Key Takeaways – The Economist’s Annual Sustainability Week Gathering

The Economist held its 9th Annual Sustainability Week two-day conference in March and I joined over 1,200 in-person attendees, with more than 5,000 virtual attendees in the sessions.  Over 200 speakers covered important topics such as decarbonizing business and industry, greening supply chains, financing net zero and supporting biodiversity with natural capital. Here I shared some of my key takeaways from the conference:

Achieving the SDGs

A key focus of the conference was how corporations can be catalysts for the achievement of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Some recommendations from speakers  included setting credible SBTi targets, and considering the social and economic impacts of their operations to be a part of the just transition. With the cost of living increasing across the globe, corporates need to ensure employees are being paid a living wage (see SDG 8 – Decent Work and Economic Growth).

TNFD  – Task Force on Nature-Related Financial Disclosures

The technical director of TNFD hosted a session on how TNFD came to be and how companies can begin disclosing their biodiversity risks and opportunities. For many corporations, nature is a core risk management issue and TNFD is a great place to begin the journey to understand both risks and opportunities.

Decarbonizing the Supply Chain

With mandates around Scope 3 emissions reporting becoming more prominent, another focus of the conference was on how companies can decarbonize their supply chain. This can be done through increased partnership with suppliers focused on environmental issues and emissions reductions.

Looking Ahead

There were many discussions at the conference about the future of sustainability. These were largely centered around the role AI can play in assisting with everything from carbon accounting to renewable energy optimization. The Economist will be hosting their Sustainability Week US conference in June 2024.

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Landon Hopkins

Sustainability Analyst, G&A Institute

Landon Hopkins is a Sustainability Analyst at Governance & Accountability Institute , leveraging her background in financial services in providing services to G&A client teams. Her role includes supporting clients through comprehensive gap analyses, peer benchmarking, and ESG data reviews. Landon holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Economy from Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana and is in the process of completing a Master’s program (MSc Business & Sustainability) at UCL (University College-London). Landon worked for a private markets data firm and a stock exchange where she supported corporate clients with ESG reporting and data management.