Civil Society

Non-governmental organizations (NGOs), labour and religious leaders, faith-based organizations and other civil society stakeholders are key members of the World Economic Forum’s multistakeholder platform.

Civil society actors from a wide range of fields come together to collaborate with government and business leaders on finding and advocating solutions to global challenges. They also focus on how to best leverage the transformation brought by the Fourth Industrial Revolution and partner with industry, philanthropy, government, and academia to take action and engage in the development, deployment, use, and governance of technology.

The NGO community at the World Economic Forum consists of non-governmental organizations operating at the global and regional levels. Members of this community are active in a wide range of activities, including advocacy, emergency response, and disaster relief, service delivery, and research.

NGOs are engaged throughout the World Economic Forum’s activities, including annual and regional meetings, and the various cross-industry and regional platforms. NGOs bring deep experience and insight to multistakeholder dialogue and partnerships formed at the World Economic Forum on topics such as technology policy and governance, inclusive economic policy, gender issues, the future of work, climate change, water and sanitation, food security, health and healthcare, and the fight against human trafficking and corruption among others. Members of the NGO community are also integrated into numerous Global Future Councils.

Labour organizations are crucial to ensuring that economic policies are more inclusive and that workers’ issues are addressed by decision-makers. This is why labor unions and worker organizations are engaged in dialogues and initiatives on globalization, economic revitalization, environment, employment, and social protection, the global financial system, financial inclusion, the future of work, and sustainable production.

Labour Leaders are actively engaged in the World Economic Forum’s annual and regional meetings and summits, Global Future Councils, and platforms. Deeper interaction and integration have led to substantive involvement in a range of international governance processes and sector-led dialogues.

With 80% of the world’s population adhering to a religion, faith communities represent a powerful driver for transformation and change. The World Economic Forum recognizes the relevance of religion and faith to the global economy, politics, society, and individuals, and is keenly aware of the important role played by faith communities around the world in advancing society in an inclusive and sustainable way.

Over the years, the Forum’s multistakeholder platform has increasingly integrated the voice of influential religious leaders from multiple faiths, including faith practitioners, faith-based organizations and experts on religion, to contribute with their unique perspectives to the global dialogue and solutions to the most pressing common challenges. This participation has enriched the shaping of global, industry and regional agendas with dimensions of inclusiveness, sustainable development, human dignity, and personal resilience.

Popular movements and emerging voices in the civil society landscape

Beyond the traditional civil society sector, the global emergence of popular movements and individual societal actors addressing major challenges with innovative and disruptive models makes it imperative to include their perspectives. In its engagement with civil society, the Forum strives to include social movements, activists, individual rights-defenders, reflecting the breadth and depth of the civil society landscape worldwide.

How to engage with our community

We are always looking for new partners to join our civil society community. Civil society organizations and actors can contribute to Forum activities in several ways:

Contact
For more information please contact: CivilSociety@weforum.org