Growth & Jobs | NexxStepp Lifelong Educational Services hosts impactful leadership forum
Published:Tuesday | September 2, 2025 | 12:08 AMKeisha Hill/Senior Gleaner Writer
GLOBALLY, 76 per cent of chief executive officers believe their companies will not survive the next 10 years without serious shifts in environmental, social, and governance (ESG) integration. The urgency is not only global, it is local as Jamaica has faced 12 major climate-related shocks since 2000, with cumulative damages exceeding $705 billion.
These include hurricanes, floods, and landslides. These events are not just national setbacks. They are material risks to your supply chains, infrastructure, human capital, and business continuity.
Recently, some of the country’s most influential corporate impact leaders gathered at the The Robeson Center, at the United States Embassy, Kingston for ‘Catalyst Circle: A Private Corporate Impact Leadership Forum’ designed for C-suite executives and foundation heads who drive Jamaica’s corporate social responsibility and ESG strategies.
Hosted by Tishauna Mullings, chief social innovator at NexxStepp Lifelong Educational Services, Catalyst Circle was more than an event. It was a strategic intervention designed to help corporate leaders navigate the collision of global ESG trends, Jamaica’s Vision 2030 development plan, and shifting investor expectations
“We are entering a decisive decade. Globally, companies are moving from philanthropy to performance-based impact. If Jamaica’s corporate sector does not match that pace, we risk being locked out of capital flows, trade partnerships, and policy influence. Catalyst Circle is about giving our leaders the foresight, alliances, and courage to lead both locally and globally,” Mullings said.
“The aim is to encourage stakeholders to constantly pay attention to the national priorities and periodic reports from various national bodies such as STATIN, PIOJ and various ministries to stay abreast of the country’s biggest issues to remain need-based and impactful where the help is needed most,” she added.
Dennis Zulu, resident coordinator at the United Nations, globally the ground is shifting and sustainability and ESG are no longer peripheral concerns for corporate boards; they are defining competitive landscape.
“In our region, CARICOM’s renewed focus on climate finance, food security, and digital governance is reshaping opportunities and obligations alike. The green and blue economies are no longer abstract policy terms; they are investment frontiers. Those who adapt early will lead; those who wait risk being left behind,” Zulu said.
Jamaica’s economy he said is diversifying, renewable energy is expanding, digital connectivity is improving and the creative industries are gaining global traction. “The question is not whether the private sector will be involved, it is whether it will lead with foresight, ambition, and purpose. I reaffirm the United Nations’ commitment to working alongside you; to align your corporate strategies with global sustainability momentum, to provide tools and insights you need, and to position Jamaica as a regional leader in a sustainable, inclusive growth,” he said.
In supporting the initiative, Michael Lavallee, public diplomacy attache at the United States Embassy, said Catalyst Circle is exactly what strong partnerships should look like, with leaders from across sectors coming together to shape bold, inclusive, and future-ready solutions.
“The US Embassy is proud to support this forum because it speaks directly to our mission: building a safer, stronger, and more prosperous Jamaica and by extension, a safer, stronger, and more prosperous world. We know America’s security and prosperity are deeply linked to that of our partners,” Lavallee said.
The challenges we face he said include climate resilience, digital equity, public health, economic growth do not stop at borders. “They demand collaboration, and they demand platforms like this one, where trust is built, innovation is encouraged, and the seeds of collective action are planted,” he said.
Some of the organisations that participated in the forum included the Supreme Ventures Foundation, Trust for the Americas, Lasco Chin Foundation, VM Foundation, Petrojam Limited, Barita Foundation, Christel House Jamaica, United Nations, Red Cross, Youth Reaching Youth, NeurMinds International, Fellowship Tabernacle, Sagicor Foundation, JMMB Foundation, United Nations, Jamaica Red Cross, Supmasol Limited, Student’s Loan Bureau, Food for Thought Foundation, Sandals Foundation, and the Planning Institute of Jamaica.