ESG Summit: Embracing a green and sustainable recovery

Welcome and introduction

Value and purpose - reaching stakeholders expectations

Organisations resilience is continuously tested on social, environment and governance fronts. Businesses lacking purpose and values decline while purposeful businesses can bounce back. How can boards ensure their company purpose and values continuously align with fast shifting stakeholders expectations? How can governance professionals address cultural issues efficiently? What are the pitfalls when re-assessing values? This session will deliver guidance through best practice on how to resolve these issues and give a better understanding of possible outcomes.

Moderator:
Janhavi Dadarkar, CEO, Maiora International, Programme Lead for Governance and role of the Director, IoD

Speakers:
Clare Wardle, General Counsel and Company Secretary, Coca-Cola European partner Plc

Company secretaries steering ESG changes in the boardroom

Governance professionals are taking the lead on ESG matters, placing them at the heart of the board agenda. This new approach has led many companies to assert their ESG strategies in time for COP26. This conversation explores how a changemaker has successfully brought the conversation to action? Amina discusses where ESG stands in her new boardroom, the steps taken to implement a diverse board and have the environment at the heart of the company’s culture?

Moderator:
Liam Healy, SVP & Managing Director, Diligent Corporation (New York, USA)

Speaker:
Amina Khatum, Deputy company Secretary, Farfetch (London, UK)

Networking break

Breakout sessions

Option 1- Board competency: uncompromising between diversity and skills

Diversity and succession planning are recurring topics in the boardroom. It is acknowledged that diversity of skills and mindsets are indispensable assets to quality boards. It is nevertheless a tedious task to recruit one person who ticks all the boxes. While many boards compromise on either skills or diversity, others may choose to expand. How should boards implement succession planning, considering diversity and competency? In this session, our experts discuss the new skills needed in the boardroom and examine the possible solutions to reach a qualitative board without compromising.

Moderator:
Deborah Gilshan, Advisor, Investment Stewardship & ESG and Founder, The 100% Club (London, UK)

Speakers:
Carol Bell, Director, Chapter Zero and BlackRock Energy, Resources Income Trust, TransGlobe Energy (London, UK)

Option 2 - Building a circular supply chain for a circular economy

Fairphone strives to be the most sustainable phone on the market. As a thought leader in circular supply chains and circular products with a focus on long-term value creation, its business has had to evolve and adapt to the market and new regulations. Raluca will share the journey of the company, from legal, financial and cultural outcomes to business model and stakeholders engagement. In this case study, she will discuss long-term planning and rethinking of the culture and strategy of a company so you can start the change in your boardroom.

Moderator:
Dr Christoph Soukup, Director, Steinbeis Consulting Centre Circular Economy (Stuttgart, Germany)

Speaker:
Raluca Radu, General Counsel and Company secretary, Fairphone (Amsterdam, Netherland)

Board readiness: ESG risk, opportunities and mitigation strategy

Stakeholders and regulators scrutiny over companies environmental and social impact is increasing. Boards who consider ESG as solely a risk-prevention measure, often fail to acknowledge that ESG considerations can drive long-term performance gains. Boards must demonstrate their ability to understand climate and related social stakes for their business. What are those risks and opportunities, and how to evaluate them? In this session, we discuss how to measure board preparedness to understand risks and maximise opportunities. Through practical examples, our experts will help you evaluate your board’s preparedness and help you bring ESG to the top of your agenda.

Moderator:
Byron Loflin, Global Head of Board Engagement, Nasdaq (Greensboro, North Carolina, United States)

Speakers:
Peter Rowan, CEO, Lithium Capital NI

Closing remarks, networking and summit closes

Peter Swabey, Policy Director, The Chartered Governance Institute UK & Ireland