As global political shifts have given way to a new world order, the role of citizens, businesses and policymakers in the pursuit of progress on the green agenda has also evolved. The decision of the US president, Donald Trump, to withdraw from the Paris Agreement, and the subsequent defiance from certain state legislatures and multinational companies demonstrates the expanding role of individuals and corporates in driving progress in a globalised world. At the same time, Brexit is narrowing the bandwidth of European legislators, threatening to delay critical progress on policy. But with the effects of climate change increasingly apparent across the world, can we really afford to wait?
Does the onus fall upon businesses and consumers to pick up the slack where governments have failed? How can capital markets be reformed to price in the risks related to sustainability on a timeframe that reflects the seriousness of the risks and the urgent need for action? And how can collaboration between those with ideas and those with resources be stepped up across sectors and countries? The Economist Events’ third Sustainability Summit will convene business leaders, policymakers, scientists, researchers, advocates and investors to gauge the scale of the task, and work out how best to lead and encourage co-operation on the path to progress. (To register click on the link at the bottom of the page).
Why attend & agenda highlights:
- Reframing the mission: from responsibility to leadership
- Making the future present: counteracting short-termism in business strategy and investment
- Preparing for Brexit
- Making a difference in…policy
- Making a difference in…consumption
- The engines of change: technology and innovation
Attendees will
Network with leaders from business, finance and government Make connections with those at the forefront of the sustainability effort Join the global effort to create an inclusive and environmentally sustainable marketplace Shape the evolving dialogue on sustainability and share ideas
Speakers
Mike Coupe Chief executive officer, Sainsbury's
Ayesha Imam Chair, board of directors, Greenpeace
Christopher Davis International director, Corporate Responsibility and Campaigns, The Body Shop International
Eric Beinhocker Executive director, The Institute for New Economic Thinking, University of Oxford
Dr. Dagomar Degroot Tenure-track Assistant Professor of Environmental History, Department of History at Georgetown
Baroness Bryony Worthington Executive Director, Environmental Defense Fund Europe
Nick Mabey Chief executive and founding director, E3G
Daniel Franklin, Executive editor, The Economist Jan Piotrowski
Environment correspondent, The Economist
Agenda
March 22nd Thursday
9:00 AM Chair’s opening remarks, Daniel Franklin, Executive editor, The Economist
9:15 AM Reframing the mission: from responsibility to leadership
Corporate responsibility is a familiar concept to businesses working across all sectors, but where does the boundary lie between responsibility and leadership? At what point must businesses intervene to lead global thinking on climate change mitigation and sustainability? And as policy unpredictability continues across the world, can multinational companies provide much-needed consistency (and leadership) on these issues? 10:00 AM A tale of three cities City governments are playing an ever-increasing role in setting environmental standards across the world. In this session, the mayors of three cities at different stages of development will discuss the lessons that they’ve learned from their individual experiences, and opportunities for international collaboration.
10:45 AM Making the future present: counteracting short-termism in business strategy and investment
Although many accept the harmful role of human activity on the environment, the adjustment of consumer and business behaviour at a scale that could mitigate the impact of this falls far short of what is needed. This session will bring together a leading scientist, a historian and an economist to deliver a prognosis on the scale and immediacy of the threat. What will happen in the next five, ten or 15 years if we don’t act now?
Dr. Dagomar Degroot, Tenure-track Assistant Professor of Environmental History, Department of History at Georgetown
11:15 AM Pieces of the puzzle
In the first of a series of three short, sharp sessions, we will interview individuals working in different industries about the specific challenges that they face as they transition to a more sustainable business model, and how these contribute to the bigger picture. Christopher Davis
International director, Corporate Responsibility and Campaigns, The Body Shop International
11:30 AM Networking break
12:00 PM Changing minds
What is the psychology behind how humans respond to short- or long-term threats? And how can scientists use lessons from psychology to ensure that the urgency of climate change is effectively conveyed to decision-makers and consumers? 12:30 PM Strategy sessions: Reforming capital markets: A big failure of the market is that it fails to price in the risks related to sustainability adequately. As companies take on an increased role in global sustainability efforts, how do we reform the markets to reflect the necessary standards that would correct this failure? How do you make regulation more effective in enforcing standards, but that also rewards companies for their efforts? Is it time to admit that the status quo is not working?
Preparing for Brexit: The UK’s exit from the European Union is drawing closer, but much of its impact on the green agenda is yet to be understood. What will Brexit mean for environmental regulation, both in the country and the broader region? And how can businesses respond and prepare?
1:10 PM Working lunch
This sit-down luncheon is an opportunity for participants to network in a relaxed setting. Speakers and sustainability experts will act as table hosts, leading informative discussions that reflect on the morning’s sessions.
2:10 PM Pieces of the puzzle
In the second of a series of three short, sharp sessions, we will interview individuals working in different industries about the specific challenges they face as they transition to a more sustainable business model, and how these contribute to the bigger picture.
2:25 PM Making a difference in…policy
How can individuals and businesses influence change at a policy level? In this session, we will learn how to maximise the impact of advocacy and campaigning from the streets to the boardroom, with the goal of influencing change at the highest level of decision-making. Baroness Bryony Worthington
Executive Director, Environmental Defense Fund Europe
2:55 PM Making a difference in...consumption
In this session, we will hear from brands that have focused their efforts on educating consumers. We will also learn practical steps that businesses can take to encourage shifts in patterns of consumption, with the goal of moving towards a sustainable, “circular” economy.
3:25 PM Networking break
3:55 PM Pieces of the puzzle
In the third of a series of three short, sharp sessions, we will interview individuals working in different industries about the specific challenges they face as they transition to a more sustainable business model, and how these contribute to the bigger picture.
4:10 PM: Call to action
Participants will be divided into small groups to draft a list of actionable personal and professional commitments that delegates can pledge to achieve over the coming year. Progress will be measured, tracked and discussed at next year’s summit, and participants will be invited back to share the results of their work.
4:55 PM: Keynote interview
The engines of change: technology and innovation — A worker is only as good as their tools. As we close the day’s proceedings and consider the road ahead, this interview will look at the latest technological trends that have the potential to streamline efforts in sustainability and help to drive progress.
5:25 PM: Chair’s closing remarks
5:30 PM: Networking reception
The Sustainability Summit 2017
What does COP21 and the push for greater environmental sustainability mean for business? The Sustainability Summit will bring together key thinkers, policymakers and business leaders, who will deliver strategies, ideas and solutions to decision makers, helping them to turn challenges into new opportunities and prepare for the future.
Over the past two centuries, global economic development has often come at the expense of our environment. Ice caps have melted, forests have been flattened, noxious fumes expelled and species wiped out, all in the name of a type of progress that threatens to be unsustainable. In late 2015 at COP21 in Paris governments made bold commitments to limit climate change, but there is still much more to be done if their aims are to be delivered, and the election of Donald Trump has cast doubts on US policy.
The issue of sustainability is a multifaceted one, and cannot be tackled by policy alone; international business must also rise to the challenge. But how can businesses evolve and develop their practices to improve their environmental footprint? Is it possible to make adjustments that have a net positive impact on revenue? And what are the challenges that multinational companies face in implementing such changes across borders?
The Economist Events Sustainability Summit in London offered an alarming prognosis: adapt or die. In 2017 we will be evaluating progress and the scalability of sustainability initiatives, while asking the crucial question: what does the Paris Agreement and the push for greater environmental sustainability mean for business? Bringing together leading critical thinkers, policymakers and business leaders, the Sustainability Summit will offer strategies, ideas and solutions to decision makers, helping them to turn challenges into new opportunities and prepare for the future.
- Why attend/Questions that will answered:
- What steps can we take to break the prevailing short-termism which dominates the markets and begin to act with an eye to the future?
- How can policy-makers better address market failings and encourage a move toward a circular economy?
- In what ways do our current, global regulatory frameworks account for climate change?
- How can we leverage the capital markets and big business to create a more sustainable economy?
- Where should investors direct their capital in order to make the biggest impact?
- From source to shelf, how can businesses take better stock of natural capital and ensure resource efficiency all the way across their supply chains?
- Could technological innovation provide some of the solutions we need to deliver sustainable growth? And, how can we scale the green tech that already exists?
- How can we further the social components of the SDGs and create a more inclusive marketplace around the world?
