Spring is on its way, but let’s be proactive

March is here and spring is just around the corner. Fine weather to enjoy these fine conferences!

Foremost forums upcoming in March

• Wall Street Journal’s ECO:nomics Conference (March 2 – 4; Santa Barbara).  Program examines the business opportunities within the regulations and technologies resulting from global conservation efforts. 2011 conference will address the theme “The Future of Business and the Environment.” Read more.

• University of California at Berkeley Haas School of Business Women in Leadership Conference (March 5; Berkeley). Program aims to provide businesswomen from the Bay Area and elsewhere with information on career options, and professional and personal development strategies. The theme for the 2011 event will be “Redefining Leadership—Making It Your Own.” Read more.

• Harvard Social Enterprise Conference (March 5 – 6; Boston). Program examines philanthropic initiatives companies are taking to address global problems as well as strategies for implementing corporate sustainability and social responsibility programs.  2011 conference theme is “Sustaining Impact, Living Change.” Read more.

• Financial Times Investing in a Sustainable Future Conference (March 9; New York).  Event aims to provide representatives from the investment and business communities with an opportunity to “explore how CSR influences investment decisions and how companies at the forefront of implementing these initiatives demonstrate a concrete connection to shareholder value.” Read more.

• Economist Ideas Economy Series: Innovation (March 23 – 24; Berkeley). The “Innovation” installment of this Economist series aims to “expand and possibly overturn established thinking about what innovation is, where it comes from, and how to make it work.” Program addresses such topics as the role of technology; partnering with outside organizations; and necessary technical and soft skills. Read more.

• Skoll World Forum on Social Entrepreneurship (March 30 – April 1; Oxford). Event is described as an “annual convening of the world’s leading social entrepreneurs, academics, economists, funders and policy-makers who, collectively, are working to accelerate positive change in global health and environmental issues, poverty, water scarcity, conflict and more.” 2011 event will address the theme: “Large Scale Change—Ecosystems, Networks and Collaborative Action.” Read more.

Noteworthy conferences beginning agenda planning this month

• Bloomberg Businessweek Global Green Business Summit will begin agenda development for the program to be held on July 13 – 14 in Kunming, China. Event aims to “gather policy makers and international business leaders to examine and discuss proven green solutions, their practicality, and the impact on the economy.” Program will examine such topics as “Lighting: the LED Revolution”; “Bringing the First Generation of Electric Vehicles to Scale”; and “The Infrastructure Challenge”; while also placing a special focus on host country China. Read more.

• Forbes will begin solidifying the agenda for its Global CEO Conference, being held September 12 – 14 in Kuala Lumpur. Event focuses on current topics centering on the state of the global economy and world issues that most impact business practices.  While the scope of the program agenda is international, there is—as indicated by its geographic location—special attention paid to Asia-specific topics. 2011 conference will address the theme “At the Crossroads.” Read more.

• Globe Foundation will begin agenda development for the 2012 International Conference, being held March 14 – 16 in Vancouver. Bi-annual event is described as being “one of the most well-known and prestigious business and environment events in the world.” Program addresses such topics as the most recent developments in corporate sustainability; energy policy and climate change; and sustainable urban development.  Read more.

• World Economic Forum will begin agenda development for its Meeting of the New Champions, scheduled for September 14 – 16 in Dalian, China. Event, which is self-described as the “Summer Davos,” focuses on the “global overview of major economic, regional and industry developments.” The theme for the 2011 event is “Mastering a New Business Matrix.” Read more.