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2025 ESG Summit

Accelerating Impact Through People, Policies, and Purpose

APRIL 24 - 25, 2025

NEW YORK, NY

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As environmental challenges grow more urgent and timelines for meaningful action shorten, businesses are increasingly expected to not only reduce their environmental impacts but also speed up their contributions to sustainable solutions. The 2025 ESG Summit: Accelerating Impact Through People, Policies, and Purpose will explore how the role of the private sector is evolving – shifting from a mindset of compliance to one of urgency, innovation, and leadership in environmental action. A key focus will be on "humanizing" environmental issues — that is, how companies can create narratives and strategies that make climate and environmental challenges more relatable, actionable, and relevant to communities, employees, consumers, and society at large.

The discussions will focus on innovative approaches, highlighting how businesses can foster deeper engagement, align their operations with societal needs, and drive transformative changes that are both impactful and sustainable.

Who should attend:

  • Business Leaders and Executives: CEOs, COOs, and decision-makers looking to embed sustainability and purpose into their business models.
  • Corporate Sustainability Leaders: Individuals responsible for driving sustainability strategies within companies.
  • Corporate Citizenship Executives: Professionals focused on aligning business practices with environmental and social values.
  • Communications and Marketing Leaders: Professionals tasked with crafting sustainability narratives that resonate with communities, employees, consumers, and other stakeholders.
  • Chief Legal Officers and General Counsels: Key advisors who navigate the legal implications of sustainability initiatives, ensuring compliance with environmental regulations and aligning corporate actions with emerging ESG legal frameworks.
  • HR and People Operations Leaders: Professionals who want to foster employee engagement and align workplace culture with sustainability goals.
  • Innovation and Technology Leaders: Individuals interested in exploring the role of technology in accelerating environmental and societal change.
  • Government Affairs and Government Relations Executives: Professionals focused on shaping policies, regulations, and partnerships that align business goals with environmental and societal needs.

Conference Agenda

Thursday, April 24, 2025

08:00 AM - 09:00 AM ET

Breakfast and Registration

09:05 AM - 09:20 AM ET

Opening Remarks

09:25 AM - 09:55 AM ET

The Role of Business in Addressing and Humanizing Environmenta…
Our opening discussion will explore how companies can craft compelling narratives that make environm … More

10:00 AM - 10:30 AM ET

Innovation-Driven Sustainability: Unlocking New Paths to Growth
In this panel, we'll explore specific strategies businesses are using to align sustainability with innovation, enhancing profitabi … More

10:35 AM - 10:45 AM ET

Morning Break

10:50 AM - 11:20 AM ET

The ROI of Sustainability
Our panel will explore key questions such as: How can businesses effectively measure the financial return on investment (ROI) from sustainability init … More

11:25 AM - 11:55 AM ET

Corporate Transparency and Accountability: Building Trust Thro…
This session will explore how companies can manage the potential risks of full transparency, such as … More

12:35 PM - 01:35 PM ET

Lunch

01:40 PM - 02:10 PM ET

Empowering Communities: The Role of Corporate Philanthropy in …
This session will explore how corporate philanthropy can go beyond financial donations to empower co … More

01:40 PM - 02:10 PM ET

The Future of Responsible Sourcing: Reimagining Global Supply …
This session will explore how companies can reimagine their supply chains to prioritize sustainabili … More

02:15 PM - 02:45 PM ET

Climate Risk Management: How Governance Drives Resilience and …
This session will address key questions such as: What governance practices can help companies proact … More

02:15 PM - 02:45 PM ET

Employee Engagement in Social Impact: Leveraging Volunteering …
This session will explore strategies businesses can adopt to ensure their volunteer initiatives crea … More

02:50 PM - 03:00 PM ET

Afternoon Break

03:05 PM - 03:35 PM ET

Boardroom Leadership and Corporate Governance: Steering Sustai…
This session will examine the responsibilities of the board in overseeing and integrating ESG metric … More

03:40 PM - 04:10 PM ET

The Rise of ESG Activism: Navigating Investor Demands and Corp…
This session will delve into the key factors driving the rise of ESG activism among investors and ho … More

04:15 PM - 04:45 PM ET

Environmental Justice: Past, Present, and Future – Reflecting …
In our closing session, we will reflect on the origins of the environmental justice movement and the … More

04:50 PM - 05:00 PM ET

Closing Remarks

05:05 PM - 06:05 PM ET

Reception

Friday, April 25, 2025

08:00 AM - 09:00 AM ET

Registration and Breakfast Roundtables

09:05 AM - 09:20 AM ET

Opening Remarks

09:25 AM - 09:55 AM ET

Integrating ESG Metrics into Corporate Strategy and Decision-M…
This session will explore how companies can align ESG goals with their broader corporate objectives … More

10:00 AM - 10:30 AM ET

Strategic Corporate Philanthropy: Aligning Giving with Busines…
This session will address key questions such as: How can companies balance immediate philanthropic e … More

10:35 AM - 10:45 AM ET

Morning Break

10:50 AM - 11:20 AM ET

Bridging the Skills Gap: Preparing Workers for the Green Economy
This session will focus on how companies and governments can collaborate to reskill and upskill the current workforce, particularl … More

11:25 AM - 11:55 AM ET

Addressing Climate Displacement: Corporate Strategies for Supp…
This session will address the main drivers of climate displacement, including rising sea levels, ext … More

12:00 PM - 12:15 PM ET

Closing Remarks

Westin New York at Times Square

270 West 43rd Street

New York, NY

2025 ESG Summit

Accelerating Impact Through People, Policies, and Purpose

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