ESG Summit

Theme: Geospatial Innovation for Risk Management, Business Transformation and Sustainability

24 APRIL 2025 Madrid Marriott Auditorium Hall - Dusseldorf

CONCEPT NOTE

On one hand lies massive growth in the instruments deployed towards sustainability and in other, shortfall of the impact magnitude towards sustainability. This offers to us a perspective into analysing the emergence of this scenario. Moving beyond- spurring a timely action, we need large scale or many small- scale high impact, effective, vision and purpose driven sustainability projects and goals of business enterprises.

This Summit will generate insights that can improve decision making, shape up discussions on tools and techniques available for achieving ESG goals and furthering the requirement of long-lived outcomes.

Bringing together dedicated communities in the ESG, Sustainability and Geospatial sphere to bridge the divide between technology and all implementing and regulating actors. Attendees will delve into key risk management strategies, be introduced to geospatial tools for ESG goals, satellite imageries that can help monitor and assess carbon emissions, biodiversity and nature preservation. With use cases across industries, SDG implementations and location-based action by companies the Summit will uncover how technology is transforming ESG practices. Witness leaders forging common ground and vision to shape our future.

Identify the requirements towards transition, implementation and action in environmental, social and governance criteria.

The Agenda and Our Speakers

Thursday, 24th April

0930 - 1030
Session 1: Future-Proofing Enterprises: Aligning ESG Agendas with Global Impact

Session Highlight

Proceeding with ESG, the session will inspire attendees to view ESG as integral to long-term business success and societal progress. A noteworthy introduction with use cases and ESG Leadership. We will discuss:
  • Understand key global ESG successes and challenges.
  • Explore the critical urgency of managing climate and societal risks through ESG frameworks.
  • Recognize the role of DE&I (Diversity, Equity & Inclusion) as a driver of sustainable growth.
  • Analyze the delicate balance between profitability and purpose in ESG strategies.
  • Discover how satellite imagery and geospatial technology are revolutionizing ESG impact measurement.
Dr Cathrine Armour
Dr Cathrine Armour
Director of Data Initiatives
TNFD
UK

Plenary

Dr Anabel Ternes
Dr Anabel Ternes
Chief Executive Officer
Sustain Plus
Germany

Plenary

Daniel Carrasco
Daniel Carrasco
Head of EO Business Development
HISDESAT
Spain

Plenary

1030 - 1130
Session 2: The Nature Imperative: Restoration and Management

Session Highlight

Addressing Nature risks, touching upon the segments of: technology involved, implementing bodies, projects and use cases and advancements in research that helps build the current knowledge and gravity towards nature conservation, restoration and management. How complex is the environment, biodiversity and ecology web? Are we progressing towards mapping these with the right indices or Key Performance Indices?
  • Current frameworks for Nature risks, and biodiversity risks.
  • Focus on policies and initiatives for nature restoration in Europe and the USA.
  • the intersection of sustainability and natural resource management.
  • Geospatial technology and services in this sector enhancing management of nature and biodiversity
  • A focus on mining, textile, agroforestry sectors and related product companies.
Len Kne

Moderator

Len Kne
Director, U-Spatial
University of Minnesota
USA

Plenary

Peter Schwendner
Peter Schwendner
Professor
Zurich University of Applied Sciences
Switzerland

Plenary

Rodrigo del Potro
Rodrigo del Potro
Business Development Director
Xcalibur Smart Mapping
Spain

Plenary

Kristina Vucic
Kristina Vucic
Geospatial Manager
Next Energy Capital
UK

Plenary

1130 - 1330
Networking Break followed by Lunch
1330 - 1415
Session 3: Towards a Low Carbon and Climate Risk Future

Session Highlight

Carbon emissions remain a central challenge in the fight against climate change, with industries under increasing pressure to meet ambitious net-zero targets. This session will explore how businesses can develop ESG-aligned carbon reduction strategies while leveraging geospatial technology and satellite imagery for enhanced monitoring and decision-making. Companies that are well aligned with climate goals and carbon goals- what do they see for the future, what recommendations do they have?
  • Empowering organizations to transition towards net-zero carbon economies.
  • Developing resilience frameworks aligned with climate risk mitigation.
  • Showcasing roles of carbon reduction strategies within the larger industries such as infrastructure.
  • Highlighting efforts toward emissions reduction and low-carbon growth initiatives in line with global climate goals.
  • What are the suggested improvements for geospatial sector and open data for carbon emission monitoring?
  • Reducing Carbon and other GHGs from the atmosphere and the preservation of natural carbon sequestration capable land.
John Kedar

Moderator

John Kedar
Director
John Kedar Geospatial Initiatives Ltd
UK

Plenary

Christophe Yvetot
Christophe Yvetot
UNIDO Representative to the EU, EIB, OACPS, Belgium and Luxembourg
Head of UNIDO Brussels Office
Belgium

Plenary

Dr Gennadii Donchyts
Dr Gennadii Donchyts
Cloud Geographer
Google
The Netherlands

