With the COVID-19 pandemic, Black Lives Matter protests, and the ongoing climate crisis there are many disruptions not only in today’s world, but also in the way we do business. Many are left wondering how all these crises can be happening simultaneously.
The answer is that they are all connected and that we are all connected as well.
Lise Kingo, Former Executive Director of the UN Global Compact, addressed this interconnectedness on Monday, June 15, on her last day in her role as Executive Director before stepping down.
Kingo said: “The human community is completely interconnected and interdependent…Without solidarity, especially with those most vulnerable among us, we all lose. We are paying the price for turning a blind eye to obvious injustices in the world.”
It is this interconnectedness that generated an international reaction to the killing of George Floyd. The response from the United Nations included an op-ed written by twenty senior leaders who are African or of African descent. As well as a rare “urgent debate” focused on systemic racism, police brutality and violence against peaceful protests hosted by the UN Human Rights Council on June 17.
It is this interconnectedness that will help us address ongoing and future crises. As UN Secretary-General, António Guterres said “today, the fabric of society and the wellbeing of people hinge on our ability to build a fair globalization.”