How we can reposition “sustainability as a fun driver of innovation,” how we can manage to work together on our sustainable future “precisely because there is headwind,” and thus become “shapers, not takers”—these are the major topics that were discussed at ecolution 2024. Which quote belongs to which speaker? You can find out in our recap video.

On June 6, 2024, this year’s edition of the econsense event “ecolution” took place at the AXICA Congress Center on Pariser Platz in Berlin. Under the theme “Sustainability as a Resilience Factor in Times of Global Crises?”, around 270 participants from German companies of various industries and sizes, as well as from politics, civil society, and academia, came together. The program included keynotes, Q&A sessions, panel discussions, workshops, and networking events.

Among the keynote speakers at ecolution 2024 were Jennifer Morgan (pictured; State Secretary and Special Representative for International Climate Policy at the Federal Foreign Office), Prof. Dr. Maja Göpel (sustainability and transformation expert), and Daniel Schmid (Chief Sustainability Officer at SAP and Chairman of the Board at econsense).

The panels included Ilse Henne (member of the Executive Board at thyssenkrupp), Dr. Jürgen Reinert (CEO of SMA Solar), Viktoriya Brand (Head of Group Sustainability at Deutsche Bank), Max-Christian Lange (Deputy Head of Sustainability at Deutsche Bahn), Prof. Karsten Neuhoff (Head of the Climate Policy Department at DIW Berlin), and Dr. Eva Riesenhuber (Global Head of Sustainability at Siemens).

From the “regulatory jungle” to the “U.S. election campaign” and “sustainable energy supply” to “tech & AI as sustainability catalysts,” there were also eight workshops in which participants could engage even more deeply in the discussions. ecolution 2024 was moderated by the econsense management team, Dr. Thomas Koenen and Katarin Wagner.

With the numerous solutions identified, one insight remains from ecolution 2024—not a new one, but one that remains central: dialogue is worthwhile. Especially across disciplines, industries, and perspectives. Only in this way can sustainability gradually strengthen its value contribution as a factor of resilience.

Whether as a speaker or from the audience—once again, a huge thank you to everyone who contributed to the success of ecolution 2024!

You can find a detailed overview of the program on our event page “ecolution 2024.”