Roundtable Discussions

These break-out sessions are often cited as a highlight of the event providing an opportunity for attendees to come together in small groups to discuss a pertinent topic of their choice.

A.  Making Sustainability Add up - Talking the Right Language to “Sell” Sustainability within your Organization 

Whilst there is no doubt that reporting and achieving climate objectives is fundamental to business success, decarbonization and sustainability initiatives still have to prove a business case. In times of economic and geopolitical uncertainty it is even harder to keep sustainability at the top of the agenda. 

This RT will explore how CFOs, CEOs and CSOs can all work together to develop and implement ESG-related business strategies and how to ensure you talk the right language to “convince” the importance of sustainability to ALL stakeholders, from shareholders to customers.

Johanna Jobin, Global Head of Environment and Sustainability, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company

B. The Evolving Direction of the Energy Transition

The regulatory and federal funding framework supporting renewable energy development is evolving around the world as governmental administrations change. Some in the energy sector are considering the energy transition to be moving to energy additionality to meet the rising global energy demand. In the US, renewables are receiving less governmental funding and the push is toward other technologies like nuclear and LNG. In Europe development of offshore wind is accelerating in the UK, while hitting snags in Denmark where no bids were received in the most recent licensing round, as an example. Ultimately, both the regulatory environment and the business case, whether with governmental or private funding sources, need to be favorable for the energy transition to proceed.  

This round table will explore the trajectory of the energy transition by geography and technology, including a discussion of the business case drivers.

Melinda Truskowski, Global Energy Transition Market Development Director, Ramboll

C. Digital Solutions and Strategies for Sustainability Data Management

This RT discussion will explore how organizations can leverage technology to optimize the collection, analysis, and utilization of sustainability data. As businesses face increasing pressure to meet their sustainability goals, effective data management has become a critical enabler for tracking progress, ensuring transparency, and meeting regulatory requirements. 

The conversation will focus on the challenges posed by fragmented data systems, scalability, and standardization, while highlighting innovative digital tools such as carbon-accounting software's, AI, and cloud-based platforms that are transforming the way sustainability data is managed. By sharing best practices, success stories, and emerging trends, the discussion aims to empower participants to align digital strategies with their sustainability objectives and drive impactful change.

Christie Kochis, Manager, Sustainability Advisory, Arcadis

D. Data Centers: Navigating the Sustainability Challenges of Data Center Growth

The rapid increase in data centers and their demand for energy poses a number of complex decarbonisation and energy supply challenges. This RT will explore how to manage these, and find holistic solutions that align technology advances with environmental responsibility in the evolving landscape of digital infrastructure.

Daniel Socha, Global Sustainability and ESG Services Lead, WSP

E. Regenerative Remediation – Making Every Cleanup Count

Turning Contaminated Land Liabilities into Vibrant Community Assets

Join this RT for an open exchange of ideas about how we as an industry can lift the bar for all remediation projects, driving better value for our clients and host communities alike. 

Regenerative remediation is a forward-thinking strategy that unites ecological restoration and community revitalization in the cleanup of contaminated land. This integrated model combines nature-based solutions, such as bioremediation, native habitat restoration, and green infrastructure, with community-centered features like urban gardens, renewable energy systems, and educational spaces. The result is the transformation of underutilized contaminated properties into resilient, community-serving landscapes.

This RT will explore how this approach not only enhances biodiversity, environmental quality, and community identity, but also fosters stakeholder and regulatory support, making it a compelling and cost-effective investment that delivers enduring ecological and community benefits through self-sustaining post-remediation outcomes.

AECOM

F. The Metals & Mining Sector’s Role in Enabling Decarbonization

Metals & minerals are critical to energy decarbonization and security as well as the growth in electric cars. However there are concerns relating to the supply chain and issues such as availability, dependency and traceability of these critical materials, as well as mining capabilities, pricing mechanisms, geopolitical impacts and human / social impact considerations. 

This RT will explore the challenges and opportunities the energy transition presents for the mining sector and how it is responding through innovation and technology development. 

