ESG is the future of business! – Report from the 11th edition of the Sustainable Economy Summit conference
On May 27-28, 2025, the 11th edition of the Sustainable Economy Summit – the flagship event dedicated to ESG and sustainable development issues in the economy – was held at the picturesque Holiday Inn Resort in Józefów near Warsaw. The meeting brought together several hundred representatives from the world of business, public administration, academia and non-governmental organizations, who debated for two days the challenges and opportunities associated with green transformation and building a competitive yet responsible economy.
The conference was opened by Marga Hoek, Founder-CEO, Business for Good – a world-class expert in ESG management, who in her inspiring speech entitled “Leading forward. Unleashing new opportunities for sustainable business and economic growth, in todays’ complex environment,“ stressed that ”nature doesn’t need people – people need nature.” She pointed out that the real goal of sustainable development is not to protect the environment in an abstract sense, but to ensure the survival and well-being of us all. In her view, the key challenge is to shift the economy from a mode of resource consumption to a regenerative and innovation-based model that not only minimizes damage, but makes a real contribution to improving the planet. In conclusion, the speaker recalled that of the 100 largest economic entities in the world, as many as 69 are not countries, but corporations. ESG goals can therefore not be achieved without the participation of business.
The theme of the first panel of the conference was “Sustainable and Strong Europe”. It was devoted to the issue of competitiveness of the Old Continent in the context of achieving ambitious ESG goals. The discussion moderated by Małgorzata Pek, Partner, Financial Audit Department, Forvis Mazars Poland, featured Paweł Bukowski, PhD, Assistant Professor of Economics, University College London and Polish Academy of Sciences, Marga Hoek, Founder-CEO, Business for Good, Prof. Inż. Waldemar Kamrat, PhD, Director of the Nuclear Energy Center, Gdansk University of Technology, Marek Jedziniak, R&D Manager, Biogas System, Piotr Maciak, President of the Management Board, Nordkalk, Managing Director, Nordkalk Wapno, Vice President of Nordkalk Group responsible for Eastern Europe Region, and Jacek Niewęgłowski, CEO North East Europe, Smurfit Westrock.
Speakers agreed that the implementation of ESG goals can become the foundation of Europe’s competitive advantage – provided it is designed wisely and supported by effective, flexible public policies. They stressed that the European development model – based on stable democracies, relatively low social inequality and strong technological competence – has the potential to make the continent a leader in global transformation. A key challenge remains the insufficient level of investment in research and development and the lack of equality of opportunity, which deprives the economy of many talented individuals.
The topic of transition costs has also come up repeatedly. The pursuit of climate neutrality cannot take place without considering economic conditions – otherwise it will lead to increased costs, loss of competitiveness and potential social turmoil. An argument was made that we need not only inventions, but the ability to scale them up effectively – which requires both funding and development-friendly regulations.
The conclusion of the debate was that the future of the European economy requires an integrated approach: cooperation between the private and public sectors, a focus on education, transparent reporting and analysis of the entire life cycle of products.
Next on the agenda was a case study prepared by Robert Kowal, Business Development Manager, Interzero Packaging Recovery Organization, titled “Interzero Best Practices, for a World Without Waste.”
The speaker presented innovative solutions for achieving the goals of a closed-loop economy. He stressed the scale of the challenge – industry in Poland generates almost 105 million tons of waste annually, of which nearly 42% goes to landfills. In the case of municipal waste, this figure is also high – 31%. These facts make it crucial not only to collect and recycle raw materials, but also to implement innovative products and reuse unusual materials – such as film from car windows recycled into safety shoes.
The speaker highlighted the importance of the deposit-refund system, which – despite the high cost of implementation (estimated at PLN 14.2 billion) – could contribute to collecting as much as 90% of PET bottles by 2029. The Waste Platform, integrated with Waste Database records, is also an important element of Interzero’s strategy. Unlike the official database, the platform offers companies intuitive tools for analyzing and managing waste data.
The second topic of the panel discussion was circularity. The panel entitled “Closed-loop economy” was moderated by Prof. Krzysztof Pikoń, PhD, Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Environmental Engineering and Energy, Head of the Department of Waste Management Technologies and Equipment, Silesian University of Technology. The participants were: Armand Ferreira, Global Lead SSG Client Sector Coverage, ING Sustainable Solutions Group, Paweł Lesiak, Vice President, Interzero Organizacja Odzysku Opakowań, Michał Mikołajczyk, Proxy, Director of Sales and External Relations, Rekopol Packaging Recovery Organization, Piotr Okurowski, President of the Board, Kaucja. pl – National Deposit-refund System, Bruna Petreca, PhD, Associate Professor of Human Experience and Materials, Royal College of Art, Grzegorz Skrzypczak, President of the Board, ElektroEko Organization for Electrical and Electronic Equipment Recovery, and Anita Sowińska, Undersecretary of State, Ministry of Climate and Environment.
