10th edition of the 'Sustainable Economy Summit' conference to take place in Warsaw

The conference took place on 20-21 May 2024 in Sheraton Grand Warsaw hotel. Participants listened to six panel discussions and a dozen presentations. They’ve covered topics of low-carbon construction, green energy and digitalization, as well as ESG criteria, responsibility in business and the circular economy.

The conference saw a lot of insightful speeches, delivered by such distinguished guests as Prof. Witold Orłowski, Peter McAteer, Kamil Wyszkowski, Eamon Gilmore or Prof. Hans-Otto Pörtner. They have shared their unique perspective on issues such as the contradiction between pursuing socially beneficial goals and generating profits, dealing with a "say-do gap" in organisations and utilising sustainability as competitive advantage. Speakers also talked about their CSR activities, principles of sustainable ecodesign, senior care system, as well as broader issues of peace and security and findings from the Sixth IPCC Assessment Report.

During the panel discussions we’ve touched upon the subjects of investing in low-emission buildings and methods of emission reduction, the lack of knowledge in implementing green digitalization and the importance of education, as well as the potential for green energy in Poland.

On the second day the panelists spoke about responsible business, stressing that profit margins in business are necessary and that profit and sustainability are not alternatives, and ESG principles, concluding that they cannot be limited to reporting alone and a holistic approach needs to be applied.

The final panel of the conference dealt with circular economy. There was a consensus among the panellists that the key is genuine cooperation between producers and retail chains, consumers and recovery organizations.

The conference culminated in an evening award ceremony – the "Sustainable Economy Diamonds". The Competition Jury made its selection in eleven competition categories, awarding 11 prizes and 3 honorable mentions, as well as one special award.

Source: WBJ