Attendees will:
Network with more than 200 international leaders from business, finance and government Make connections with those at the forefront of the sustainability effort and discover new opportunities for cross-border and cross-sectoral collaboration Shape the evolving dialogue on sustainability and share ideas with decision-makers and innovators Get to grips with practical steps businesses are taking to scale-up action and create the swift change we need to realise the transition to a two degree world Gain a fresh perspective on sustainability as a value driver and differentiator for business and finance Join the global effort to create an inclusive and environmentally sustainable marketplace
Companies registered to attend include:
- A Greener Life a Greener World
- AB-InBev
- Abbott Laboratories
- Africa Water and Agriculture Conservation
- Almond Board of California
- Alstom Sa
- Aon
- Article 13
- Aviva
- B.N.P. Paribas
- Bain & Company
- Bank of America Merrill Lynch
- Barclays
- Barilla Centre for Food and Nutrition
- Bayer
- BBC
- bio-bean
- Black & Veatch
- Blackstone Porftfolio Company
- Bloomberg
- BNP Paribas
- BP
- Business and Sustainable Development Commission
- Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership
- Carbon Calculated
- Carbon Tracker Initiative
- Carbon Trust Ltd
- Carnival UK
- Centre for Synchronous Leadership
- Changeboard
- City Financial Investment Company/Cumulus
- ClearBright
- Climate Bonds
- Co-Op Group
- CSR Europe
- Daily Mail
- DEFRA
- Delta Lloyd
- Department for International Development
- Diageo
- E.L. Rothschild
- EAT Foundation
- Ecoved Technologies
- Edelman
- EFFEM HOLDINGS LTD
- Elanco Animal Health
- Embassy of Brazil in London
- Energy Institute
- Envac
- Environment Agency Pension Fund
- Environment Europe
- Environmental Defense Fund
- Environmental Finance Magazine
- Epworth Investment Management
- Ericsson
- European Commission
- European Commission, Executive Agency for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (EASME)
- European Committee of Domestic Equipment Manufacturers (CECED)
- Feed Algae
- Fernhay
- Finance Alliance for Sustainable Trade (FAST)
- Franklin Templeton Investments
- Global Counsel
- Global Trade Review
- Global Water Development Partners
- Globechain
- Goldman Sachs & Co
- Guardian Sustainable Business
- GWDP
- Hewlett-Packard Co
- HSBC
- Hutchison Kinrot
- IBM Corp
- IFAH-Europe AISBL
- Ilala Municipal council
- Impact Squared
- INCEIF
- Indigo
- Industry and Energy
- Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales
- International Business and Diplomatic Exchange
- Invesco
- IPIECA
- John Lewis Partnership
- Lenzing
- London Business School
- Long-Term Infrastructure Investors
- Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership
- Lyft
- Made in Africa
- Mastercard
- Met Office
- MicroFarms , FarmX , Root
- Minister of Labour and Social Affairs
- Ministry of Defence
- Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation
- Ministry of the Environment
- Mondelez International
- Nature Publishing Group
- Neals Yard Remedies
- New West End Company
- Nordic Capital
- Norwegian Ministry of Climate and Environment
- Novapower
- OFID
- OLIO – The Food Sharing Revolution
- Ophir Energy
- Oracle Corporation UK
- Oxbridge Capital and Hult International Business School
- Pathfinder Trade & Invest
- Pathway21
- PepsiCo
- Polecat Risk Intelligence Technology
- Project Earth Rock
- Qualcomm Europe
- Queen Mary University of London
- Retail Design World
- Retail Gazette
- Retail Newsagent
- Royal Bank of Scotland
- Safaricom
- Sainsbury
- Santander
- SBI Global
- Schlumberger
- Simply Sustainable
- Siyeh Strategies
- Sky News
- Solar for Life
- Springer Nature
- Stockholm Recilience Centre
- Sweco
- Swiss
- Synchronous Leadership Sysdoc
- Tetra Pak
- The Body Shop International Plc
- The Carbon Trust
- The Foundation For Science and Technology
- The Nature Conservancy
- The Rezidor Hotel Group
- The Thomson Reuters Foundation
- Trevi Systems
- Trucost
- Unilever
- United Nations Development Programme
- United Nations Principles for Responsible Investment
- University of Basel
- University of Iceland
