Sustainable Business Think Tank returns to Lucca to build new models of sustainable businesses together with the Institute of Management of the Sant'Anna School and CCH® Tagetik. "Call to action" on environmental sustainability

The Institute of Management of the Sant'Anna School of Pisa and CCH® Tagetik, an expert solution of the Wolters Kluwer Group, a global leader in solutions and services for the legal, tax, financial and healthcare areas, confirm their partnership to stimulate debate on the topic of business sustainability.

On Friday, May 17, Palazzo Pfanner in Lucca will host the second edition of the Sustainable Business Think Tank, organized precisely by the Sant'Anna School as part of the annual CCH Tagetik InTouch 2024 Global User Conference (Wednesday, May 15 to Friday, May 17), which sees more than 800 CCH Tagetik customers and partners from around the world coming to Lucca.

The Sustainable Business Think Tank, created in 2023 to raise awareness of the meeting and promote culture and discussion on the topic of business sustainability, continues the path traced by bringing together top European experts, academics and top managers from top companies on what is one of the main challenges of our time: fostering truly innovative and sustainable business models and production, development and growth systems.

A great regulatory ferment is sweeping the world regarding sustainability reporting (on Environmental, Social and Governance - ESG) required of companies today. Going beyond the regulatory approach, however, means considering sustainability as an element of business strategy, and to speak of sustainable businesses is to refer to companies that are able to govern and report on their impact on the environment, community, society or the global and local economy.

During the Think Tank, experiences, ways of operating and knowledge will be shared on how leading companies can do business ethically while respecting the well-being of the planet and its inhabitants.

The program and speakers.

Four sessions are planned: the first, on "Implementing sustainability reporting between regulation and standards," addresses the implementation of sustainability reporting between regulatory requirements and industry standards. While regulations provide a framework for compliance, standards, on the other hand, offer guidance for effective reporting practices. Companies must therefore know how to carefully navigate this landscape, ensuring that their reporting not only meets legal requirements, but also aligns with best practices to improve transparency and credibility.

Session speakers are Chiara Del Prete, Chairwoman, Sustainability Reporting Technical Expert Group (TEG) - EFRAG and John Knights, Head of Services - Global Reporting Initiative (GRI)

The second session discusses "Sustainability in business: between dreams and reality" with Alessandro Mantini, Senior Manager, Sustainability Reporting - MFE Group (MediaForEurope), Marina Sabinina, ESG and Sustainable Finance Manager at A2A and Luca Molinari, Manager (EMEA) - Morningstar Sustainalitycs. They discuss how sustainability in the corporate arena straddles the line between aspirational goals and practical implementation. Although many companies aspire to integrate sustainability into their operations, the journey from vision to reality often presents numerous challenges: from balancing short-term financial considerations to navigating complex supply chains and regulatory landscapes, companies encounter obstacles that require innovative solutions and dedicated commitment. Success lies in bridging the gap between dreams of a sustainable future and the tangible actions needed to achieve it.

The topic of disclosure and biodiversity initiatives is addressed in the third and fourth sessions, with speakers Marco Lambertini, Convener - Nature Positive Initiative, Philippe Diaz, Member of the Sustainability Reporting Technical Expert Group (TEG) - EFRAG, Rossella Iorio, Head of ESG service excellence - Unicredit, William Nicolle, ESG Analyst, Fellow of UBS Sustainability and Impact Institute - UBS.

Companies, particularly in the banking sector, are increasingly recognizing the importance of financial risks and how the potential impact of biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation on economic stability is important. These risks include a range of factors, including physical risks from climate change events, transition risks associated with moving to more sustainable practices, and liability risks from environmental damage. Banks are beginning to integrate these considerations into their risk management frameworks, assessing exposure to sectors that depend on ecosystem services and incorporating environmental criteria into lending and investment decisions. By doing so, financial institutions can help promote resilience in the face of environmental challenges while safeguarding long-term financial value for themselves and their stakeholders.

Andrea Tenucci and Lino Cinquini, Associate Professor and Full Professor and Director, respectively, of the Institute of Management of the Sant'Anna School, coordinators of the "Sustainable Business" Think Tank, explain how "sustainability has entered the common corporate language and has managed to permeate any corporate function. In particular, in this second edition of the Think Tank we decided to devote attention to issues concerning biodiversity and stimulate participants to reflect on how the inclusion of natural capital in business decisions is an open and relevant issue for the future".