Let’s start thinking the present from the future

“Executives of the world’s largest companies are fundamentally questioning the former ‘corporate value / shareholder value’ business paradigm” – said Prof. Dr. René Schmidpeter at BCSDH’s business lunch, which focused on climate adaptation and water. The award-giving ceremony of the “For a Sustainable Future” prize was also held at the event to recognize outstanding leaders and business solutions. 

10 October 2019, Budapest – An introduction to the three-point recommendation for the business sector which shows how to promote sustainable water management was presented at the business lunch of the Business Council for Sustainable Development in Hungary (BCSDH). The organization, which embraces 90 member companies that contribute approximately 30% of Hungary’s GDP, has now presented the For a Sustainable Future Prize for the third time in three categories: Change Leader, Leading Women, and Business Solutions. 

 Creating sustainable values and having a positive impact on society are just as important – if not more so – than profitability. – Speech of Prof. Dr. René Schmidpeter

“Given the current global social and economic challenges, we need to think about the future as consistently as we did after World War II” – said Prof. Dr. René Schmidpeter, Director of the Center for Advanced Sustainable Management (CASM), General Secretary of the World Institute of Sustainability and Ethics (WISE) – “Companies have to realign their business models, minimizing any negative effects and keeping the positive effects for society as high as possible. The more positive the impact, the higher the entrepreneurial return. More and more top executives are realizing that these far-reaching environmental and social changes are leading to unpredictable risks but, at the same time, are also creating unforeseen business opportunities.”

Prof. Schmidpeter highlighted that Europe could be the driving force of this new world, as the social market economy that ensures welfare and well-being creates a good basis for resolving paradoxes, such as the incommensurability of profit and sustainability, thus creating an “eco-social” market economy.

BCSDH’s recommendations for sustainable water management

 “Given the fact that climate change is one of the biggest global challenges and many of its impacts will occur through water, the development of companies’ water management practices can make a significant contribution to climate adaptation processes. There is no company that does not depend on this natural resource” – said Attila Chikán Jr., President of the BCSDH in a speech that also introduced the three-point recommendation which was put together by BCSDH and the leaders of its member companies to help the business sector take the steps necessary to promote the uptake of sustainable water management practices.

Over 80 CEOs, civil and scientific experts took part in the preparation and wording of the recommendation. As a result, solutions have been identified for both the business sector and its stakeholders that can positively impact sustainable water management.

On our Business Lunch, 33 successful, young professionals, who successfully completed the „Future Leaders” talent program 2019 had received a certificate.

Click here to see the photo gallery of the event.

Sponsors of the Action2020 program in 2019:

The Business Lunch, like most events of BCSDH, was carbon-neutral.

Carbon Neutralization Sponsor of BCSDH in 2019: