CSR Europe’s SDG Summit 2021 Set to Forge New Partnerships to Accelerate Climate Action and a Just Transition

PRESS RELEASE

Highlight of the event will be the launch of the first-ever European Sustainable Industry Barometer - developed by CSR Europe in collaboration with V.E, part of Moody's ESG Solutions - at the opening plenary on 11 October.

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Brussels, Belgium, 04 October 2021 – In the face of a climate crisis and weakened social cohesion, CSR Europe’s European SDG Summit 2021 calls for renewed ambition, leadership, and collective action to build a prosperous and inclusive society while pursuing the twin - green and digital -transition ahead of the UN COP 26.

The event, taking place online from the 11th to the 14th of October, will bring together 5000+ Sustainability Leaders in 30 virtual sessions to exchange and strengthen their practical contributions to the European Green Deal.

Highlight of the event will be the inauguration of the first-ever European Sustainable Industry Barometer at the opening plenary on the 11th of October, with Commission Executive Vice-President, Frans Timmermans, CEOs, and industry federation leaders.

The Barometer, developed by CSR Europe in collaboration with V.E, part of Moody's ESG Solutions, provides data on the ESG performance and sustainability level and maturity of European industry sectors and federations, demonstrating the progress made and where further action is urgently needed. A detailed presentation of the key findings will be given at the European SDG Roundtable “The State of the Union on Sustainable Industry” on 11 October with Debora Revoltella, Chief Economist and Director of the Economics Department of the European Investment Bank.

About The Programme

The Summit is co-organised in collaboration with CSR Europe’s network of 100+ organisations and will include four high-level plenaries on:

For Climate Action and A Just Transition (11th October, 11:30-13:00 CET) – with Frans Timmermans, European Commission Executive Vice-President, and Ilham Kadri, CEO Solvay and Vice President of CEFIC.
Financing the Future (12th October, 11:30-13:00 CET) - with Mairead McGuinness, European Commissioner for Financial Affairs, and Thomas Lesueur Commissioner General for Sustainable Development of the French Ministry for the Ecological Transition.
Creating a Future-Proof and Inclusive Work (13th October, 11:30-13:00 CET) – Nicolas Schmit, European Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights.
Resilient & Inclusive Supply Chains (14th October, 11:30-13:00 CET) - Didier Reynders, European Commissioner for Justice, and Kerstin Jorna, Director General of DG GROW, European Commission.

Frans Timmermans, European Commission Executive Vice-President, said:

“This is the make-or-break decade in the fight against the climate crisis. Getting to a green and healthy future for all will require considerable effort in every business, sector, and Member State. Together, we can spur the necessary change, enabling all citizens to experience the benefits of climate action as soon as possible, and provide support to the most vulnerable households. Europe's transition will be fair, green and competitive.”

Laurent Dartoux, President & CEO Bridgestone EMIA, said:

“The sustainable future of mobility we’re aiming for cannot be achieved by one company alone.  Innovation, partnerships, and co-creation are key to helping us collectively achieve our goals; we must join forces to accelerate the pace of change.  Bridgestone EMIA recognises that delivering the EU Green Deal and UN SDGs requires this comprehensive collaborative effort across industry sectors.”

Jens Schmidt-Bürgel, Managing Director – Regional Head EU at Moody’s Investors Service and CSR Europe board member, said:

“European leaders have set out an ambitious agenda for change – including achieving the UN’s Sustainability Development Goals by 2030 and climate neutrality by 2050. European companies will be instrumental in meeting this vision; however, there’s a clear need for harmonised standards and consistent, forward-looking information to accelerate the pace of sustainable investment.”

Sapthagiri Chapalapalli, Head – Tata Consultancy Services Europe, said:

“Giving back to society has been one of TCS’ core values since we started our business. For the present generation, there is nothing more crucial than realizing the fundamental shift towards a sustainable society. We are keen to provide our knowledge and bring in our ecosystem of partners, academia and start-ups to help make this possible.”