The 2020 Global Listening Stage has engaged movement leaders in identifying the “2020 Generational Challenge” and what is needed to get the job done in time. Global Listening projects have included:

1. the 2020 Challenge Report
2. the Global Stakeholder Panel (GSP) Initiative
3. the Campaign 2020 Exploratory Initiative, interviews and convenings

The 2020 Challenge Report: Evolutionary Bounce or Crash?
by Duane Elgin.

This 1998-99 study, hosted by Union Theological Seminary, was the first official project of the 2020 Initiative (currently 2020 Fund). It drew from leading research and the input of over 20 respected researchers/commentators to describe the driving adversity and opportunity trends that are causing the evolutionary inflection poin humanity currently faces. Mr. Elgin used this research as input for his book Promise Ahead : A Vision of Hope and Action for Humanity's Future. An abridged version of the 2020 Challenge Report is available at www.2020Fund.org (under "What's New").

Donors included: Sam and Mary Mills Family Fund, Vincent and Anne Mai, Deborah Stern

The Global Stakeholder Panel (GSP) Initiative

In order to build a compelling vision and action plan for achieving the future people want, we invited leaders from non-governmental organizations (NGOs), government, and business to participate in our 2020 Global Stakeholder Panel. A series of quantitative surveys of the Panel were used to identify priorities, explore possible solutions and develop broadly supported action plans. At every stage, results were widely communicated to encourage ever-greater involvement and to influence global debate and action.

The GSP created a strategic global research and communications infrastructure to help guide decision makers into the future. It brought together leaders from philanthropy, NGOs, business, and government from all regions of world to identify what we need to achieve the world we want. A structured and quantifiable Delphi-like survey methodology was employed. Undertaken in alliance with Globescan Research, Toronto, Canada.

Donor Circle includes: Sam and Mary Mills Family Fund, International Development and Research Centre, King Baudouin Foundation (Belgium), Mott Foundation, Rockefeller Foundation, Dow Canada.

Participating Major Networks/Organizations include, for example: Civicus, Ashoka, Synergos, Leadership for Environment and Development (LEAD), World Social Forum Organizing Committee, World Economic Forum's Global Leaders for Tomorrow, Business for Social Responsibility, Union of International Associations, World Federation of UN Associations, International Federation of Planned Parenthoods, International Confederation of Trade Unionists, and others.

Campaign 2020 Exploratory Initiative

The 2020 Fund entered a structured discovery process regarding the creation of a visionary, unifying impetus and infrastructure to ensure we get to a "sustainable" planet. This initiative included structured interviews and stakeholder convenings. The process tested an organizing concept for a campaign construct to achieve critical acceleration to Sustainable Development. It proposed an alliance-based social enterprise designed to launch a Kennedy-style ‘moonshot’ initiative to achieve a sustainable planet.  The alliance would comprise lead businesses and not-for-profit organizations providing capacities in constituency/network organizing, research, management, cause/social marketing, traditional and venture capital (philanthropic and commercial), technology, finance, communications, and conferencing capacities.  

The organizing concept builds on key findings from the 2020 Global Stakeholder Panel for a globally coordinated initiative involving social marketing to promote SD.

Donors: Mills Family Fund, GlobeScan Incorporated, Rockefeller Brothers Fund (Presidential Discretionary Grant).