In a landmark move to redefine how global industry prepares the next generation for a sustainable future, the United Nations Global Leadership & ESG Programme (UNGLEP) and Lenovo Group co-convened a high-level roundtable, “Industry for Good – MNC Empowerment for Global Youth Sustainable Development,” at the Lenovo Future Center in Beijing.
The event brought together C-suite executives from leading multinational corporations, heads of multilateral financial institutions, United Nations agencies, and top-tier academic institutions. The central mandate: to move beyond fragmented corporate social responsibility efforts and architect a systemic, scalable, and globally integrated ecosystem for youth talent development, anchored in the convergence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and ESG principles.
From Fragmented Initiatives to Systemic Impact: The “GEAR talent” Blueprint
In his opening address, Dr. Xiang Luo, Chairman of the Steering Committee of UNGLEP, unveiled the “GEAR talent” framework—a pioneering model designed to forge the next generation of leaders equipped to navigate the triple imperatives of AI transformation, Globalization, and ESG stewardship.
“The core challenge of our time is not a scarcity of resources, but a fragmentation of efforts,” Dr. Luo stated. “Sustainable development is fundamentally reshaping the logic of long-term corporate viability. We firmly believe that young people cultivated with a global mindset and anchored in ESG principles will constitute the core leadership force guiding multinational corporations toward sustained, impactful growth in the AI era. GYSCA is our systemic answer to this global need.”
The roundtable convened an unprecedented cross-section of global leaders. Representatives from Airbus, Panasonic, Lenovo, BMW China, Holcim, Walmart China, Accenture, Maersk, CMA CGM, Ant Group, Shein, Haier Smart Home, Goldwind, Xiaomi, BrainCo, the World Bank, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), CICC, WBCSD, and WWF engaged in deep-dive discussions on “AI + ESG Strategy,” the future of human resources, and scalable mechanisms for cultivating sustainable youth talent.
Industry and Institutional Leaders Chart the Path Forward
– Ms. Lan Gao, Senior Vice President of Human Resources at Lenovo Group, drew on Lenovo’s global operations to illustrate how corporations can deeply integrate youth development with ESG strategy through international rotations, project-based training, and innovative organizational capacity-building.
– Dr. Ke Fang, Director General of the Portfolio Management Department at AIIB, articulated how green finance and innovative investment vehicles can directly empower youth participation in high-impact sustainable development projects.
– Mr. Bingdi Zhao, President of Panasonic Corporation of China, explored practical pathways for integrating digital technology with ESG, detailing how young talents can leverage AI to drive tangible green-transition initiatives.
– Professor Yu Zhou, Director of the Organization and Human Resources Department at Renmin University of China, analyzed the co-evolution of HR systems and artificial intelligence, and its profound implications for reshaping sustainable career development for young people.
– Mr. Huiwen Wang, Vice President and Chief Quality Officer of Lenovo Group, showcased Lenovo’s “ESG Navigator” platform, demonstrating how digital tools can dismantle data silos and drive closed-loop, data-driven ESG management across the value chain.
Mr. DongSheng Wang, Chairman of Eswin Group, although unable to attend in person due to scheduling conflicts, sent a special message to the conference:”As a global leader in intelligent terminals and embodied AI solutions, Eswin Group is fully committed to supporting the ‘AI + ESG-anchored’ youth career development platform initiated by UNGLEP. We are pleased to open all our career opportunities to young talents around the world.”
High-Level Dialogue: Systemic Empowerment in the Digital Economy
A high-level roundtable, moderated by Dr. Zhonghua Xu, Vice President of TotalEnergies Asia, focused on translating vision into action. The dialogue examined how industries can systematically empower youth talent from multiple angles—industrial collaboration, financial support, organizational innovation, and talent-development models. Panelists included Dr. Min Tang, former Counselor of the State Council; Ms. Fei Ning, Vice President of Human Resources at Airbus China; Ms. Cheng Zeng, Rotating CEO of Career International; Mr. Dewen Wang, Senior Economist at the World Bank; Ms. Ke Zhao, Managing Director at CICC; and Ms. Jinli Yao, Chairman of Meijin Energy (Hydrogen).
The GYSCA Program Unveiled: A Global Career Launchpad for the AI + ESG Era
In a key moment of the event, Ms. Chunxing Wang, Director of Strategic Development at UNGLEP, officially launched the Multinational Corporation ESG Global Youth Sustainable Career Advancement Program (GYSCA).”
Positioned as the flagship implementation vehicle for the “GEAR talent” framework, GYSCA is the world’s first integrated talent development system to embed AI-readiness, Global exposure, and ESG-driven practice into a single, structured pathway. Built on a “UN Knowledge Platform + Corporate Senior Mentorship + Hands-on Training Ecosystem” model, GYSCA comprises four core pillars:
1. Specialized Industry Certification (UN-backed credentials)
2. Immersive Internships & Project-Based Training at leading global enterprises
3. A Global Mentor Network spanning Fortune 500 C-suites and international organizations
4. Cross-Cultural Global Perspective Development
GYSCA is designed to systematically bridge the gap between education and industry, connecting young talent directly to internship and employment opportunities within multinational corporations, leading listed companies, unicorn enterprises, and international organizations, while embedding ESG thinking into every stage of professional development.
Activating a Cross-Sector Ecosystem: Strategic Partners and Global Mentors
During the conference, UNGLEP formally designated Lenovo Group, Airbus, Panasonic, Goldwind, BrainCo, Haier Biomedical, Haier Smart Home, Eswin Materials, Eswin Computing, Towngas, and Career International as “Strategic Partners for Multinational Corporation ESG Global Youth Career Sustainable Development.” This marks the official activation of a global internship and practical-training system open to youth worldwide.
Simultaneously, the event hosted a certification ceremony for the inaugural cohort of UNGLEP Senior Mentors. Leaders and experts from finance, advanced manufacturing, technology, energy, healthcare, and consulting joined the GYSCA mentor ecosystem. This network is engineered to foster cross-industry, cross-cultural, and cross-generational knowledge transfer, offering sustained, systematic support for youth development through career planning, project co-creation, and international exchange.
Industry for Good, Action for Impact
Participants unanimously agreed that cultivating “GEAR talent”—young people equipped to navigate AI transformation, embrace global integration, and lead ESG-driven sustainability—is not merely a philanthropic endeavor but an essential strategy for building long-term corporate competitiveness, fostering resilient growth, and delivering on the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda.
UNGLEP will continue to deepen industrial collaboration, resource-sharing, and joint action with global partners to shape the world’s most influential, inclusive, and forward-looking youth talent ecosystem—delivering actionable, systemic solutions for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
