Chapter Zero Southern Africa Background and Overview

World Economic Forum – Climate Governance Initiative (CGI) :

  • CGI was launched in 2018 under mandate from WEF in response to addressing climate change and consequences.
  • CGI capacitates and empowers business leaders to deliver sustainability and climate action through the enhancement of knowledge and skills.
  • CGI Chapters are active in 74 countries reaching 100 000 business leaders.
  • The CGI-Chapter Zero initiative is the most significant global business leadership climate change and sustainability mobilization program.

Chapter Zero Southern Africa (CZSA) :

  • CZSA provides a continuous learning journey for Board members and business leaders, providing access, immersion, and knowledge into the rapidly evolving global sustainability related developments critical to business leadership capacitation.
  • Delivery of the value offering is through a series of in-person and virtual learning events, curated conversations, newsletters, industry focus activities, and facilitated access to world class programs and toolkits.
  • Curriculum is drawn from global repositories of continuously updating content available through CGI and member chapters, ESG Exchange, and Thought Leadership partners.
  • CZSA was launched July 2023, and with an 18 month development window targeting accelerated value delivery to corporates and business leaders from March 2025.
  • The 16 SADEC countries position CZSA as largest CGI chapter by countries served.
  • Significant business leadership support for CZSA is evidenced by the prominent and active business leaders who serve on the Board and the Patrons Council.
  • CZSA builds on the CGI delivery model customizing for Southern Africa:
    • Focus on corporate Board and business leadership teams.
    • Orientation to the disparity between the economies of ‘Global North’ focussed on mitigation, and ‘Global South’ focussed on adaptation.
    • Curriculum enhancement to address the broader issues beyond decarbonization and net zero, through to environmental, biodiversity, water scarcity, climate justice and social inclusion challenges and opportunities.
    • CZSA strategy includes value delivery into the Public Sector.

Chapter Zero is an Enabler and Convenor of Collective Climate Action and a
Disseminator of Critical Information and Learning.