The awards have eight categories, including "Sustainability World Champions" or "Best Sustainability Leader", as well as highlighting the best environmental, social or governance performance. The ceremony will take place on 11 June in the framework of Digital Enterprise Show 2024, the largest European event on exponential technologies, which will bring together more than 17,000 managers from all over the world who seek to increase the profitability of their businesses through digitisation.

Climate leaders to stimulate impact

In recent years, organisations have realised that environmental certifications must be an imperative in order to ensure the competitiveness and advancement of their companies. In fact, for Spaniards, relative to European capital, these factors are more relevant when it comes to investing, according to the AXA IM ESG Consumer Survey 2024. For this reason, DES2024 will be the place where global climate leaders will gather to highlight the impact of exponential technologies to meet the Sustainable Development Goals and ESG ('environmental, social and governance') criteria and, thus, adapt to current demand.

Juan José Freijo, Chief Sustainability Officer and VP of Brambles, the second most sustainable company in the world in 2024, according to The Global 100 list by Corporate Knights presented at the Davos Economic Forum, will delve into how AI is becoming a transformative tool in the transition to a circular economy model, optimising the use of resources and promoting sustainable practices.

Along the same lines, Fredrik Ostbye, CEO of Aliaxis, and Almudena de la Mata, CEO of Blockchain Intelligence Center of Excellence, will share the trends in innovation that are promoting solutions and services in water management. Also, with a focus on this scarce resource, Theresa Zabell, Olympic gold medallist in 470 sailing in Barcelona 92 and Atlanta 96, MEP and President of the Ecomar Foundation, will explain the keys to the Blue Economy and how technology helps to design business activities that take the environment into account.

Belén Viloria, Executive Director of B Corp movement and B Lab Spain, and Antoni Ballabriga, Global Head Sustainability Intelligence & Advocacy at BBVA, will explore methods to promote sustainable leadership in organisations, an activity that is being led by the Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO). In fact, the summit will feature Rodolfo Braijich, Global Director Nutrition & Sustainability at Sigma Alimentos, a company of which Campofrío is a part, and Carmen Gómez-Acebo, Director of Sustainability in Spain and Portugal at Coca-Cola Europacific Partners, who will discover the skills of this profile, which aims to balance the interests of stakeholders, regulatory compliance and long-term profitability. María Eugenia Menéndez, Chief strategy and Sustainability Officer at VASS; Pablo Alonso, Director Sustainable Finance Companies at Banco Santander or Javier Roncero, Director of Sustainability at IBM, among other CSOs, will also be present on the congress stages.

Measuring ESG to optimise decision making

A fundamental element to accredit corporate sustainability and its impact on society is the measurement and analysis of ESG performance data. Experts such as Guillermo Espinosa de los Monteros, RPA & Business Consulting Manager at Experis Spain, and Ana Abade, Public Affairs Manager at Booking.com, will address number-based approaches to assessing approvals, from quantifying carbon emission reductions to analysing community engagement and corporate governance performance.

In turn, Pedro Garibi, Smart & Sustainable Solutions Business Development Manager at T-Systems Iberia; Xavier Vallés, Managing Director at Neture Impact, spin-off of The Cocktail, which promotes sustainable transformation, and Marta del Castillo, CEO at Social Nest, an incubation project that accelerates companies that have an impact on the community, will discuss the importance of ESG as essential components of business strategy and decision-making.

However, digital tools are not only having a positive impact on corporations, but are also enabling cities to achieve their climate development goals. An example of this is Madrid, which will be one of the territories that will present its green technological evolution at DES. David García Núñez, president of Madrid World Capital City (MWCC) and recognised by Forbes as one of the 100 most innovative and creative directors in Spain, will speak about the combination of technology and sustainability in the city.

Regulations advocating sustainability

DES2024 will also examine current regulations on sustainable practices in a European sphere that is increasingly focusing on energy efficiency and decarbonisation in the run-up to 2030 and 2050. Carlota de Paula Coelho, Senior Policy Manager at the non-profit organisation, B Lab, and Francesc Cortada, CEO of Oxfam Intermón, will explore the complex interplay between regulatory frameworks and climate responsibility actions, shedding light on crucial aspects that companies need to understand to thrive in the current landscape.