Global businesses commit to supporting education ahead of Dubai RewirEd summit

New York/ Dubai: December 9 2021: The Global Business Coalition for Education, the leading organization for corporate responsibility in education, announced that dozens of companies have committed to support education by signing the Education Business Pledge ahead of the RewirEd Summit in Dubai.

The announcement comes as more than half of all young people are not on track to have the most basic skills for employment by 2030 and the pandemic continues to exacerbate these trends with millions of the world’s students still affected by partial or full school closures.

As the digital divide increases education inequality and more employers are finding it difficult to recruit young people with the right skills for employment, immediate action is needed to address the global education crisis as a united front. Leaders from dozens of companies including Dell Technologies or SAP have answered the call and pledged to support public education.

“Young people today are facing the perfect storm: a growing education crisis, changing demands in the labor market, and economic uncertainty. We need all hands-on deck, including the business sector, to ensure quality education is a tool to overcome this unprecedented challenge,” said Justin van Fleet, Executive Director of the Global Business Coalition for Education.

Additionally, business partners, including Dell Technologies, HP, Hall & Partners, and SAP formed task forces to design frameworks for action to tackle some of the biggest challenges in education: harnessing innovation, improving youth skills, and mobilizing education financing.

As part of the RewirEd Summit, the Global Business Coalition for Education is encouraging more business leaders to adopt the frameworks for action and join the movement of companies dedicated to coordinated action in partnership with international organizations, governments and other education organizations.

According to Alexandra van der Ploeg, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility at SAP, “Businesses have an important role to play and can’t stay on the sideline. The RewirEd summit is a key moment to mobilize the support and resources of the business community in support of the next generation”.

van Fleet added “No one company alone can solve the global education crisis. Every company – no matter how small or large – can leverage its assets make a contribution. We welcome every company to joint his movement.”

The businesses are coming together as the RewirEd Summit, the first-of-its-kind global platform that seeks to reimagine the future of education. The Summit will welcome the world virtually and in person from 12 – 14 December 2021 during the Knowledge and Learning Week at Expo 2020 Dubai. Led by Dubai Cares, in partnership with Expo 2020 Dubai and in close coordination with the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MoFAIC), RewirEd aims to be a catalyst in redefining education to ensure a future that is prosperous, sustainable, innovative and accessible to all. According to Annina Mattsson, Director of the RewirEd Summit “including businesses in the discussion on the future of young people was essential from day one. They have the knowledge, expertise and resources to help drive much needed change”.