This event is organized by UN-GGIM Private Sector Network Americas and UN-GGIM Academic Network Americas.

Across the Americas, the geospatial industry is driving digital transformation, enabling smarter decision-making, climate resilience, sustainable development, and inclusive growth. The sector’s continued progress depends not only on technological innovation, but on leadership that is visionary, inclusive, and collaborative.

As the geospatial ecosystem becomes more interconnected—linking public institutions, academia, and industry through shared data and innovation, the need for diverse leadership—in gender, discipline, generation, and perspective—has become critical to innovation. Inclusive leadership creates the conditions for creativity, trust, and resilience within organizations and across national systems. It also ensures that the benefits of geospatial innovation are equitably shared, leaving no one behind.

It is well documented that diversity in leadership enhances innovation and drives better business and social outcomes. The UN-GGIM Geospatial Leadership Programme emphasizes that future-ready leaders must combine technical acumen with ethical, inclusive, and adaptive leadership skills. In this spirit, the UN-GGIM PSN Americas and the Academic Network Americas are convening this joint side event to explore how inclusive leadership can accelerate innovation, strengthen governance, and amplify the region’s collective geospatial impact.

Objective:

To highlight and advance the role of inclusive leadership as a catalyst for innovation, collaboration, and sustainable impact within the geospatial ecosystem across the Americas.

Specific objectives:

1. Highlight the importance of inclusive leadership in shaping the future of the geospatial industry.
2. Inspire participants through regional stories of adaptive and collaborative leadership.
3. Catalyze action by identifying tangible commitments to strengthen leadership diversity and inclusion across the Americas.

Expected Outcomes

1. A concise summary brief documenting keynote insights, panel highlights, and regional case lessons.
2. A collective pledge or statement on inclusive leadership to be shared across the Americas network.
3. Identification of future actions, including mentorship exchanges and leadership development initiatives under the PSN and Academic Network.