Following the arrival of large numbers of migrants and asylum seekers in Europe from 2015 onwards, many non-traditional actors—from tech start-ups to social enterprises—have pioneered innovative solutions to foster the social and economic inclusion of newcomers. In the context of this experimentation, business has played a fundamental role, with companies on both sides of the Atlantic leveraging their potential as employers, donors, and partners in innovative alliances. This two-day conference reflected on how innovative initiatives for refugee inclusion can grow beyond pockets of good practice and inspire large-scale, long-term change. The event brought together a diverse group of public officials, business leaders, service designers, social entrepreneurs, civil society organisations, and refugee initiatives from Europe, the United States, and Canada.

This panel is entitled "Business, not as usual: Private sector innovation for refugee inclusion”, and the speakers are:

Chair: Irini Pari, European Economic and Social Committee

Pastora Valero, Vice President, Government Affairs, EMEAR, Cisco

Justina Spencer, Manager, Global Corporate Responsibility, Deloitte

Samuel Engblom, Policy Director, TCO Swedish Confederation for Professional Employees, Sweden

Kavita Brahmbhatt, Co-founder, Action Emploi Réfugiés, France