Trialogue responsible business summit urges companies to put people at the heart of social impact

The theme reflects a growing recognition across the corporate responsibility sector that meaningful impact cannot be achieved without including a range of stakeholders in the development process. When diverse voices inform strategy, the interventions are more relevant and more likely to deliver lasting change.

"Companies have made real progress over the years in measuring their social programmes and impact. What we now need to do more deliberately is ask who gets to shape the social strategy and programming," says Trialogue director Cathy Duff. "The conference is an invitation to reflect on whether we are including communities and beneficiaries, or simply delivering solutions to them."

Trialogue’s conference is South Africa's leading annual gathering for corporate, nonprofit and government leaders working in corporate social investment (CSI). The event convenes thought leaders and practitioners to explore current issues and will include discussions ranging from education and entrepreneurship to more inclusive and participatory CSI.

This year’s sponsors include platinum sponsor the FirstRand Foundation and gold sponsors Absa, the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA), MTN, the Vodacom Foundation and Wesgro. Volkswagen Group Africa returns as the conference notebook sponsor, while Standard Bank is this year’s nonprofit organisation sponsor.

Local thought leaders take centre-stage

Two of the influential South African voices presenting at this year’s Trialogue Business in Society Conference will cast a spotlight on values-driven leadership and shaping the future we want.

Shameela Soobramoney, National Business Initiative CEO, will open the conference with a keynote address that challenges us to reflect on whether the values guiding business decisions are adequate to the social and environmental moment we live in and whether those values reflect the full range of voices business affects.

The closing address will be delivered by Development Impact Fund and The Justice Fund CEO Lorenzo Davids. Recognised for his civil society work, Lorenzo will challenge how the nonprofit and corporate responsibility sectors think about money, power and impact at a time of growing social strain and deepening cynicism.

Conference topics reinforce development priorities

The first session of the conference will be a panel discussion entitled ‘Mobilising leadership, employees and partners around a common purpose’. Presented in partnership with FirstRand Foundation, the session will examine meaningful stakeholder engagement.

The second session, ‘Building futures: Pathways to economic activity’, presented in partnership with Absa, will explore entrepreneurship education.

This will be followed by a panel discussion entitled ‘Education, investment and the case for catalytic capital’, presented in partnership with Wesgro. During this session, speakers will explore how strategic investment in education can serve as a powerful driver of systemic social change.

The final session of Day 1, ‘Supporting the ecosystem, not the programme’, presented in partnership with MTN, will examine why lasting social impact requires a shift in focus from managing individual programmes to nurturing the broader ecosystem of partners, enablers and stakeholders that allow those programmes to thrive.

On the second day of the conference, delegates will hear how infrastructure supports early childhood education in the session entitled ‘Building the foundations: Why ECD infrastructure matters’, presented in partnership with DBSA.

In the second, Vodacom Foundation-sponsored panel session of the day, ‘Partnerships that turn digital access into meaningful inclusion’, delegates will hear about how genuine digital inclusion goes beyond simply providing devices or connectivity, and requires intentional partnerships that prevent marginalised communities from fully participating in the digital economy.

The penultimate session will see the return of the popular interactive funding sessions, where companies and nonprofits will share their funding criteria, fundraising tips and how they build strong partnerships.

About the conference

The conference will once again be held in a hybrid format, allowing virtual attendance.

For those attending in person, the conference offers opportunities for genuine connection. Structured networking sessions, exhibition stands and breaks allow delegates to build and deepen relationships with peers, potential partners and thought leaders from across the sector. Past delegates consistently cite these interactions as among the most valuable parts of the experience.

All registered in-person and virtual delegates will receive exclusive conference materials and sponsor-provided notebooks.

Masterclass sessions

Trialogue’s half-day masterclass series has become a highly respected addition to the conference. This year, the masterclass series will again take place the day before the conference, Monday 4 May, 2026. Attendees will have the opportunity to choose from one of four masterclasses. These will include:

• For companies:
  
• Trialogue Strategic CSI
  
• Trialogue Practical M&E for CSI

For nonprofits:

• Inyathelo Resilience and Resourcefulness – Beyond the Grant Masterclass
  
• Spring Impact Foundations for Impact at Scale – A Practical Masterclass

For more information about the masterclasses and how to register, visit the conference website.

How to register for the conference 

For more information about the Trialogue Business in Society Conference 2026, and to register, visit: https://trialogue.co.za/trialogue-business-in-society-conference-2026/