ESG Summit 2024

Agenda

7:45am

Registration, refreshments and exhibition viewing

8:45am

Welcome from the Chair

Broadcaster & Host of The Business Show, Newstalk
9:00am

The roadmap to Net Zero

OPENING KEYNOTE:

Keeping pace on climate change

Change is happening but just not fast enough. How do we scale up the implementation of climate action?

Chairperson, Climate Change Advisory Council
9:20am

Financing the transition to Net Zero

Head of the Climate Change Unit, the Central Bank of Ireland
9:40am

Accelerating Ireland’s energy transition

Progress in renewable power generation is a vital step towards climate action. A discussion on how the acceleration in development of renewable energy projects is needed if the State is to come anywhere close to the target of a 51% reduction in emissions by 2030.

10:00am

PANEL DISCUSSION:

Turning ambition into action on delivering net zero

How to create transition plans that stand up to investor scrutiny, inspire your industry and decarbonise your business. 

  • To what extent have net-zero transition plans been developed and executed?
  • Where are the climate commitment gap hotspots and what are the practical solutions to close the commitment gap?
  • How do you understand the risks and opportunities for access to finance?
  • What role should government and policymakers play in the development and execution of climate transition plans?
  • How do you anticipate incoming mandatory disclosure rules can help accelerate businesses’ transition to net zero operations?
  • What are the talent and skills gaps to deliver Net Zero and how will we fill them?
CEO, Folens
Managed Services Country Lead, HP Ireland
Head of Sustainable Banking, Banking & Payments Federation (BPFI)
Director of Enterprise, Employees and Skills, SOLAS
10:35am

Morning break

Stream 1: Business & biodiversity

STREAM 2: Decarbonising your value chain

STREAM 3: How to create an ESG-friendly business

10:45am

Why nature-related reporting is vital and how it can benefit your business

Welcome from the Chair

Broadcaster & Host of The Business Show, Newstalk
10:50am

Stream 1: Business & biodiversity

KEYNOTE:

Making the business case for Nature

This year businesses are increasingly recognising the importance of their impact on nature, with disclosures on nature-related risks and impacts gaining prominence alongside climate reporting. We open with a talk on why businesses need to expand their sustainability beyond greenhouse gas emissions.

Executive Director, Foundation for Sustainable Development (FSD), the Netherlands
11:10am

Stream 1: Business & biodiversity

The journey to nature positive: How to get started

Platform Manager, Business for Biodiversity
11:25am

Stream 1: Business & biodiversity

CASE STUDY:

on being a nature-positive business

11:40am

Stream 1: Business & biodiversity

FIRESIDE CHAT:

Why nature-related reporting is vital and how it can benefit your business

Lessons from an early adopter of the TNFD framework

Chief Sustainability Officer, Smurfit Kappa
11:55am

Stream 1: Business & biodiversity

Q&A with speakers

12:15pm

Stream 1: Business & biodiversity

PANEL DISCUSSION:

 The impact of TNFD: How can investors tackle biodiversity risk?

There’s a growing recognition that the investor community plays a key role in mitigating biodiversity perils. And, the TNFD framework has brought nature and biodiversity further to the forefront of financial decisions. Will the recommendations generate enough momentum to deliver tangible change? What does nature positive investment look like?

CEO and founder, Scott Cawley
Head of ESG Policy & Regulation, First Sentier Investors
10:45am

Meeting your net zero target means reducing carbon throughout your value chain.

Welcome from the Chair & introduction: How to create a climate transition plan

Steps to creating a credible, impactful climate transition plan: By assessing your current emissions, setting ambitious targets and taking action to reduce your carbon footprint, you contribute to a more sustainable future for both the planet and your business.

Managing Director, Goodbody Clearstream
11:00am

Decarbonisation solutions

Engaging with suppliers:

How to to build a green supply chain

11:15am

Decarbonisation solutions

Technology solutions CASE STUDY:

Decarbonising airports using Digital Twin technology

How Digital Twin technology has been used to reduce the carbon emissions of European airports from the terminal buildings to the resource networks and electrification of the aircraft fleet. Plus, how internal barriers were overcome.

Chief Operations Officer, Environmental Solutions Ltd.
11:30am

STREAM 2: Decarbonising your value chain

CASE STUDY: DPD’s decarbonisation journey

Sustainability Programme Manager, DPD Ireland
11:45am

STREAM 2: Decarbonising your value chain

Discussion and Q&A with speakers

12:05pm

STREAM 2: Decarbonising your value chain

FIRESIDE CHAT:

Decarbonisation and the circular economy

How decarbonisation – the reduction of carbon emissions – and circular economy – the reuse and regeneration of materials by design – are two powerful concepts that, when combined, create a potent force to combat climate change and drive sustainable development.  

