National Sustainability Congress 2019: Précon was there!

A day full of inspiration, cautiously-positive developments, but also once again alarm bells being rung. Let's DO something!

This year's theme was "People, Planet... Progress!?" with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a common thread running through the program. After a plenary session focusing on the energy transition, developments in the field of our living environment and a story full of passion from Patagonia (outdoor clothing), three rounds of parallel sessions followed. One of the topics concerned CO2 offsetting; although this evokes 'mixed feelings' with most people, the story of Fair Climate Fund convinced that it can be a sensible solution, of course after measures have been taken to reduce CO2 emissions. Other parallel sessions looked at human rights in the supply chain, some organizations presented their implementation of SDGs in business operations and, from an accounting perspective, considered the usefulness and necessity of proper, integrated reporting of sustainability results achieved. One of the sessions in the third round focused on "B corp certification": a certification by B Lab Europe, the organization that stands for "a global movement of people using business as a force for good. Names such as Tony's Chocolonely, Seepje, Patagonia, Fairphone, Dopper and De Smaakspecialist passed by in the presentation. Three certified organizations, the so-called "B corps," also told their story and answered questions from the audience. Well ... yet another certification ... but also useful as your own internal sustainability yardstick!

In a concluding plenary session, the election of CSR Manager of the Year 2019 took place; Arnoud van Vliet of Zeeman won this year's election. The bouncer of the day was an animated conversation with a documentary filmmaker/researcher and her father about an alternative use of "Shell dollars" that the father, Shell retiree, had invested for his activist daughter.

Another thing we learned from this well-groomed day was the insight that every organization needs not only "work ants" but also "sociability ants"; they provide warmth but above all should not get in the way... Something else that will stay with me is the mission we should all embrace as a business community "We're in business to save our home planet" (Patagonia).

Inspired and/or curious? Need to exchange views on the SDGs, sustainability or CSR policy? Feel free to contact us at +31 (0)30 - 65 66 010 or info@precongroup.com