AGENDA 2026
2026
Starting 9AM EET - Helsinki Time
8.30
We open the doors - Welcome!
9.00 (EEST)
Opening remarks by our moderator
Nina Rahkola, Journalist, Tv-Host
9.10 KEYNOTE | FIRESIDE CHAT
Sustainability as a Strategic Choice – The Toughest Business Decision of the Decade
Kaisa Hietala, Professional Board Member
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How sustainability shapes competitive advantage
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Strategically leveraging regulation and investor pressure
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The role of corporate leadership in driving value-based growth
9.45
Beyond Compliance: The New Era of Sustainability Law
Netta Skön, Group Sustainability and ESG Lead, Lead Legal Counsel, Fondia
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Year 2025 left a mark in sustainability law when many obligations where scaled back and 2026 is the year it evolves
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Foresight and risk management insights are more important than ever
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This keynote is about how to decode the new direction of global and EU policy and explore why foresight is now a more critical asset than the rulebook itself
10.10
Networking Break
10.45 KEYNOTE
Making sense of social sustainability amidst geopolitical tensions
Kristiina Kouros, Strategic ESG expert, Nordea Bank
11.10
Towards Regenerative Business: How Regeneration Differs from Sustainability
Michaela Ramm-Schmidt, Leadership and change coach, regenerative practitioner, entrepreneur, WhyCo
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Why “less harm” is no longer enough – from sustainability to holistic value
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Building competitive advantage through regenerative practices
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How regenerative thinking shows up in leadership and workplace culture
11.35
Lunch Break & Networking
12.35 KEYNOTE
Adapting to the Inevitable
Riikka Joukio, Senior Advisor, Bravura
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Physical climate risks to business continuity
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Leading adaptation under pressure
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Data-driven insight for strategic decisions
13.00
The Missing Layer: Why Sustainability Transformation Stalls
Therése Gerdman, Head of ESG, Kährs Group, Transformation Advisor and Founder, Morrow Impact Studio
Most organizations have sustainability strategies, targets, and reporting in place—yet outcomes remain uneven.
This talk explores one of the underlying reasons: decision capacity—the ability to make and stand by high-quality decisions when it’s difficult, uncertain, or costly.
Drawing on practical experience, Therése offers a way to understand where organizations get stuck—and how they can strengthen their ability to move forward.
In this talk, you will explore:
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Why sustainability transformation often slows down at the moment of decision
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Decision capacity as a missing—but developable—capability
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The three drivers of decision quality: cognitive capacity, psychological safety, and organizational narratives
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Why everyday decisions shape outcomes more than strategy alone
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What organizations can do to improve decision-making in practice
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13.25
Networking Break
14.00 KEYNOTE
Building Trusted Sustainable Brands in a Shifting Market
Erik Elvingsson Hedén, CEO & Founder, Sustainable Brand Index™
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The widening attitude vs. behaviour gap under economic pressure
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The key pillars of a truly sustainable brand
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Communication that works in an era of mistrusted sustainability communication
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What’s next: economy, geopolitics, and the shift from climate-only to renewed social focus
14.25 KEYNOTE
The Future of Sustainability is Now
Michael Hanf, Strategy Advisor, Futurist, Podcast Host & Sustainability Leader
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Sustainability as a strategic and future-oriented business capability
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How foresight and innovation can accelerate sustainable transformation
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The evolving role of leadership in embedding sustainability across the organisation
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From compliance to competitiveness: reimagining the operating model
15.00
Summarising key insights and takeaways by our moderator
Nina Rahkola, Journalist, Tv-Host
15.05
Networking
16.00
End of Day