During the panel, the experts attempted to diagnose the current state of economic circularity in Europe and the barriers that stand in the way to achieve it. Despite efforts, the level of circularity has fallen from 9% to 7.2% globally. At the same time, the consumption of raw materials has increased dramatically, putting in question the effectiveness of measures taken so far. Speakers discussed regulatory and financial tools that could reverse this trend – among them were the deposit-refund system, extended producer responsibility (ROP) and the PPWR bill, which promotes waste reduction at the source. The panelists agreed that while these instruments are not sufficient on their own, they provide a solid foundation for building a broader, multidimensional strategy toward a closed-loop economy.
The role of investment and innovation that can support the transformation was given great importance – banks are increasingly directing capital towards sustainable projects, although high investment risk remains a problem. On the other hand, entrepreneurs stressed the need for stable, long-term regulations and even distribution of costs – the waste sector still faces underfunding, and rapid changes in legislation make it difficult for companies to adapt to new requirements. Other discussed points included education and the necessary change in consumer mentality, especially in terms of abandoning disposability, promoting reparability and designing products with longevity in mind.
The panelists agreed that the future of closed-loop economy depends not only on technology and regulation, but above all on partnerships between public administration and business – based on mutual trust, competence and a shared drive toward an efficient model of the economy of the future.
After the lunch break, another Special Guest – Gavin Edwards, Executive Director, Nature Positive Initiative Secretariat gave a presentation entitled “Becoming Nature Positive: Common metrics for halting and reversing nature loss”.
Nature Positive Initiative emphasizes the inextricable link between climate change and biodiversity loss, and the need to act in both areas in parallel. The idea of “nature positive” is based on reversing negative trends and real restoration of natural resources. Achieving these goals requires a precise, consistent measurement system – based on parameters such as range, abundance and quality of life of species.
To date, the multitude of more than 600 indicators has made it difficult to effectively assess activities. The Nature Positive Initiative seeks to simplify this system by developing a closed set of key metrics that can be used by companies and institutions across sectors. The initiative does not aim to introduce yet another standard, but to create a common language and measurement tool that will gain acceptance by global certifiers and standardizers. The project is currently in the pilot testing phase.
Immediately after the Special Guest’s speech, the next case study of the day was presented by Jacek Jaskóła, Director of Business Solutions, Orange Polska. The topic was “How does geolocation support sustainable logistics? A case study from Orange.”
Orange, as a provider of digital solutions, enables companies to optimize fleet routes, which translates not only into increased operational efficiency, but also into tangible environmental benefits. Thanks to the use of geolocation, it is possible, among other things, to reduce the number of vehicles on the road, shorten transport routes, reduce the consumption of spare parts and perform less frequent maintenance and service replacements. All of this leads to lower CO₂ emissions and reduced traffic.
The final panel of the first day of Sustainable Economy Summit was titled “Responsible in Business. Can business change the world for the better?” and moderated by Bolesław Rok, PhD, Professor, Koźminski University, Chair of Entrepreneurship and Ethics in Business. The discussion was attended by Alicja Chilińska-Zawadzka, President, EDF Renewables Polska, Jarosław Chwastowicz, Customer Experience Director, Lyreco Polska, Tomasz Dziki, Vice President, Britenet, Wiesław Jan Hałucha, PhD, President, Alventa, Dorota Hryniewiecka-Firlej, Country Manager, Pfizer Polska, Weronika Ławniczak, Originator, CEO, Holispace Health and Beauty Institute and Healthy Organization Academy, and Anna Pulnar, CSR Project Manager, Lidl Poland.
The participants agreed that in an era of crisis of trust in public institutions, it is business that can and should fill the emergent gap by offering not only products and services, but also values – transparency, responsibility and ethics. It was emphasized that the value of a company is increasingly being assessed through the prism of its impact on stakeholders: employees, local communities or customers, and not just shareholders. The language used to describe the role of business is also changing – profits remain important, but alongside them are expectations of generating social and environmental value.
Participants in the debate also pointed to concrete examples of responsible action, stemming from both ethics and business calculation. Promoting sustainable nutrition or diversity in the workplace is not just idealism, but part of a long-term strategy.
