An interesting event in Geneva from  IABC Switzerland: 

Join the IABC (International Association of Business Communicators) in Geneva at 18.30 on 24 September 2007 for a speednetworking evening. Members and non-members are welcome.

Speednetworking is THE way to get to know people with similar interests to you. PLUS you get to discuss three subjects of professional interest. It’s fast and furious, and one of the most popular types of event within the IABC.

How does it work? First, you exchange business cards with everybody else attending. Each couple has two minutes to introduce themselves to each other. A bell rings, and you move on to the next person for another two minutes, and so on. Then you choose one of three round tables where different subjects are discussed. After 15 minutes, the bell rings, the conversation stops and you move on to the next table. It’s a great way of advancing your knowledge and exchanging views in a very short time.

WHERE AND WHEN?

Monday 24 September, 18.30 to 21.00, Hotel Bristol, 10, rue du Mont-Blanc, 1201 Geneva

Speednetworking starts 18.45

Fee payable at door (cash only): CHF 25 for IABC members, CHF 35 for non-members

For more information: email marcus@ferrar.ch. It would be helpful if you RSVP. If you have an idea for a discussion subject, let Marcus know.

COMING NEXT: Monday 22 October 2007, 18.30: Personal Branding: Bernadette Martin, Brand Strategist

Monday 26 November 2007, 18.30: Professional Development/Networking: speaker to be announced. And in 2008, events in Basel and/or Zurich.

Dear Genevacom community,

As we near the end of summer, we are starting to plan for the fall. We would like to organise another breakfast. But before we do, we would appreciate hearing from you. Do you have particular topics of interest that you would like us to cover? If anyone has a contact with an “expert” that we should all hear from as well, please let us know.

We are aiming for the first week of October.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Glenn & Patricia

An interesting conference is scheduled for next week:

THE ROLE OF BUSINESS IN RESPECTING AND PROMOTING HUMAN RIGHTS

When? Wednesday, 5 September 2007, from 8.30 am to 5 pm.

Where? University of Geneva – Uni Mail, Room MS160

Why? Building on the Global Compact Leaders Summit which took place
in July of this year, reinforcing Human Rights as the first
principle of the Global Compact and in creating momentum around the
issue of Business and Human Rights prior to the 5th Session of the
Human Rights Council scheduled for September 10th, this conference
brings together leaders from the worlds of business, multilateral
institutions, governments and civil society to discuss the role of
business in protecting and promoting human rights.

Participating organizations will include:
– International Labour Organization
– Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
– Ethical Globalization Initiative
– International Chamber of Commerce, Switzerland
– TwentyFifty Ltd.
– The University of California San Diego
– Department of Foreign Affairs Canada
– Burson-Marsteller
– Council on Ethics (Norway)
– Novartis Foundation for Sustainable Development
– Novo Nordisk A/S
– KLD Research & Analytics, Inc.

This event will be free and open to the public.

Register for the conference: online registration :
http://businessforhumanrights.wordpress.com/

Glenn

The Swiss Marketing Club is organising the following conference:

Are you interested why  the world’s biggest food & beverage company believes in ‘shared value’? Then come and join us for the next SMC conference: Nestlé:  The Importance of Shared Value in Building a Brand”

Speaker: Mr Paul Polman, CFO Nestlé

Monday 24 September, 19h00

Presentation will be in English, followed by a Question & Answer Session & Buffet

Information and registration on the SMC website>>

Glenn

The 2nd MScom Geneva communications forum is planned for September 10, 2007

Time: 16:30 – 20:00 hrs

Location: International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum, Geneva 

Theme: “Global impact: dealing with consumer boycotts and stakeholder ambiguity in an interconnected world”

Speakers:
– Astrid Gade Nielsen, Corporate Communications Director, Arla Foods, Denmark
– Professor Craig Smith, London Business School, UK
– Professor Harrie Vredenburg, Haskayne School of Business, University of Calgary, Canada

What options does an organization have when the reasons for a boycott are beyond its control? Increasingly, boycotts have very little to do with the products, services or actions of an individual organization. Instead, they are often related to the organization’s country of origin. American consumers, for example, decided to boycott French wine not because of any grievances against wine producers, but to punish France for its unwillingness to support US military action in Iraq. Arla Foods saw its products targeted not because of anything it did to anger consumers in the Arabic world. As a Danish company, it was held responsible for actions of the Danish press and government. While companies are under increasing pressure to manage conflicting or difficult-to-reconcile stakeholder demands – manifested by a growing number of boycotts – managers are still largely behind the curve in recognizing, justifying and developing the capabilities to do so. The MScom Geneva communications forum will bring three international experts to Geneva to discuss the various rationales behind boycotts, strategies for dealing with them, and the overall challenges posed by addressing multiple stakeholders on a global scale.

Cost:  The participation fee for this event is CHF 150, which includes refreshments and a dinner buffet. A reduced price of CHF 100 is applicable to all members of the Geneva Communication Professionals Group, IPRA, the MScom Alumni Association and SRRP

Register online>>

Thank you to those who participated in our event today.

A special thanks also to James Gillies and his staff for providing enlightening and at times overwhelming insights into the scientific theories of our existence. It was an excellent afternoon!

View photos of the event here >>

Have a great week-end

Patricia  & Glenn

We have over 30 communicators signed up for the visit to CERN in Geneva on Thursday 19 July. Here is some information for those coming along:

13:30 Meet at CERN reception, entrance B33. Directions to the building>> 
13:50 Walk to Globe of Science and Innovation
14:00 Welcome from Communicators Blog organisers
14:05 Introduction to CERN and Cern communication from James Gillies, Head of CERN Communication group
14:30 Walk to ATLAS experiment
15:00 Visit ATLAS with James Gillies, Dominique Bertola and Bernard Pellequer as guides.
16:00 Return to Globe for coffee with members of the CERN Communication group
16:30-17:00 END
There is parking in front of the B33 entrance for those who plan to come by car. Directions to parking >> 

If you are travelling by bus, you can take the number 9. Important Note: Please be sure to take the one that has CERN written on it as not all of them travel all the way to CERN.

For safety reasons, please do not wear open shoes (e.g. sandals) or high heels.

See you!

Patricia & Glenn

Dear fellow Communicators,

Due to unforeseen circumstances, we are postponing the excursion to CERN  planned for this Thursday 7 June . James Gillies of CERN  has informed us that the project is lowering a large piece precisely  on  the afternoon of 7 June, so access will be blocked for any viewing that day.

The visit  will be re-scheduled to Thursday 19 July,  14h00 to 17h00.  

If you are able to attend on 19 July, please register online here 

Looking forward to seeing you, 
Patricia & Glenn

The International Association of Business Communicators is organising a NETWORKING AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT EVENING

Monday 25 June, 18.30 to 21.00 , Hotel Bristol, 10, rue du Mont-Blanc, 1201 Geneva.  

Thanks to all for your interest in our CERN visit.  We have over 30 participants and must close the registration. For those who cannot make it, we hope to see you at a future event. Patricia