Plenary

Abhiroop Bhatnagar
Abhiroop Bhatnagar
VP - Cloud Solutions
Aereo
India

Plenary

1415 - 1500
Session 4: Covering Physical Risks

Session Highlight

How are companies covering their current risks? With this session have a better view of what geospatial data and solutions can offer - beyond identification, forecasting risk. The Fintech companies then facilitate financial risk accounting. To manage asset level risks, satellite imageries and geospatial technology are necessary.
  • How are companies covering their current and potential risks?
  • Identifying risks [Natural Hazards, Physical Assets Risk]
  • The role of user companies in prioritization of risk specific operations and the requirements.
  • Risk impact identification with remote sensing and geospatial technology and evaluating the finances from the impact to the businesses.
Josh Gilbert
Josh Gilbert
Chief Executive Officer
Sust Global
UK

Plenary

Iain MacInnes
Iain MacInnes
Senior Director EMEA
Synspective
UK

Plenary

Iain MacInnes is the Senior Director, EMEA for Synspective, a leading provider and manufacturer of SAR Satellites, Imagery & Analytic Platforms. Joining the company in January 2025 he brings over 25 years of International experience within companies such as Maxar & PCI Geomatics to a role which is focused on growth & partnership development within the region. He holds a BSc from the University of Glasgow and an MSc in Environmental Remote Sensing from the University of Aberdeen (Scotland).

Paolo Tibaldeschi
Paolo Tibaldeschi
Senior Advisor
WWF
The Netherlands

Plenary

1500 - 1600
Coffee Break & Visit to Exhibition
1600 - 1645
Session 5: Need of the Hour: Integration to Impact

Session Highlight

This session explores bridging ESG integration with tangible community and landscape impacts. By aligning sustainability initiatives with local needs, fostering resilience, and empowering corporates, this aims to enhance environmental protection and build enterprise value through targeted, location-driven actions.
  • Closing the gaps between ESG integration and the effect on community and landscapes
  • On ground impacts creating resiliency and uplifting cities and people through sustainability objectives and projects
  • Location based setting up of focused programmes and initiatives by companies for environmental protection.
  • Sustainability approach in the sectors: water, forest, soil, wildfires and so on.
  • Identifying local partners to support CSR initiatives within business systems, integrating the right skill to increase enterprise value.
Laia Romero

Keynote

Laia Romero
Co-Founder & Managing Director
Lobelia Earth
Spain

Plenary

Laia Romero is a climate scientist and the co-founder and managing director of Lobelia Earth, a Barcelona-based company established in 2020. Lobelia Earth specializes in climate risk assessment utilizing Earth observation and the development of advanced data management software.

With a background in physical oceanography, Laia has substantial experience in satellite technologies and applications, particularly in radar. She has successfully developed geospatial systems and applications and possesses extensive experience in deploying and executing large-scale operational services. Lobelia Earth offers high-resolution observational datasets and visualization tools that assist organizations in assessing climate vulnerabilities, risks, and opportunities. Their clients include reinsurance companies, investment firms, engineering firms, infrastructure operators, non-governmental organizations, and public administrations.

Dr Ismail
Dr Ismail
Geospatial Scientist-CASUS
HZDR
Germany

Plenary

Dan Rushton
Dan Rushton
Content Marketing Manager
Picterra
Spain

Plenary

Alberto Lucas
Alberto Lucas
Senior Biodiversity Consultant
AECOM
Spain

Plenary

Ada Perello
Ada Perello
Communications Manager
EAASI
Spain

Plenary

Ada Perello is the Communications Manager of the European Association of Aerial Surveying Industries (EAASI). She has worked managing external communications for several organizations, including the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), and the private sector. Ada holds a Master's Degree in Communication and a Master's in International Business Administration. EAASI was officially launched in 2019 to bring together companies involved in the generation of geographic data from crewed aerial platforms, and it has grown rapidly ever since.

1645 - 1730
Session 6: Mapping opportunities for ESG

Session Highlight

  • Circular Economy
  • Supply Chain Management and Waste Management
  • Spatial Computing and DTEs for Sustainability
  • Implementing SDG's with Geospatial Data
  • Geospatial Tools for sustainability
Andrea Vena

Keynote

Andrea Vena
Chief Climate and Sustainability Officer
ESA
France

Plenary

Dick Ayres
Dick Ayres
Cofounder & Chief Strategy Officer
Litterati
Spain

Plenary

Francesca Piatto
Francesca Piatto
Project Officer
EARSC
France

Plenary

Shaily Gandhi
Shaily Gandhi
Senior PostDoc, Geosocial AI Research Group
Geo-Social Analytics Lab, University of Salzburg
Austria

Plenary

Target Segments

Sustainability and ESG Officers

Research and Academia

Geospatial ESG Data and Technology Providers

Alliances and Organisations

Government Departments

Sustainability Investors

Sustainability Financers

Insurers, Fintechs and Banks

Conservationists

Sustainability decision makers and Strategists

Consultants