African Baha'i Business Forum (ABBF) Launched to Nurture Sustainable Business Ethics and Moral Leadership in Business and Civil Society
An affiliate-member of the European Baha'i Business Forum, the African Baha'i Business Forum (ABBF) will be one of the first of its kind on the African Continent
Johannesburg, South Africa – April 12, 2010 –ABBF ( www.ebbf.org/abbf.html ), the African Baha’i Business Forum an affiliate-member of the European Baha’i Business Forum, an international NGO representing businesspeople across 70 countries kicked off with an inaugural lecture titled “Ethics in Business Decision-Making, Brand-Building and Globalization” by Dr. Iraj Abedian, Economist and CEO of Pan-African Captial Holding, the first of the ABBF's series on Ethics in Business in Africa.
The African Baha’i Business Forum (ABBF) aim is to seek and nurture sustainable business ethics and moral leadership both in business and civil society with membership open to everyone.
“It is very clear today that Africans are demanding new approaches and perspectives at work and that African leaders are more than willing to take charge of their future, to act based on ethics and moral values in business, while finding African solutions to African problems” comments Francoise Le Goff, Director for Southern Africa region – International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and co-founder of ABBF. “Everyone interested in exploring new paradigms for business is welcome to become a member of the African Baha’i Business Forum.”
As part of its quest to innovate global business practices and ethics, the ABBF seeks to draw on values inherent in African culture to nourish discourse across African business and civil society.
"From the localised world of Adam Smith, the ever-advancing civilisation has moved us to an integrated global economy with growing complexity and rising moral trade-offs,” explains Dr. Iraj Abedian. "The birth of the so-called ‘global village’ has brought with it a complex web of ethical challenges within the moral domain but also with origins in the diversity of cultures, religions and social practices.”
For more information on the African Baha’i Business Forum or to become a member, please visit: www.ebbf.org/abbf.html
ABOUT Francoise Le Goff
What started off as a volunteer activity with the Red Cross in 1977 in her home town of Brest, France, ended up as a globe-trotting career. Francoise Le Goff’s journey has taken her through Brazil, Chad, Paris, Geneva, Iraq, Yemen, and Albania, and for the past 10 years, back again to Africa (Kenya, Zimbabwe, South Africa), working in a number of senior roles. In January 2008 Francoise was appointed head of the southern Africa Zone, making her one of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies’ (IFRC) seven most senior representatives in the world. For more information ebbf.org/francoise_legoff.html
ABOUT Iraj Abedian
Iraj Abedian is the founder and Chief Executive of Pan-African Capital Holdings (Pty) Ltd. He was professor of economics at the University of Cape Town, before joining Standard Bank Group in 2000 as Group Chief Economist. Dr. Abedian obtained his BA (Honours) and MA in Economics from UCT and received his PhD in Economics from Simon Fraser University in Canada in 1993. He is a visiting Professor of Economics at Graduate Institute of Business Science (GIBS) of Pretoria University, Special Economic Advisor to Minister Susan Shabangu, Minister of Mineral Resources of South African Government, and serves on a range of organisations, including the Board of SA Tourism, Pangbourne Properties Ltd, and a member of the Advisory Board of the Auditor General of the Government of South Africa. For more information www.panafrican.co.za/docs/IRAJ_CV_NOV_09.pdf