- University of Oxford
- University of the Arctic
- University of Warwick Business School
- University of York
- US Business Council for Sustainable Development
- Vodafone Qatar
- Walter Scott & Partners
- Wellcome Trust
- Westminster City Council
- William Jackson Food Group
- World Climate
- World Green Building Council
- World Resources Institute
- WRAP
- Zurich
John Podesta Founder, Centre for American Progress Paloma Duran, Director, Sustainable Development Goals Fund
Mark Wilson,Chief Executive Officer, Aviva
Bob Collymore, Chief Executive Officer, Safaricom
Daniel Franklin, Executive editor, The Economist, Editor, The World in… Miranda Johnson
South-East Asia correspondent, The Economist,
Jeremy Oppenheim, Programme Director, Business and Sustainable Development Commission
Usha Rao-Monari, Chief executive officer, Global Water Development Partners, Blackstone Group
Agenda
March 23rd - Thursday
8:00 AM: REGISTRATION AND REFRESHMENTS
9:00 AM: CHAIRS OPENING REMARKS
Daniel Franklin, Executive Editor, The Economist; Editor
Miranda Johnson, Environment Correspondent, The Economist
9:10 AM: WELCOME ADDRESS - Moving from trickle to stream
9:30 AM: SETTING THE SCENE: Operating within the ‘planetary playing field’
First introduced in 2009 by a group of renowned scientists, the planetary boundaries framework identifies and quantifies nine boundaries under which humanity can develop sustainably. This framework has since gone on to underpin much of our present thinking, including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This scene-setting session will explore and explain the current thinking on sustainability. What does this means for policymakers and industry? What would a path towards a more resilient future look like?
Johan Rockström, Director, Stockholm Resilience Centre
10:00 AM: POLICY-MAKERS DISCUSSION: The politics of change
If we are to have a more sustainable future, governments will need to co-operate much more closely. In this session, we bring together global ©2016 The Economist Events – This is a confidential draft programme for the summit mentioned in this document. All topics and speakers are indicative and subject to change. policymakers at the forefront of these efforts. What are the key priorities? Which hurdles must be overcome to allow for better cross-border collaboration? What impact could Brexit and wider disruptions to the global economy have on co-ordinated efforts? How can policymakers better address market failings and encourage a move towards a circular economy?
Michaela Marksová, Minister of Labour and Social Affairs, Czech Republic
Lars Andreas Lunde, State Secretary for Climate and Environment, Norway
10:40 AM: MORNING REFRESHMENT BREAK
11:10 AM: VOICES FROM THE FUTURE
In this series of conversations, The Economist Events will identify key innovators driving progress across policy and business, either as entrepreneurs, policy advocates or researchers.
Gunhild Stordalen, Founder, EAT Foundation
11:25 AM: ECONOMIST INSIGHTS: Encoding sustainability into the DNA of capital markets
How do our current, global regulatory frameworks account for climate change? Do the existing mandates of key regulators and co-ordinating bodies explicitly include sustainability and address long-term risks? What are the principal obstacles to getting this regulation in place? In this discussion of EIU research, we explore the extent to which changes to financial regulation can enable climate change mitigation.
Mark Wilson, Chief Executive Officer, Aviva
Chair: Renée Friedman, Managing editor, thought leadership, The Economist Intelligence Unit
11:50 AM: THE BURNING QUESTION: Climate change in the Trump era
Following his claim in 2012 that climate change was a hoax created by the Chinese, the election of Mr Trump as US president in November 2016 was a shot through the heart for many environmentally minded people. But is such pessimism warranted? Will Mr Trump actually fulfil his pledge to withdraw from the Paris Agreement? What, if any, optimism can be gleaned from his recent softening on the issue of climate change? And how could US state governments mitigate the effects of any backtracking at the federal level?