Assistant Professor in Environmental Systems Modelling in the School of Engineering and Director of TrinityHaus Research Centre at TCD
12:20pm

STREAM 2: Decarbonising your value chain

PANEL DISCUSSION:

Managing carbon emissions along the value chain

Our panel explores the main actions that companies can and are currently undertaking to reduce value chain emissions, focusing on challenges and opportunities. 

1. Trends towards proactive supply chain management:

2. How to accelerate suppliers’ sustainability journey: practical action to address upstream emissions.

4.How can government help companies decarbonise: What type of incentives will accelerate companies’ decarbonisation journey?

Group Head of Sustainability, daa
Director of Sustainability, Carbery Group
Founder, Bon+Berg
11:15am

STREAM 3: How to create an ESG-friendly business

Welcome from the Chair

Independent Non-Executive Director, Investment & ESG Consultant
11:20am

STREAM 3: How to create an ESG-friendly business

Empowering Irish enterprises for a more sustainable future

Country Manager for Ireland, the UN Global Compact
11:40am

STREAM 3: How to create an ESG-friendly business

Upskilling opportunities for companies to support the transition to a greener economy

Hear about the new flexible, user-friendly micro qualifications recently launched by Educational Training Boards around the country to upskill staff on the sustainability skills your business needs

Director of Enterprise, Employees and Skills, SOLAS
11:55am

STREAM 3: How to create an ESG-friendly business

KEYNOTE:

ESG and age inclusion: Unveiling the power of age diversity in the workforce 

If you don’t have an age strategy, you don’t have a growth strategy. Hear how the ‘S’ of ESG can unlock business value by addressing our aging population. Hear how leading companies are focussing on the 50+ demographic as an integral component of their ESG and growth strategies and the business case outcomes they are receiving.

Founder and CEO, 55/Redefined, UK
12:15pm

STREAM 3: How to create an ESG-friendly business

Q&A with speakers

12:30pm

STREAM 3: How to create an ESG-friendly business

PANEL DISCUSSION:

How to be a change maker: Steps to achieve BCorp status

Chaired by Sarah Blake, Earthology

  • Who should consider becoming a BCorp
  • The pathways, processes and key insights on how to achieve certification
  • How you can contribute to creating an inclusive, equitable and regenerative economic system
CEO, Grid Finance
Head of Sustainability & Planet Services, THINKHOUSE
Sustainability Consultant, Earthology
1:00pm

Lunch Break

2:00pm

Welcome back from the Chair

Broadcaster & Host of The Business Show, Newstalk
2:05pm

The future of sustainability reporting

Spotlight on Due Diligence: What will the CS3D mean for companies?

On March 15 the EU Council approved the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive, a pivotal milestone in Europe’s climate action strategy. Once implemented the CS3D will impose an unparalleled and extensive corporate governance duty on many companies based in and outside the EU:

  • Will this apply to your company? What are the key requirements?
  • What is the scope and impact of the CS3D?
  • The implications of non-compliance
  • Timelines and next steps
2:20pm

AFTERNOON KEYNOTE

Benchmarking business and human rights in Ireland

How do businesses ensure that their consumers can purchase products with peace of mind, knowing that they are contributing to the protection of human rights and the environment. Drawing on recent research assessing the human rights performance of Ireland’s leading companies, Benn outlines the report’s recommendations on how to prepare for the CS3D. 

Visiting Researcher, Centre for Social Innovation, Trinity Business School, TCD
2:35pm

PANEL DISCUSSION

The future of corporate sustainability reporting

With sustainability reporting requirements moving from voluntary to mandatory and new sustainability regulations on the horizon, will 2024 mark the year we see increased action and a shift in mindset?

  • What sustainability means for business and what impacts, risks and opportunities does it present?
  • First steps in mandatory sustainability reporting: Sustainability leaders share their insights on preparing for the CSRD
  • Current strengths and weaknesses of current corporate reporting
  • What are the latest EU developments and expectations on sustainability reporting?
  • Towards greater international harmonisation of sustainability reporting
  • The future: Incorporating nature-related and biodiversity disclosures into corporate sustainability reporting
Head of Sustainability, Kenmare Resources plc
Co-founder, SustainabilityWorks
Chief Transformation Officer, An Post
3:10pm

Closing remarks and summit close

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