The discussion was supplemented by reflections on the potential and risks of technology. While technological innovations improve the quality of life, they can also bring new social challenges – such as addictions and widening digital inequalities. Common conclusion was clear: business can no longer operate in isolation from social and environmental issues, and its role as a driver of positive change will grow – especially if supported by informed consumer choices and responsible regulatory policies.
Diamonds of Sustainable Economy
In the evening, conference attendees met at the “Diamonds of Sustainable Economy” Gala, during which leaders of ESG transformation in Poland were recognized. The special guest of the event was Kamil Wyszkowski – representative of the United Nations in Poland, who in his speech referred to global trends in the context of political changes and their impact on the sustainable development agenda.
During the gala, organizations and individuals distinguished in such areas as climate neutrality, sustainable production, business ethics, diversity or responsible recycling were awarded. The competition’s jury, consisting of prominent representatives of the world of science and business, selected the winners in eleven categories. A total of as many as fifteen trophies were awarded to leaders and companies with a mission to make the world a better place.
Please see the competition results here.
The „Diamonds of Sustainable Economy” Gala can be watched here.
Day two: Energy, construction and systemic changes
The next day of discussing important topics at the Sustainable Economy Summit was inaugurated by a speech by Paweł Piotrowski, CFA – Senior Vice President Debt & Capital Advisory Energy London, ING, titled “Prospects for Development and Financing of the Energy Transition in Europe.”
The speaker expressed the opinion that we are witnessing a real energy revolution – already, over 40% of energy in the EU comes from renewable sources, and this trend is accelerating mainly due to the rapid decline in the costs of photovoltaics. Solar energy is currently the cheapest form of energy generation in the world and – according to forecasts – will maintain this position in the coming years. The development of this one sector alone has prevented the emission of 12 billion tons of CO₂, making it one of the most effective tools in the fight against climate change.
The presentation also emphasized the importance of a carefully considered policy for financing the transformation. Already, 2/3 of global investments are directed to the energy sector, and the EU’s ambitious goals – such as reducing transport emissions by 55% by 2030 – will force even greater capital involvement.
The second day of panel discussions began with the debate “Safe energy for Europe”, moderated by Tomasz Mironczuk, Managing Director in charge of the analysis, strategy and ecology department at Bank Ochrony Środowiska. The panelists were as follows: Dariusz Jasak, President of the Management Board, SEEN Technologies, Jacek Kostrzewa, President of the Management Board, Krajowa Agencja Poszanowania Energii, Mateusz Lewandowski, Investment Director, TAURON Polish Energy, Jarosław Śmiałek, Head of Project Development, Elevion Group and Dorota Zawadzka-Stępniak, President of the Management Board, National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management.
The participants brought up key challenges facing the energy transformation on the Old Continent, especially in the context of security of supply and system stability. It was pointed out that the dynamic development of renewable energy sources, especially wind energy, encounters significant barriers in Poland – primarily problems with the conditions of connection to the grid and limited availability of ready-made projects. On the other hand, investments in peak power systems, ensuring the stability of supplies in crisis situations, are good news.
The discussion also highlighted the importance of diversifying the energy sources and of new professional competences that are necessary for the smooth implementation of the transformation. The experts agreed that it is crucial to ensure a stable, predictable legal framework – especially for long-term investments. According to the attending representatives of public administration, financing should primarily go to those projects which could not be created without public support.
The panelists pointed out that energy security and transformation towards green energy do not have to be mutually exclusive. On the contrary – they can mutually reinforce each other. The concept of Smart Grid, i.e. an intelligent, flexible network, allows for effective management of the quantity, quality and price of energy for the end user. Water, as an energy source, was indicated as an important element complementing the mix, especially in the context of the growing threat of drought in Poland.
The next panel discussion concerned “Sustainable construction and real estate”. The debate was led by Łukasz Marcinkiewicz, Country Manager Poland, Hill International. The participants were: Janusz Komurkiewicz, Member of the Management Board for Marketing, FAKRO, Maciej Korbasiewicz, President of the Management Board, Bolix, Andrzej Losor, Member of the Management Board, Heidelberg Materials Polska, Dariusz Pawlukowicz, Vice President of the Management Board, ROBYG, Michał Siembab, Legal Counsel, Partner, GKR Legal, Adam Targowski, Group Head of ESG, CTP.
