Beyond Compliance: Stimuli for Building Resilient and Future-Ready Businesses at the European Sustainability Week on November 23-25, 2026

Bonn, September 16, 2026: The EUPD Group will be hosting the 4th edition of its European Sustainability Week (ESW) on November 23-25, 2026 at the at the Steigenberger Icon Grandhotel & Spa on the Petersberg near Bonn.The historic Petersberg, a venue associated with major political and diplomatic milestones, provides a fitting setting for discussions on Europe’s sustainable future. The EUPD Group invites ESG leaders, experts in sustainability and corporate health management, renewable energy professionals as well as thought leaders from associated fields to enter the discourse on the most relevant and pressing developments in sustainability at this inspiring venue.

ESG and sustainability topics need to evolve beyond a compliance-driven agenda. In an environment shaped by geopolitical uncertainty, climate-related disruptions, supply chain volatility, and growing stakeholder expectations, ESG has become a strategic lever for resilience and long-term competitiveness. As global markets face increasing economic, environmental, and technological disruption, resilience is emerging as a critical business capability — enabling companies to anticipate risks, adapt to change, and maintain performance under pressure. “Organisations that integrate sustainability into their core business models are better positioned to strengthen operational resilience, secure access to capital, attract talent, build customer trust, and unlock innovation. The focus should therefore shift from meeting regulatory requirements to building resilient, future-ready businesses capable of sustaining competitive advantage and creating lasting value”, stated Markus A.W. Hoehner, Founder and CEO of the EUPD Group. “With our European Sustainability Week, we create a platform for leaders to share valuable insights and to foster peer-to-peer exchange enabling knowledge transfer.”

Where Insights Meet Impact — Connect, Engage, Commit

Following a further refinement of the conference format, the first day of the European Sustainability Week 2026 is exclusively reserved for creating strategic roadmaps within the EUPD Group’s committees, laying the thematic groundwork for the following days. Realising synergies and enabling exchanges across topic areas and industries, the Environmental Forum and the ESG Summit both take place on November 24, 2026, and the Social Forum takes place on November 25, 2026. The Social Forum will be held in German.

The ESG Summit and Environmental Forum will be opened by a keynote held by Prof. Dr. Benno Werlen, Chair at the Academia Europaea – The Academy of Europe, UNESCO Chair on Global Understanding for Sustainability, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Germany. Prof. Werlen is the initiator of The Jena Declaration (TJD), of which the EUPD Group is an active partner. TJD is the international initiative for a fundamental transformation in sustainability policy by shifting the focus from exclusively ecological factors to cultural and social aspects of everyday life. Conference participants will then be able to join either the Environmental Forum or the ESG Summit, both featuring panel discussions and break-out sessions.

The ESG Summit follows the narrative “From Proof to Power”. Divided into the three sessions “Proven through Integrity & Transparency”, “Powered by Capital & Innovation” and “Realized in Performance & Community”, the ESG Summit provides insights on credibility, strategic decision-making, access to capital, business performance, and the creation of long-term value. Speakers and panellists include Prof. Dr Michael Braungart (BRAUNGART EPEA – Internationale Umweltforschung GmbH), Dr Daniel Dahm (United Sustainability), Dr Rupini Sobottka (evolutiq Impact Advisory ), Prof. Dr Anabel Ternés von Hattburg (GetYourWings and CSIO Lavivee GmbH/VYBE Future Institute), and Ralph Thurm (r3.0), among others.

The Environmental Forum explores the energy transition and the twin transition of digitalisation and sustainability. Within three sessions it provides a deep dive into the markets, technologies, and policy frameworks shaping industrial competitiveness and the path towards a resilient, low-carbon economy.

Corporate Health and HR professionals, decision-makers from the public sector as well as insurance representatives will gather at the Social Forum on November 25, 2026, to discuss current challenges and opportunities related to Corporate Health Management as essential element of sustainable transformation. The three session blocks examine the necessity of managing the return of Corporate Health Management, the importance of mental health and the contributions by employers and provide an outlook for the next five years in terms of digitalisation, AI and further trends.

Celebrating Excellence and Partnerships at the European Sustainability Week 2026

As in previous years, the ESW 2026 will provide the stage for award ceremonies such as the Transparency Award ESG Reporting, the Energy Transition Award, and the SolarProsumerAward, among others. The Transparency Award ESG Reporting assesses the transparency of ESG reporting and honours those organisations that assume responsibility and strengthen trust and future viability in a credible manner via their ESG reporting. Public and private organisations of all sizes, industries or reporting obligations that offer goods and/or services in Europe are invited to submit their sustainability reports until September 30, 2026.

Tickets for the European Sustainability Week are available online. Media representatives are welcome to attend and can register via the following accreditation link. Further information on the conference programme, speakers, and logistics are available online.

Events of this scale rely on the support of committed sponsors, underscoring that sustainability, like the event itself, is ultimately a team effort. The European Sustainability Week 2026 is supported by its partners GoodWe, Solax, solis, Solplanet, and Unternehmen Bewegung, media partners F.A.Z. Institut, forum future economy, Haufe Sustainability, SAIM GmbH, Spitze bleiben-Forum by Leonhard Ventures, UmweltDialog, UTOPIA GmbH, and zielNULL as well as its partner ImpactHero GmbH.

About the European Sustainability Week

The European Sustainability Week, organised by the EUPD Group, provides a unique platform to discuss the latest national and international sustainability developments with industry pioneers, expert councils and committees. The Environmental Forum, the ESG Summit, and the Social Forum offer participants the opportunity to expand their knowledge, make valuable contacts and learn from industry leaders.

https://european-sustainability-week.com/

About the EUPD Group

The EUPD Group is an internationally active group of companies headquartered in Bonn, Germany, specialising in market research and certification services in the areas of renewable energies, ESG and social sustainability. For over 25 years, EUPD Group has been dedicated to integrating data, strategy, and operational execution, supporting organisations and institutions through primary data-driven analysis, strategic advisory services, and certification services.

Through its four business units—EUPD Research, EUPD Improve, EUPD Cert, and EUPD Data—the EUPD Group supports organisations in making informed decisions and successfully managing transformation processes. Beyond strategic guidance, the EUPD Group delivers practical solutions that enable companies to implement sustainable measures, programmes, and business strategies effectively. The EUPD Group aims to enhance market transparency, accelerate innovation, and support sustainable growth across key future markets.

Press Contacts

Katja Werner | Corporate Communications Manager | EUPD Group | [email protected]

Julia Lünnemann | International Communication and Event Manager | EUPD Group | [email protected]