Faith in Action

The world is undergoing deep, complex and accelerated transformations, and neither government, nor business, nor civil society alone can address our common challenges. Religion, values and spirituality continue to shape the societal transformations of today - economic, geopolitical, technological and cultural.

As part of its Civil Society Communities and across our Centres, the World Economic Forum engages over 100 religious leaders, faith-based organizations, interfaith groups, multi-faith networks, and experts of religion from over 10 of the world’s major religions and spiritual traditions.

In partnership with key global faith representatives, experts and community leaders, the Forum has launched an insights report on Faith in Action. This insight report reflects on how global leaders are exploring partnerships with faith actors through eight faith-based partnership case studies – on the environment, health, resilience and technology governance – and considers ways leaders can explore meaningful cooperation with faith actors at a time of deepening polarization and distrust in societies.

Global leaders cannot afford to ignore the impact of religion and spirituality on today's interconnected challenges. Eighty-five per cent of people worldwide adhere to a religious or spiritual tradition, impacting how they define their values and participate in communities, workplaces and societies.

Faith actors, from traditional religious institutions to interfaith organizations to faith-motivated investors, are tackling common challenges through partnerships with businesses, government and other stakeholders, exploring original approaches to working for mutual benefit and avoiding "faith washing". Many business leaders are using their faith fluency to explore innovative partnerships with faith actors to achieve meaningful engagement and impact.

For more information on the Faith in Action community and related report, please contact faithaction@weforum.org.

David Sangokoya, Head of Civil Society Impact, World Economic Forum

Jack Hildebrand, Community Specialist, Civil Society, World Economic Forum

Gopal Patel, Co-Founder and Director, Bhumi Global; Co-Chair, UN Multifaith Advisory Council

Chris Elisara, PhD, Co-Director, World Evangelical Alliance Sustainability Center

Faith in Action Report Advisory Board:

Tariq Al-Olaimy, Co-Founder, 3BL Associates

Amma, Founder, Mata Amritanandamayi Math

Venerable Dhammananda Bhikkhuni, Abbess, Songdhammakalyani Temple

H.E. Sheikh Abdullah Bin Bayyah, Secretary General, Forum for Promoting Peace in Muslim Societies

Alexis Crow, Partner; Global Head, Geopolitical Investing, PwC

Rudelmar Bueno de Faria, General Secretary, ACT Alliance

Bani Dugal, Principal Representative to the United Nations, Bahá’í International Community

Reverend Mark E. Fowler, CEO, Tanenbaum Center for Interreligious Understanding

Rabbi Pinchas Goldschmidt, President, Conference of European Rabbis

Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO and National Director, Anti-Defamation League

Brian Grim, Founding President, Religious Freedom and Business Foundation

Azza Karam, Board Member, United Nations' Secretary General High Level Advisor Board on Multilateralism

Farhan Latif, President, El-Hibri Foundation

Brie Loskota, Visiting Scholar, Center for the Study of Religion and Society, University of Notre Dame

Martin Palmer, Founding President and Chief Executive, FaithInvest

Venerable Anil Sakya, Deputy Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences, Mahamakut Buddhist University

Bp. Dr. Thomas Schirrmacher, Secretary General, World Evangelical Alliance

H.E. Bhai Sahib Mohinder Singh, Spiritual Leader and Chairman, Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha

Simran Jeet Singh, Executive Director, Aspen Institute's Religion and Society Program

Meredith Sumpter, CEO, Council for Inclusive Capitalism

Sir Mark V. Vlasic, KCHS, KCEM, CBS Television Studies

Rodrigo Whitelaw, General Secretary, International Christian Union of Business Executives (UNIAPAC)

Joshua Zinner, CEO, Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility