ecolution 2019 – Rethinking Value Creation

On November 13, 2019, econsense celebrated the kick-off of its brand-new event—ecolution 2019. Around 350 enthusiastic participants gathered at Cafe Moskau in Berlin to discuss the topic “Rethinking Value Creation” in all its various facets. High-profile speakers delivered exciting insights on a large stage. In addition, ecolution offered a diverse range of innovative formats and workshops. Accenture Strategy was a partner of ecolution 2019. The event was supported by BASF, Chemie³, Coca-Cola Germany, and E.ON.

The highlights were particularly the high-level sessions. The event was opened by econsense Chairwoman Ursula Mathar, Head of the Sustainability and Environmental Protection Division at the BMW Group. She emphasized the importance and relevance of the topics under discussion. “ecolution stands for breaking new ground. It creates a space for open and honest dialogue among various stakeholders in the sustainability sector and beyond. This exchange is essential for jointly shaping the transformation toward a more sustainable economy and society. “We at econsense want to serve as facilitators and catalysts in this process,” emphasized Ursula Mathar. She also introduced the econsense initiative econchain – German Business Initiative for Sustainable Value Chains. This training program empowers strategic suppliers to independently integrate environmental and social standards into their processes by teaching management techniques. The program is now being offered in four countries.

Peter Lacy, Senior Managing Director at Accenture Strategy, then explained how the perspective on sustainability issues has also shifted among CEOs. Sustainability is both a challenge and an opportunity. The topic is a long-term success factor for companies and must be integrated into business strategy. Yet despite agreement on the relevance of sustainability for long-term business success, many CEOs say they are lagging behind in implementation, Peter Lacy emphasized. He concluded with a call to action, stating that the time to act is now.

Saori Dubourg, a member of the Executive Board of BASF SE, delivered a captivating presentation on value creation and the contribution companies make to society beyond economic metrics. In conversation with Conny Czymoch, the event’s moderator, Saori Dubourg explained how companies’ environmental, social, and financial contributions can be made monetarily measurable and comparable. This, she argued, should broaden the perspective on companies. Furthermore, a comprehensive approach increases the resilience of business models and makes them fit for the future.

The High-Level Dialogue on Politics & Business focused entirely on the sustainable design of global value chains. Björn Böhning, State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs (BMAS), provided input on the ongoing monitoring of the National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights and advocated for EU-wide process standards for sustainability in value chains. Renata Jungo Brüngger, a member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG, addressed and advocated for the integration of sustainability as an essential component of business strategy. She also explained in detail how Daimler, together with its suppliers, minimizes sustainability and due diligence risks in its complex supply chains. In the subsequent moderated discussion, Björn Böhning and Renata Jungo Brüngger highlighted the importance of collaboration among various stakeholders in this process. As an example, they highlighted the automotive industry’s sector initiative.

The final high-level panel featured Dr. Eric Bischof, Vice President of Corporate Sustainability at Covestro and a member of the econsense Board of Directors; Alexander Holst, Managing Director of Sustainability & Utility Strategy at Accenture Strategy; Ursula Mathar, Head of the Sustainability and Environmental Protection Division at the BMW Group and Chair of the econsense Board, and Markus Strangmüller, Vice President of Sustainability Management at Siemens and member of the econsense Board. They discussed the topic “Business beyond shareholder value – industrial future perspectives.” The focus here was on the implementation of concrete sustainability initiatives within companies.

Nine parallel sessions offered visitors to ecolution 2019 the opportunity to discuss current economic topics in greater depth, such as sustainable finance, business and human rights, CO₂ utilization, corporate value, plastic in the environment, digitalization and transparency in supply networks, business and climate protection, sustainable cities, and the design of sustainable supply chains through industry initiatives (using Chemie³ as an example). Through interactive formats such as pitches, a quiz, panel discussions, and much more, participants actively engaged in the debate. Many econsense members were actively involved in the sessions. In addition, experts from politics, civil society, academia, and other business representatives made valuable contributions.

The diverse program of ecolution was rounded out by, among other things, an augmented reality (AR) station, a simulation game on CO₂ neutrality, and an introduction to the new econsense initiative, econchain. ecolution 2019 provided a platform for lively exchange on current topics in sustainable business. The interactive and innovative formats motivated attendees to share and expand their knowledge in order to work together toward long-term change.