There has been a step change in attitudes towards sustainability as CEOs increasingly view it as a driver of value-creation rather than a reporting burden. John shares his top tips for Boards and CEOs to achieve Sustainability 2.0 and lead a truly sustainable and successful business
Autumn 2024 Agenda
8:50am
OPENING ADDRESS:
Faster Than Forecast: Thoughts on the Climate Crisis
The big picture policy developments
9:05am
The Green Deal and beyond: A business agenda for a sustainable, competitive resilient Europe
Director, Strategic Perspectives, Brussels
9:25am
From circular start-ups to SMEs: Learn how Irish businesses are being circular
From compliance to value creation
9:40am
KEYNOTE ADDRESS:
Business evolution: From doing sustainability to being sustainable
Sustainability Consultant, The Environmental Edge
9:55am
The CSRD in action: Challenges and opportunities of implementing sustainability reporting in corporate Ireland
Partner & Sustainability Services Lead, EY
Sustainable Investment
10:10am
FIRESIDE CHAT:
Understanding evolving sustainable investment regulations in Europe
The regulatory landscape in Europe is changing. For investors, new and revised regulations are going to demand considerable changes to how they make and manage sustainable investments. Where are the opportunities and risks? What kinds of data will investors be expected to handle, and how can they remain compliant while continuing to grow returns?Â
Senior Policy Advisor, Eurosif - European Sustainable Investment Forum
10:30am
PANEL DISCUSSION:
Sustainable Investment: Financing’s role in sustainable business transformation
Our panel shares insights into best practices, and actionable steps to foster an investment environment that supports global sustainability goals. What are the driving factors for sustainable investment? What kind of sustainable investment is possible? Are what are good examples?
Director, Ethico
Investment Director, Sustainable and Responsible Investment · National Treasury Management Agency, Chair of CDP Ireland Network
Head of Responsible Investing, KPI Global Investors
11:00am
Networking Coffee Break & Exhibition Viewing
Stream 1: Reporting your ESG Impact
11:35am
SPOTLIGHT ON DOUBLE MATERIALITY:
Laying the foundations: Start your CSRD implementation journey with a double materiality assessment
Professional Accountancy Lead, Chartered Accountants Ireland
11:50am
CASE STUDY
Engaging your supply chain to drive decarbonisation together
Working collaboratively to establish sustainable supply chains is vital to the transition to a net zero economy. Learn how the All-Ireland Climate Action Pilot Programme led by Business in the Community Ireland together with Bank of Ireland, SSE and Musgrave helped upskill a sample of their SME’s in carbon literacy, carbon calculation and also explored how large companies can collaborate to support the decarbonisation of their supply chains. Hear how Bank of Ireland, through this programme, is supporting its SMEs to decarbonise.
Sustainability Director, Corporate & Commercial Banking, Bank of Ireland
12:05pm
SPOTLIGHT ON PROCUREMENT:
Louise and Sarah discuss integrating sustainability into procurement systems and processes
Head of Procurement, An Post
Procurement Manager, FuturEnergy Ireland Development DAC
12:25pm
FIRESIDE CHAT:
Overcoming the challenges of reporting Scope 3 GHG emissions across the supply chain
- Understanding Scope 3 emissions and the associated challenges
- The importance of collaboration and transparent reporting
- The commercial importance of suppliers engaging in ESG reporting
- Engaging and communicating reporting requirements with suppliers
- Optimising logistics and reducing waste and emissions
- Best practices for setting and monitoring emission reduction targets within the supply chain
Group Head of Sustainability, Mannok
Co-founder, Sustain IQ
12:40pm
FIRESIDE CHAT:
How business owners can apply the circular economy model to their company and supply chains
CEO & Founder, Novelplast
Director of Growth & Sustainability, Industry Research & Development Group (IRDG)
Stream 2: Leading the Net Zero transformation
11:35am
Why developing the sustainability skills and competencies of employees is a key driver of enterprise transformation
- The sustainability skills gaps
- The importance of knowing your environmental impacts, risks and opportunities
- The key skills for a sustainable future
11:50am
FIRESIDE CHAT:
The critical role of CFOs in sustainability leadership
How can finance and sustainability departments collaborate to ensure the accuracy and transparency of ESG reporting? Is it time to consider merging the two?
