trends, highlighting both progress and persistent inequalities. He emphasised the need for systematic change and the unique opportunity for businesses to contribute through embedding child rights into core strategies.
• Lena De Geer, Senior Sustainability Development Lead at Telia Company, shared insights from the ListenUp! initiative, a collaboration between Global Child Forum and leading telecom companies. She discussed Telia’s work in advancing digital wellbeing and inclusion for children and youth.
• An exclusive preview of the 2025 State of Children’s Rights and Business Benchmark was presented, providing critical data to drive corporate accountability and inform investor decisions.

The presentations served as an opening to discussions about how our partners can support Global Child Forum’s mission to help businesses accelerate progress on children’s rights. The meeting concluded with closing remarks from HM Queen Silvia, reinforcing the importance of continued collaboration, followed by a networking lunch where discussions continued.