Utrecht, 195 <> 295 euro
ESG Data Europe – 2nd International Conference and Expo | |
| 08.30 | Coffee and Registration |
| A friendly welcome to our delegates | |
| 09.30 | Opening: ‘Investor Expectations Take Precedence Over Regulatory Delays’ |
| Investor expectations take precedence over regulatory delays. And they’re not alone. The European Central Bank is also openly criticizing the Omnibus, warning that weakening CSRD risks undermining financial stability. The financial market is moving faster, and demanding more, than EU policymakers. | |
| 09.45 | ‘ESG in The Netherlands’ |
| This session details how MVO Nederland – with 2,000+ companies the largest European network of sustainable companies – accelerates the transition to a sustainable, low-carbon economy in The Netherlands, based on optimising effectiveness, efficiency and value to society and the economy. | |
| 10.15 | ‘Navigating an Evolving Regulatory Landscape’ |
| The EU Omnibus Proposal introduces potential delays or exemptions to the CSRD for certain companies—giving organisations more time to prepare. But now is the time to move beyond compliance—to build resilient, data-driven sustainability strategies that align with future regulatory expectations and unlock growth. It’s all about understanding what ESG metrics you should be gathering and be confident in your ESG reporting. | |
| 10.45 | ‘Closing the Gap in ESG Data Quality’ |
| The lack of standardisation in the data landscape and the lack of consistency on the definitions of ESG itself bring various challenges. There is significant work to do to rise to the challenges that ESG data presents. ESG Data is dictated by jurisdiction, by asset class, and by size of the company. To make matters worse, almost all ESG data is backwards looking. Every assessment of businesses’ ESG performance rate the organisation on where it was at a point in time, rather than where it is today. | |
| 11.15 | Coffee Break at the ESG Days Expo |
| 11.45 | ‘Non-Financial Reporting for Financial Professionals’ |
| While financial reporting remains essential, there’s a growing demand for businesses to demonstrate their commitment to environmental and social responsibility through sustainability reporting. Sustainability reporting is placing banks, accountants and consultants at the forefront of a rapidly evolving field, requiring them to adapt and expand their expertise. However, these financial professionals are finding themselves caught in the middle of this shift as the lines between financial and non-financial reporting blur. | |
| 12.10 | ‘How Smart Cities and Regions Can Facilitate ESG Reporting’ |
| Smart cities leverage digital technologies, data analytics, and an advanced infrastructure to improve urban living. But it is no longer just about efficiency and innovation—it is increasingly being shaped by ESG principles. So smart cities are not only technologically advanced but also environmentally sustainable, socially inclusive, and ethically managed. At the intersection of digital transformation and sustainable development, ESG is becoming the new blueprint for future cities. The ‘E’ in ESG has taken center stage in the smart city agenda’’, smart cities cannot succeed without addressing the ’S’ (Social Equity) and the ‘G’ in ESG provides accountability in the age of digital infrastructure’. | |
| 12.40 | ‘Scope 3: What Questions are We Trying to Answer?’ |
| Scope 3 emissions are the biggest piece of the carbon puzzle. They are the result of activities from assets not owned or controlled by the reporting organisation, but that the organisation indirectly affects in its value chain. An organisation’s value chain consists of both its upstream and downstream activities. Scope 3 emissions—especially from upstream activities—are on average 11 times higher than direct operational emissions (WEF, 2023). Unlike Scope 1 and 2, which cover direct emissions and purchased energy, Scope 3 includes emissions from the entire value chain—spanning suppliers, transportation, product use, and more | |
| 13.00 | Lunch at the ESG Days Expo |
| 14.00 | ‘The Role of AI Making ESG Data More Reliable’ |
| Introducing different AI techniques and frameworks that can be used in carbon accounting to help structure unstructured data. Explaining the vision of multiple AI experts interfaced via a single autonomous agent and the value this brings to consultants and enterprises. And how other areas in which AI can be used to support in carbon accounting including forecasting and error detection. AI transforms raw data into tangible business value and actionable intelligence. It’s not just about collecting vast amounts of information; it’s about leveraging the power of AI to decipher its hidden patterns, trends, and correlations to fuel innovation and growth in real time and maximizing the return on an organization’s investments. | |
| 14.30 | ‘ESG and Investors: Sustainability as a Driver of Innovation, Growth and Competitive Advantage’ |
| Every senior management team today is investing in sustainability. Achieving effective governance and meeting compliance requirements are absolutely essential. A robust focus on regulatory demands has in some cases overshadowed the strategic advantages sustainability can bring. So it could be ever more important for companies to reframe their ESG and sustainability strategy to protect, and create, long-term sustainable value. The opportunities are real, and they are here right now. This afternoon provides insights how companies and organisations should invest in and benefit from the new technologies and new ways of working that are emerging within the sustainability space. | |
| 15.00 | ‘How to Assess Quality Assurance for Offsetting Carbon Emissions’ |
| Understanding Offset Quality Assurance begins with the foundational idea of carbon offsets themselves. Simply put, a carbon offset represents a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, or an increase in carbon storage, that occurs outside the boundary of the entity claiming the credit. These reductions are intended to compensate for emissions made elsewhere. The basic meaning here is compensation; an offset is meant to balance out an equivalent amount of emissions. Without a robust system to verify these claims, the entire concept risks becoming meaningless greenwashing. | |
| 15.20 | Tea Break at the ESG Days Expo |
| 15.45 | ‘ESG Data for Accountants and Consultants’ |
| ESG due diligence is a systematic evaluation of a company’s environmental, social, and governance risks and opportunities. This session will explain and discuss:—Environmental factors (a company’s sustainability practices and impact on the planet. Key issues include carbon emissions, raw material sourcing, and climate-related risks)—Social factors (evaluate how a company treats its people and stakeholders, addressing areas like working conditions, supply chain labor standards, data privacy, and human rights protections)—Governance factors (focus on corporate leadership and ethical practices, identifying risks such as bribery, weak financial oversight, and poor corporate governance). | |
| 16.15 | ‘ESG Data for Cities and Regions’ |
| Cities are responsible for over 70% of global carbon emissions — much of which comes from industrial activities and motorised transport systems — and ESG reporting is crucial in tackling these challenges. Openly sharing this data demonstrates their commitment to reducing pollution and fosters public trust. Transparency holds officials accountable for their promises and ensures governments actively pursue and achieve sustainability goals. The EU Mission Board for Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities (2020) aims to support, promote and showcase 100 European cities in their systemic transformation towards climate neutrality by 2030 and make these cities experimentation and innovation hubs for all cities. | |
| 16.45 | ‘ESG’s Impact on Supply Chains’ |
| ESG factors are increasingly important in global trade and supply chain resilience, with businesses prioritising ESG criteria in supplier selections, pushing suppliers to adopt more sustainable practices across the supply chain. In particular, regulatory requirements are the most critical factor driving companies to collect supplier data. According to the Thomson Reuters report (2024), key drivers of decisions to collect supplier ESG data identified by respondents included regulatory requirements (with 80% of respondents citing this), requirements from significant customers (34%), investor pressure (28%) and reputational risk (19%). | |
| 17.15 | Network Reception at the ESG Days Exp |