CFO, Glenveagh Homes
12:05pm
Beyond Value Chain Mitigation: Transformation Pathways to Net Zero
- The problem with scopes 1, 2 and 3
- Reporting on impacts beyond the value chain
- Credible transition planning
Head of Sustainability Services, Antaris Consulting
12:20pm
From compliance to climate leadership: Using CSRD ESRS E1 to power your Net Zero ambitions
Discussion is led by Caroline Geoghegan
Managing Director, EcoVerify
Founder & CEO, CG Business Consulting
Director, KORE Insulation & KORE Retrofit
12:40pm
PANEL DISCUSSION:
Making sustainability everyone’s business
- Sharing sustainability information across the business: the importance of communicating climate strategy and performance
- Keeping the Board and senior management up to date on key issues and performance
- Raising the visibility of key issues to wider stakeholders in investment community, regulators, supplier, customers and the wider public
Global Strategist and Sustainability Consultant
Chief Product Officer, Change by Degrees
Head of ESG Partnerships & Strategy, Tirlán
STREAM 3:
11:50am
AI for Sustainability: Tackling the ESG Data ChallengeÂ
Navigating the complexities of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) data collection, tracking, and assurance is a significant challenge, especially with the new Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) requirements. While 85% of companies recognize the need for IT transformation to achieve CSRD compliance, only 14% of Irish companies have implemented a comprehensive value chain reporting system.
Join us for a presentation on how AI-powered software can help you address your ESG data challenges to meet regulatory requirements, respond effectively to investor and customer demands, and position your organization as a strategic leader in sustainability.
CEO, Mavarick AI
12:10pm
Regulation, Readiness and Reality: How prepared is your organisation to respond to evolving compliance requirements?
Chief Commercial Officer, Future Planet
12:25pm
PANEL DISCUSSION:
Supporting the decarbonisation journey with data and technology
- How to automate and streamline your ESG data collectionÂ
- How AI and machine learning can help with ESG reporting, monitoring emissions, managing third parties and accelerating your journey to Net ZeroÂ
- How compliance can drive impactful sustainable performanceÂ
- Risks and opportunities around Generative AI and its environmental impacts
- The role of governance around data and AI: What your board should be doing from creating policies, risk assessments and regulatory compliance to monitoring, reporting and managing third parties
Partner & Sustainability Technology Lead, EY
Director Consultant, Regionvale Risk and Compliance
Commercial Director, Miagen
12:45pm
SME PANEL:
Why SMEs need ESG solutions
SMEs need to start using ESG reporting solutions now to ensure they are up-to-date and ready when the regulations inevitably come their way. Our panel discusses the challenges for SMEs in implementing a system of sustainability reporting, plus what resources and tools do they need for sustainability reporting?
Assistant Professor in Finance, Trinity College Dublin
Founder & CEO, ENSO
1:15pm
Networking Lunch Break & Exhibition Viewing
Social Impact
2:20pm
PANEL DISCUSSION:
Moving the “S” in ESG in the same direction as the “E”
Social factors encompass a range of considerations, from employee wellbeing and diversity to human rights and community impact. Prioritising these factors is essential for building sustainable and equitable businesses. Our panel discusses some of the key aspects of the “S” in ESG including the challenges in reporting on social factors and how organisations have developed methods to measure and report on social factors:
Managed Services Country Lead, HP Ireland
Head of Social Inclusion, Business in the Community
People Director, Tesco Ireland
Managing Director, The Purpose Edge
Nature & Biodiversity
2:55pm
AFTERNOON KEYNOTE:
What does the Nature Restoration Law mean for business?
Head of Group of Nature and Biodiversity, the European Environment AgencyÂ
3:15pm
Biodiversity & TFND: Incorporating nature-related and biodiversity disclosures into corporate sustainability reporting
- The role of nature and biodiversity in the economy
- What should the next government do to protect nature and biodiversity
- Pathways to enabling biodiversity strategy development and reporting: What actions should firms be taking to meet disclosure requirements for the TFND framework?
- What are the regulatory expectations for nature-related disclosures?
- How are firms able to source and measure this information?
- The impact of nature-related reporting requirements on SMEs
Founder & CEO, Coffeeangel
Research Manager, International Sustainable Finance Centre of Excellence
Co-Founder, Ion Equity
3:50pm