Sustainable construction still encounters numerous systemic and educational barriers. According to the speakers, the problem is low social awareness of what a low-emission building actually is and what its full life cycle looks like. Currently, construction is mainly driven by the expectations of customers who want more ecological solutions, but are not yet ready to bear the associated higher costs. Additionally, public procurement regulations, instead of rewarding ESG criteria, often exclude sustainable solutions – e.g. by prohibiting the use of recyclates in building materials.
The need for better adjustment of regulations to diverse geographical and market conditions was also pointed out. The diversity of standards, even within the European Union, makes it difficult to build a common framework for action. At the same time, the panelists agreed that the construction of the future must be designed for generations, although the current economic realities and pressure for low costs do not favor such an approach.
The need to simplify the regulations, which are sometimes difficult to understand and apply in practice, was also brought up.
The next item on the conference agenda was a presentation entitled “Inequality Polish Style”, given by Paweł Bukowski, PhD, lecturer in economics, University College London and the Polish Academy of Sciences.
The presentation started with an in-depth analysis of the social consequences of Poland’s economic success in recent decades, pointing out that while Poland is a champion of growth – closing the gap with the UK from 58% to 24% – the benefits of this growth have been very unevenly distributed. The top 10% of society has become almost six times richer than the bottom half, and the level of inequality has already exceeded that of the UK. Despite efforts toward redistribution, taxes are unable to significantly equalize opportunities.
The speaker pointed out that inequalities carry serious social and systemic risks – from weakening human capital, through growing class, ethnic and religious tensions, to increasing crime rates. The new development model should be based not on cheap labor, but on innovation and investment in human capital.
The following case study was entitled “ESG and risk management in value chains in the SME sector” and presented by Aleksandra Wilczak-Grzesik, Non-financial & SME, ESG, Business & Credit Information Expert, CRIF. The author showcased the Synesgy platform, which supports large market players in monitoring and managing ESG risks across value chains – with an emphasis on the small and medium-sized enterprise sector.
More than 2,200 large companies already participate in the platform, mainly from the financial sector. The tool allows them to verify compliance with sustainability criteria for over 600,000 of their business partners. It is worth noting that as many as 91% of these companies are SMEs – this group of market participants is the most sensitive to the new requirements.
The presentation showed that transparency and access to ESG data across value chains are becoming an increasingly important aspect of risk management, and that appropriate digital tools – such as Synesgy – can significantly facilitate the assessment and improvement of environmental, social and governance practices in the SME sector.
The final panel of the the Sustainable Economy Summit conference was entitled “ESG – A New Opening”. The discussion, moderated by Anna Wyrzykowska, Attorney, Partner, WKB Wierciński, Kwieciński, Baehr was attended by: Jarosław Łuczka, Product Owner, adQuery, Ignacy Niemczycki, Secretary of State, Chancellery of the Prime Minister, Filip Osadczuk, Director of the Investor Relations and ESG Department and Management Board Representative for ESG, PGE Polska Grupa Energetyczna, Beata Osiecka, President of the Management Board, Managing Director, Kinnarps Polska, Artur Staniec, Senior Director, Simon-Kucher & Partners, Marcin Ujejski, President of the Management Board, BeLeaf, Sylwia Wochal, Director of the ESG Center in the Strategic Clients Area, ING Bank Śląski.
The financial sector panelists were in agreement that companies resisting change and not adapting to ecological requirements may encounter difficulties in obtaining financing. Within the banking industry, almost the entire environmental impact (99.7%) is generated by customers, which is why the mission of financial institutions has become to support companies in the decarbonization process.
The debate also highlighted the technological and strategic challenges for Europe in the context of global competition. The EU is struggling with losing its technological advantage to China and the US, which means that many ambitious climate demands make it difficult for European companies to compete on the global market. At the same time, attention was drawn to the need to redefine the approach to production – increasing efficiency should not be limited to increasing volume and reducing costs, but rather focus on improving the quality and durability of products, which better aligns with ESG values.
In the context of climate policy and geopolitics, the panelists pointed to the need for pragmatism and adapting goals to market realities. Europe is faced with the need to abandon naive expectations that imposing standards will spontaneously change global trends.
The Sustainable Economy Summit 2025 showed that the transformation towards a sustainable economy requires cooperation between business, administration and science. The key message from the conference is the need to scale innovation, implement bold systemic design and wisely support ESG as a new development paradigm. As emphasized by the Special Guest of this year’s edition, Marga Hoek: “We don’t have a plan B because we don’t have a planet B.”
Author: Krzysztof Kotlarski
Photos: Bartek Dziedzic
Last Updated on June 4, 2025 by Anastazja Lach