Dr Mary Lou Lauria, Senior Vice President, Environment & Sustainability, Global, Worley Consulting

G. Developing a Sustainability Roadmap

This roundtable will help attendees identify key challenges in their sustainability journey and explore practical strategies to overcome them. Discussion topics will include:

• Current sustainability trends shaping the industry

• Common organizational pain points in implementing sustainability initiatives

• Practical tools, services, and approaches to overcome these pain points

• Real-world examples of how companies are building and executing on sustainability roadmaps

Participants are encouraged to share their own experiences, obstacles, and solutions.

Abhinav Krishna, Vice President, Commercialization & Development, Constellation Energy

H. Navigating the Talent Crisis: The Future of Sustainable Executive Leadership

The environmental industry is facing an unprecedented convergence of challenges—AI integration, unpredictability in government funding, and intensifying demands on talent to deliver predictable outcomes in an unpredictable world. A new generation of leaders is emerging—impatient with dysfunction and eager to drive meaningful change. They approach leadership with a fresh perspective, unburdened by legacy constraints, and naturally embrace technology, communication tools, and adaptive organizational cultures. Businesses must be deliberate in shaping an organization that attracts and retains the right talent for the future.

This roundtable will explore how executive leadership teams are tapping into the best of their organizations to define their cultural imperatives and identify needed or inevitable disruptions. We will discuss the growing demand for leaders who can drive cultural transformation that strengthens long-term positioning, rather than simply expanding market share. Leaders who not only drive transformation but also position their organizations at the forefront of their industries. We’ll also examine the evolving role of HR and talent acquisition teams, and discuss best practices for attracting, retaining, and developing the right leadership to drive sustainable success.

Chris Swan, Managing Director & Global Practice Leader: The Built Environment, Transearch USA

I. Trends in ESG: Lessons from CEOs in the Built Environment

This RT session will share results from Buro Happold research with the top Real Estate and Investor CEOs, including:

• The Business Case for ESG

• ESG drivers

• Obstacles to implementation

• ESG regulation

It will be followed by a discussion with participants, their successes and challenges in ESG.

Jane P. Madden, Lead ESG Partner, Buro Happold

J. The Critical Importance of Public-Private Partnerships in Climate Adaptation

According to the International Monetary Fund, global debt now exceeds US $100 TRILLION DOLLARS. With no end in sight to increases in number, intensity, and location of hazards, the need for private investment into adaptation via both built and natural systems is acute. The UN Environment Program estimates this gap to be $240 million/yr by 2030. 

This RT will brainstorm innovations that could lead to public private partnerships  that attract private investment, whether it be ESG/Impact investors, the banking and insurance industries, multilateral climate funds, and/or private philanthropic organizations. The goal is to develop new ideas to move this forward—the need is enormous—let’s develop an enormous solution!

David A. Dodd, President & Founding CEO, International Sustainable Resilience Center

K. The Evolving Role of a Chief Sustainability Officer

A discussion around delivering sustainability, collaborating with internal and external stakeholders to make it “everyone’s job”, the use of change champions and embedding sustainability into company culture and strategy.

Michael Sutton CEO, Infrastructure Engineering

L. Improving Societal Resilience through Innovative Financing & Alternative Risk Transfer (ART) Solutions

This RT will provide an insight into how the innovative financial, risk transfer and risk financing solutions available today help narrow the protection gap and enable investments in sustainable, resilient infrastructure and nature-based solutions

Alex Korb, Alternative Risk Transfer Consultant

M. The Energy Transition Investment Response to Evolving Global Trade Dynamics

This RT will discuss how evolving international trade dynamics are impacting the flow of capital into energy transition projects, slowing/ shifting near-term investment as investors reassess exposure opportunities and risk across sectors.

Investors are reviewing strategic capital deployment in a shifting rate environment, balancing the need to demonstrate growth in operating assets while managing liquidity and optimizing development backlog, in anticipation of reduced interest rates and cost of capital. 

The discussion will also include emerging opportunities as the evolving energy transition mandates encompass all forms of baseload power, solar, storage and wind, and as reshoring and data center development continues.

Everett Currier, Managing Director, Lincoln International