Innocent Drinks, Paralympian Hannah Cockcroft and Deloitte are among the names confirmed to take part in The Good Business Festival which is set to return to Liverpool next month.
The in-person event, which was delayed because of the Covid-19 pandemic, will be staged between March 22 and March 24.
The global summit was commissioned by Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotheram and will feature presentations, panel discussions, workshops and knowledge sessions at six showcase events.
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Mr Rotheram said: "I’m working to make the Liverpool City Region the country’s fairest, most inclusive place. Values driven, community focused businesses are the backbone of our city region’s economy – and will be the drivers of our recovery.
"We want to ensure that local people really feel the benefit from investment, with good-quality jobs, fair wages and opportunities to succeed.
"Our success as a city region and its reputation in the global market are guided by the principles of how we do business.
"We know that for our region to thrive, it’s vital that the companies based here are given the support they need not only to flourish, but to demonstrate good growth and positive values that will have a meaningful impact on our communities.
"The Good Business Festival has been on quite a journey since it was first announced in 2020 – transforming from a one-off gathering into a programme of virtual and in-person events lasting more than two years.
"During this time, we’ve invested in an unprecedented package of support to protect and grow the local economy through the worst of the pandemic.
"Conversations around 'building back better' in the UK started in our region, and The Good Business Festival is exactly the kind of project that will help us do that.
"I’m delighted that the festival will finally be happening in person, with a fantastic line-up of inspiring and engaging speakers and sessions and I’m looking forward to welcoming people, from our region and beyond, to help us debate and imagine a more positive and ethical future."
Day one will take audiences to venues such as The British Music Experience and Liverpool Town Hall, to take a deep dive into what needs to be done to tackle the climate crisis, reduce inequalities and create sustainable cities and communities.
Among the sessions will be three futurologists from The British Academy, Deloitte and Nesta predicting the trends of tomorrow and forecasting the societal direction of the next five years, while Torus and Peel L&P will address responsible regeneration as part of Places with Purpose.
Taking place in the surroundings of the Crypt at the Metropolitan Cathedral and the Liverpool Guild of Students, day two will focus on 'what difference our money makes' and delve into consumer insights and behaviour.
The programme will see a series of sessions in which market research global leaders Ipsos UK and brands such as TRAID, thinktank Fashion Roundtable and CoGo analyse how much ethics really matter to today's consumers, and whether the gap between what people say and what they do is shrinking or widening.
Health, sports, music and energy will take centre stage for a rousing third day finale at CONTENT and Hillsong.
Big Pharma will explore how working together during the pandemic has helped meet global needs in record time and examine how these lessons can be transferred to solve other global problems from the climate crisis to income inequality.
The final day will also take a look at the status of the music industry and what progress is being made in the energy sector, as well as showcasing the trailblazers of tomorrow, who've designed state-of-the-art systems to solve a problem in the world today.
