Explainer: Understanding Corporate Diplomacy

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In an interconnected and globalized business landscape, the role of corporations extends beyond profit-making. Companies increasingly recognize the significance of their relationships with various stakeholders, including governments, communities, NGOs, and international organizations. To effectively navigate this complex environment and promote their interests while contributing to society, many organizations are embracing the concept of corporate diplomacy.   Defining Corporate Diplomacy: Corporate diplomacy consists of developing and maintaining dynamic interactions with traditional stakeholders like governments and regulatory bodies and with diverse components of society. It involves employing diplomatic strategies and practices to effectively manage relationships, mitigate risks, and create mutual understanding...

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Leveraging the Power of the Private Sector to Revitalize Ukraine

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As we navigate the complex geopolitical landscape, it is clear that businesses are not only shaping our global landscape through their decisions but are emerging as new, powerful diplomatic actors. This notion, known as corporate diplomacy, is defined by Meridian International Center as “advancing global collaboration through effective leadership and engagement of the private sector to foster global economic security, stability, responsible business and global prosperity,” and it holds the potential to drive the reconstruction and revitalization of Ukraine’s startup ecosystem after the ravages of war. Corporate diplomacy had a watershed moment after Russia’s unjust invasion of Ukraine. The...

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Grand Synergy: The Private Sector and America’s Strategy in a Changing Global Landscape 

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By Hari Choudhari, 2023 FedEx Corporate Diplomacy Fellow The United States faces an unprecedented set of global challenges today. From Russia’s invasion of Ukraine to climate change and supply chain disruptions, American policymakers face an ever-growing nexus of threats. The Biden administration, in its first National Security Strategy (NSS), framed these threats within the two trends of strategic competition and shared challenges, both of which require the U.S. to put its best foot forward to ensure a “free, open, prosperous, and secure international order,” according to the NSS.    This is a central pillar of grand strategy, i.e., the alignment of means and ends...

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Ukraine: A Watershed Moment for Corporate Diplomacy

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Palantir Technologies Inc. CEO Alex Karp, in the white shirt, speaks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, far right, and other officials June 2 in Kyiv. (Mykhailo Fedorov/Provided)

By Ambassador Stuart Holliday, CEO of Meridian International Center  Today, companies are the new diplomatic actors central to addressing the world’s shared challenges. A solemn anniversary. February 24th marked one year since the unprovoked, full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine. Throughout the past twelve months, the response by the Ukrainian forces in effectively driving back the Russian advances has surprised leaders across the globe, none more so than Russian President Vladimir Putin. However, the effectiveness of the Ukrainian military’s answer to the invasion is not the only response Putin may have miscalculated. The solidarity of the allied nations in standing...

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Proudly Celebrating and Supporting International Women of Courage

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This post was written by Kimberley Fritts is the founder and CEO of Cogent Strategies. For her complete bio, click here. Cogent Strategies is part of the Meridian Corporate Council. It was originally published on Cogent’s blog.   Lending Cogent’s global communications expertise to 11 of the world’s most inspiring women As a female entrepreneur, I am thrilled to be celebrating Women’s History Month alongside Cogent’s exceptional team of female strategists and our fearless female clients. This year, our team has embraced Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day in unique ways. Cogent has been at the forefront of global communications, and since...

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