Diane Regas, Executive director, Environmental Defense Fund
John Podesta, Founder, Centre for American Progress
Myron Ebell, Director of global warming and international environmental policy, Competitive Enterprise Institute
12:35 PM: ASK THE EXPERTS: Long-term strategy in a short-term world
Last year the Bank of England governor, Mark Carney, spoke about climate change as a ”tragedy of the horizons”, in which the tangible effects often extend beyond the lifespan of the actors and organisations involved. How can we break the prevailing short-termism that dominates the markets and begin to act with an eye to the future? In this forward-looking panel we gather a group of sustainability experts from different industries to look at the ways in which they have already begin to build sustainability into corporate strategy and to redefine long-term goals within business and investment.
Greg Lowe, Global Head of Resilience and Sustainability, Aon
Philippe Joubert, Founder, Earth on Board, Chair, Prince of Wales' Corporate Leaders Group
David Croft, Global environmental sustainability director, Diageo
Mario Abreu, Vice president, environment, Tetra Pak
1:00 PM: NETWORKING LUNCH
1:50 PM: AFTERNOON KEYNOTE ADDRESS: Water security
Usha Rao-Monari, Chief Executive Officer, Global Water Development Partners, Blackstone Group
2:20 PM: VOICES FROM THE FUTURE
In this series of conversations, The Economist Events will identify key innovators driving progress across policy and business, either as entrepreneurs, policy advocates or researchers.
May Al-Karooni
Founder, Globechain
2:35 PM: PANEL DISCUSSION: Impact investing for sustainable development
Capital is increasingly being used as a tool for sustainable development and not solely for short-term gains. Environmental, social and governance (ESG) policies are no longer just nice to have, but are actually starting to reshape the goals and fiduciary duties of investment professionals. A panel of forward-looking investors will discuss the effect that impact investing can have on sustainable development, and the key trends and movements they see coming in the investment community.
Steve Waygood, Chief Responsible Investment Officer, Aviva Investors
Kyung-Ah Park, Head of Environmental Markets, Goldman Sachs
Tom Delay, Chief Executive Officer, Carbon Trust
Mardi McBrien, Managing Director, Climate Disclosure Standards Board
Moderator: Krister Koskelo, Finance correspondent, The Economist
3:05 PM: VOICES FROM THE FUTURE
In this series of conversations, The Economist Events will identify key innovators driving progress across policy and business, either as entrepreneurs, policy advocates or researchers.
Benjamin Cohen, Chief Executive Officer, T-REX
3:20 PM INTERVIEW
Lewis Blackwell, Chair, Wildlife Photographer of the Year
3:35 PM, AFTERNOON REFRESHMENT BREAK
4:05 PM, VOICES FROM THE FUTURE
In this series of conversations, The Economist Events will identify key innovators driving progress across policy and business, either as entrepreneurs, policy advocates or researchers. Geoffrey von Maltzahn, Founder and chief innovation officer, Indigo
4:20 PM: THE WORLD IF...
What if businesses continue operating as usual and don't incorporate more sustainable practices? How could this damage their credibility with consumers? How would this alter the dynamics of the market? And how could this affect revenue in the short, medium and long term? We ask business leaders, economists and notable thinkers to consider three imagined but plausible scenarios. What would the world be like if?
David Dingle, Chairman, Carnival UK
Gordon Clark, Director, Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment, University of Oxford
4:45 PM: A VIEW FROM THE TOP: How sustainable development is changing business leadership
The private sector has an extremely important role to play in achieving sustainable development. Proponents of the SDGs argue that the Global Goals provide the private sector with a framework for advancing the world’s transition to a more sustainable, inclusive economy. Many leaders are beginning to elevate this conversation, looking at sustainable development not only as a social responsibility, but also as a strategic business opportunity. Drawing on the insights from the Business and Sustainable Development Commission’s 2017 flagship report, a forward-looking panel of corporate leaders will take a critical look at sustainability as a value driver.
Bob Collymore, Chief Executive Officer, Safaricom
Helen Hai, Chief Executive Officer, Made in Africa
Jeremy Oppenheim, Programme Director, Business and Sustainable Development Commission
5:20 PM: CHAIRS CLOSING REMARKS
Daniel Franklin, Executive Editor, The Economist, Editor, The World in
Miranda Johnson, Environment Correspondent, The Economist
5:30 PM CLOSE OF DAY ONE
To register for the Economist Events Summit 2018 click here (rates go up after November 30, 2017).
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