Welcome and Introduction by Jan Noterdaeme, Co-founder, CSR Europe, Maryna Saprykina, CEO, CSR Ukraine, and Chris Coulter, CEO, GlobeScan. This high-level panel of esteemed sustainability thought leaders will lay out where we are in global sustainability and explore what needs to happen to get us to the world we all want.

On February 24th, Ukrainians woke up to bomb explosions and a new reality. That morning Russia launched a full-scale invasion in Ukraine, the biggest attack by one country against another in Europe since World War II. Since then, thousands of civilians have died, multiple cities were shelled with rockets, bombs, and artillery, and critical infrastructure facilities, industrial enterprises, thousands of kilometers of roads, and thousands of real estates were destroyed or damaged. This session will describe the impact of the war on organizations in Ukraine, and roles of business and NGO in this new reality and impact, as well as global challenges of the war and possible solutions.

The war in Ukraine is fast-tracking food up the global agenda, having exposed the fragility of a food system that is fast-approaching collapse. We now know that how we grow, consume and distribute food is at the heart of humanity’s biggest shared challenges, from accelerating climate change, to driving poverty, inequality and ill-health, to being weaponised by Moscow. And yet we are still spending too much time admiring the problem, and not enough on spearheading solutions. It’s time to move the debate towards action. Join Paul Polman, the former head of Unilever turned global campaigner, for an interactive discussion with some of the most experienced leaders in food. We’ll examine the steps needed to get through the immediate crisis, as well to build a robust and equitable food system-for-all. What does real leadership look like to deliver swift, transformational change? What do we each have to do, as innovators, consumers, farmers, businesses and policymakers? Most importantly, how will we collectively find our courage – and fast?

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine poses a threat to global food security. Both countries are major suppliers of food and fertilisers. Sudan, for instance, relies on the two countries for 80% of its wheat imports and 95% of its sunflower oil. Join us to explore the role business can play.

More than 25 years of sustainability efforts have not delivered. As a number of global crises converge and accelerate, we stand at a crossroads: will the required transitions of our energy, food, finance, and economic systems be deep and systemic, or will they be shallow, only leading us to a slightly better version of what we had before? And where must we focus if we’re to create what’s urgently needed: a just and regenerative future? Please join us for an exploration into the Future of Sustainability, where we shine a light on what we can all do to inspire the future we want. A range of speakers will share perspectives on the role of business, philanthropy and civil society and reflect on what we can do differently and what gives them hope. We hope that this inspiration will give strength to all of our sustainability friends in the Ukraine.

The war in Ukraine has massively impacted individual lives, infrastructure, and the environment. What are the prospects and what will be needed to build back better – to ensure that support for rebuilding is an investment in a sustainable future?

Join the founder of the B Corporation movement and Executive Directors from the B Lab Global Network as they discuss the need to upend shareholder primacy. Why does corporate governance matter and how has it impeded our progress toward a more equitable, inclusive, and regenerative economic system?

Using Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as a lens, this session will explore the human rights impacts of business during times of conflict and the role of business in preventing and mitigating harm through human rights due diligence and by fostering an enabling environment for peace and stability.

Over the last few years we have seen movements developing in Brazil in relation to sustainability, solidarity and democracy. Despite these efforts, society is not engaged at scale and many of these movements continue to be niche. What will it take to increase media efforts, and for people to engage more, and better understand the impact in their lives? Join us in exploring these movements, and discussing what we can all do to inspire the sustainable and just future we want.

The electric vehicle (EV) industry is growing, with passenger EVs representing almost 10 percent of vehicle sales globally compared to just 2.9 percent back in 2019. However, is charging infrastructure scaling correctly and equitably to meet the needs of new EV drivers?

Inspired by insights from over 30,000 global consumers, and interviews with youth activists, futurists, and elders in the realm of regenerative business, come learn about five paradigm shifts for brand leaders that reflect deep human needs and bold business imperatives that we are called to face, embody and exemplify together.

