Leadership forums don’t take vacation!

Most folks start thinking of vacation time in July, or at least a day or two at the beach. Hah! Little do they know what they are missing at these excellent conferences coming up this month!

Foremost forums upcoming

• INSEAD Global Business Leaders Conference (July 6; Paris). Event brings together academics and business executives with an aim of providing “valuable global perspectives and validation on how to approach business and economic growth.” Program addresses such topics as the vision for higher education and the role of international education; current economic and social trends; and investment in human capital. Read more.

• Conference Board Corporate Community Involvement Conference (July 18 – 20; Boston). Conference aims to provide “best practices in corporate community involvement” and networking opportunities with the country’s top corporate contributions executives and grantmakers. Program addresses such topics as social media; managing a global philanthropy program; and legal issues for corporate programs. Read more.

• National Urban League Annual Conference (July 25 – 28; New Orleans). Event aims to address “the most critical issues confronting African Americans and urban communities and to strategize about empowering solutions.” Program addresses issues such as legislative priorities; strategies and solutions for education reform; and urban revitalization.

• World Future Society Annual Conference (July 27 – 29; Toronto). Conference is described as “bringing together futurists from around the world to share ideas and vital information about the trends and events that will affect the world tomorrow.” 2012 agenda will focus on six topic areas: Science/technology; commerce; earth; humanity; governance; and futuring.

Noteworthy conferences beginning agenda planning this month

• Boston College Center for Corporate Citizenship will begin agenda development for its International Corporate Citizenship Conference being held April 21 – 23, 2013 in Boston. Event examines challenges, strategies and best practices for managing corporate citizenship in companies worldwide. Representative topics include: How can corporate citizenship accelerate the growth of new business opportunities; and how can the value of corporate citizenship be measured and communicated.

• Illinois Institute of Technology has issued a call for papers for its Business Innovation Conference taking place October 15 – 17, 2012 in Wheaton, IL, with a proposal submission deadline of July 31, 2012. Conference is self-described as “a premier educational and networking event bringing together leading innovation experts and practitioners from business, academia and government to exchange experiences and explore and learn the science of innovation.” Event aims to help attendees “raise [their] understanding of the innovation process and tools to the next level; discover how to sustain profitable growth and innovate more efficiently; [and] learn to master innovation to become a continual thinker, capable of innovating on demand for mass customization.” Program examines the role of innovation in such areas as leadership, government, healthcare, education, energy and manufacturing; as well as barriers to innovation; innovation for creating jobs; and protecting innovation.