8.15 - 8.45
Arrival & registration at the Royal Palace
Registration
Stockholm Royal Palace
Stockholm Royal Palace
On 23rd October, 2024, Global Child Forum, on behalf of Their Majesties, the King and Queen of Sweden, hosted an invitation-only global forum on children’s rights and business at the Royal Palace in Stockholm, Sweden.
This event was an opportunity for business leaders to meet in person to discuss one of the most important topics for society: the wellbeing of children.
The event had a key focus on how to bring a child rights perspective to influential organisations – delivering value to stakeholders, and building a better future for the youth of tomorrow.
To support this goal, throughout discussions and working sessions, participants were urged to join our call-to-action:
How can the corporate and financial sectors develop sustainable solutions that will benefit all people – and especially children, who have to live with the consequences of our choices as they grow up?
We’re living in uncertain times, and although many businesses are progressing with integrating a broad sustainability agenda, there is still an urgent need for the corporate sector to align strategies and operations even more closely with children’s rights.
The world is reeling from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine, as well as worldwide geopolitical instability and growing social division. With 2023 recorded as the warmest year in history – climate change is also a reality that demands our attention.
Now more than ever, children’s voices must be heard and their rights respected and protected.
This year’s Forum focused on two priority sectors that Global Child Forum selected due to their significant influence on children. These sectors have also been the subjects of recent in-depth benchmark studies:
Technology & Telecommunications
Food, Beverage & Personal Care
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Stockholm Royal Palace
Our ActionLabs bring delegates together to share their expertise and develop solutions to critical issues related to business and children’s rights.
What key topics were addressed during the 2024 discussions?
Join our call to action
At Forum 2024, we issued a powerful call-to-action for businesses worldwide: Listen Up! Engage Children as Stakeholders. Read our full message to companies and investors below.
Recognising the vital role that youth play in shaping our future, we urge companies to take concrete steps to listen to and involve young voices in their decision-making processes. This call-to-action aligns with the Pact for the Future, adopted at the UN Summit of the Future in September, which calls on governments and businesses to actively listen to youth and involve them in shaping the policies that affect their lives today and in the future.
By engaging children and young people as stakeholders, businesses can contribute to a more inclusive and sustainable future while addressing the immediate impacts of their decisions on the younger generation.
Why this matters: your business is their business
Children and adolescents are not just future consumers—they are key influencers and stakeholders today.
By engaging them meaningfully, businesses can drive innovation, build trust, and create products and services that truly meet the needs of all demographics.
Moreover, with the implementation of the CSDDD and CSRD in the EU, meaningful stakeholder engagement is now a legal requirement, integral to human rights due diligence and essential for assessing material impacts.
Our commitment: a community of support
We are committed to providing the resources, and support necessary to integrate a child rights perspective into their policies and practices.
To sustain your commitment and momentum, we plan to provide follow-ups and community support at least every six months until the next Forum, scheduled for 2026.
This includes:
Interactive workshops: Hands-on sessions to help you develop actionable strategies.
Expert insights: Guidance from leading child rights advocates and business innovators.
Case studies: Real-world examples of successful child engagement in business.
An opportunity to shine:
We’re excited to spotlight the actions taken by professionals and companies committed to our call-to-action. We’ll be sharing these success stories through case studies, giving you the chance to showcase your achievements at Global Child Forum events, and amplifying your impact across our social media channels. Plus, we’re planning to honour these contributions at our next Forum in 2026.
Take action:
Join us in this crucial initiative to ensure that children are recognised and involved as stakeholders in your business. By doing so, you can make a lasting positive impact on their lives and contribute to a more sustainable and inclusive future. Examples of action that you could take to engage children as stakeholders include, but are not limited to:
Get involved:
Attendees were able to sign up to this call to action during the Forum 2024.
If you would like to know more about our call to action, or what your company or investment can do to better engage children as stakeholders, please contact our team.
Together, let’s make a difference—one child at a time.
Secretary General
Global Child Forum
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Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade
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Chairman, Arabesque Group
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The Marshal of the Realm
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Youth Representative
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Head of Sustainability Research and Stewardship
AllianzGI
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Director Child Rights and Sustainability
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Project Leader
Boston Consulting Group
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Head of Group Sustainability
Telia Company
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CEO
Barilla Sweden
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Chief Policy Officer
Global Reporting Initiative (GRI)
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Marketing Director Central & Northern Europe, Wasa & Bakery
Barilla Group
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Professor of Human Behaviour and Technology
The University of Oxford
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Director of Child Rights and Capacity Building
Eurochild
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CEO
The Centre for Child Rights and Business
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Global Head of Active Ownership and Head of Responsible Investment (Sweden)
Danske Bank Asset Management
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Social Sustainability Manager
Ferrero
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Head of Sustainability
Tele2
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Youth Representative
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Youth Representative
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Youth Representative
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Youth Representative
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Youth Representative
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Youth Representative
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Stockholm Royal Palace
Read the opening speech delivered to Forum 2024 delegates by H.M. King Carl XVI Gustaf.
To the opening speechForum 2024
By attending Forum 2024, guests and speakers acknowledged and consented that images – which may include their likeness – could be captured during the event using photography, video, or other media, and used by Global Child Forum in its efforts to promote children’s rights and business.