This session will focus on the impact of the war in Ukraine on the global vegetable oil market, specifically focusing on palm oil. Using this as a backdrop, how are organisations responding with respect to growing concerns around global food security and sustainable business practices? Will this crisis act as a catalyst for stakeholders to adopt sustainable palm oil?

How can we make the most of our city’s unique strengths and use buildings as a positive power of change? How are organisations in Hong Kong driving engagement and adopting the very latest solutions to achieve their sustainability aspirations for built spaces, both interior and exterior?

The world is facing climate, social, health and economic disruptions. These challenges are business and investment risks. For survival and sustainability, businesses need to build resilience by reviewing their business models. Over the last couple of years, ESG and impact investing have grown tremendously as the world is convinced that the health of the planet, business and people are interconnected. We need to invest in risk adaptation, finding innovative and sustainable solutions in the way we live, work and manage our business and supply chain.

LRQA, the global assurance provider, presents alongside its latest business acquisition, ELEVATE, on new sustainability trends facing clients and supply chains. From forced labour legislation to UN Sustainable Development Goals, a new approach to due diligence is emerging. What does it mean and how can an end-to-end services ecosystem help?

This session will share insights from GlobeScan’s Healthy & Sustainable Living study, a survey of 30,000 consumers from across 30 markets including in Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam.

The devastating Russia-Ukraine war has come at a time when the world is still recovering from a pandemic, impacted supply chains, and growing inflation. Parallelly, it has derailed the global development gains achieved against climate change. In this context, this session will attempt to understand the role of private sector investments in ensuring a just transition. Representatives from global FIs, governments, and corporates, will deliberate on the relation between sustainable finance and just transition agendas.

Israel is home to more than 15 different cultures, each with their own distinctive traditions and ancestral backgrounds. Although Israel is often characterized as the world’s only Jewish state, diversity is, and always has been, at the heart of its identity as a nation. This session will explore how the Israeli ecosystem of government, business, and civil society all work together towards an inclusive society and diverse workforce by sharing and showcasing their distinctive contribution to inclusive growth, highlighting insights relevant to the global discourse on the potential of business to contribute to inclusive growth through diverse hiring and inclusion.

This session will aim to take stock of the current state of the sustainable development agenda and journey and also explore the challenges and the unique opportunities open to sustainability advocates in Africa. We aim to contribute to the roadmap towards 2030 and beyond.

Ethical consumption is becoming increasingly popular in the Japanese market, because of the awakening of young consumers who realized numerous sacrifices in supply chains. The current situation in Ukraine has revealed the complexity of our supply chains and mutual dependence. We will discuss how we can make a difference in business and society through ethical management.

Czech business leaders have shown great compassion in helping Ukraine - both those who are fighting for their country and also the refugees who have come to Czechia. LKQ is part of a global community, which has been helping Ukrainian colleagues and their families, especially women and children. What are the best practices of corporate help to Ukrainians? Join the webinar led by Business Leaders Forum, LKQ and Tesco, get inspired, discuss the options for assistance and help, and share your best practice.

In this session, Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) will discuss transparency and due diligence in the context of conflict. The discussions will highlight the importance of companies having a publicly available due diligence commitment that has been communicated internally and externally to all stakeholders.

Thank you & a word from Hans Daems, Chair of the Board of Directors at CSR Europe. This session will tackle the issue of the role of companies in fostering an inclusive Just Transition. In doing so, we will explore the future of sustainable development and the role of business, civil society, and governments in navigating towards a better future. The speakers, coming from different backgrounds, will share their work and efforts around just transition, what they are doing to make the ongoing twin transition fair and inclusive, with some remarks on what has been done so far in their organisations since the outbreak of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Conclusion and next steps from Stefan Crets, Executive Director, CSR Europe, Maryna Saprykina, CEO, CSR Ukraine, and Chris Coulter, CEO, GlobeScan.