Sustainability Forum 2012

The Sustainability Forum 2012 - A training, networking and professional development event, co-organised by EuroCharity and AIT (Athens Information Technology), was an overwhelming success. This one-day event took place on Friday, October 5 at the AIT's state-of-the-art venue in Peania, located close to the Athens International Airport.

It was attended by over 60 corporate executives from different lines of business, including the financial, banking, pharmaceutical, communication, construction, telecommunications, energy, IT and retail sectors. Several NGO leaders, professionals and students from Greece and Switzerland also attended the Forum.

The one-day Forum had an educational aim and focused on specific practical aspects of sustainability. International speakers shared their hands-on expertise with the delegates of the Sustainability Forum 2012, through 12 parallel expert workshops.

These workshops focused on issues such as the future of sustainability reporting, core principles of sustainability, CSR communications, green ICT, the value of life cycle assessment in understanding sustainability at the product level, economic impacts of sustainability, the sustainability strategy, sustainability reporting assurance, calculating and offsetting CO2 emissions, leadership, waste management, sustainability and social media, and environmental impairment liability.

During the plenary session, Ms. Elina Sviklina, Manager Report Services, Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), presented "The Future of Sustainability Reporting". Her presentation focused on the developments of the GRI G4 Guidelines, integrated reporting and tools that can help companies in the reporting process (software, Sustainability Disclosure Database, data collection and analyses, etc.).

Other workshop tutors included Mr. Derwin Johnson, a U.S.-based independent senior communication consultant with more than 30 years of experience as a journalist, communication executive and educator, and Dr. Annie Pearce, an Associate Professor in the Myers-Lawson School of Construction at Virginia Tech.

EuroCharity held a workshop entitled "Core principles of sustainability". In this course, Mr. Michael Spanos, Managing Partner, Mr. George Tsiakalakis, Business Development Manager and Ms. Ilektra Liberopoulou, Marketing & Communications Manager, EuroCharity, provided a sustainability overview focusing on the green economy, sustainability strategy and marketing trends.

The Forum came to a close with the distribution of attendance certificates and a cocktail reception.

• Supporters: MBA International, Technical University of Crete, Panteion University of Social and Political Sciences, RICS Hellas, Hellenic Bank Association and the Hellenic Network for Corporate Social Responsibility
• Airline Partner: Air France-KLM
• Accommodation Sponsor: Athens Ledra Marriott Hotel
• Carbon Neutral Partner: Green Evolution S.A.
• Social Media Partner: Think Plus
• Printing Sponsor: PressiousArvanitidis
• Cocktail Partner: Stoli (STOLICHNAYA® premium vodka)
• Coffee Partner: Illy

Communication Partners: "Kerdos", "Kathimerini English Edition" and "Athens News" newspapers, "Re:CSR", "Energy World", "EPILOGI" and "PERIVALLON 21" magazines, "CSRweek" weekly e-newsletter, the csrnews.gr and energyonline.gr portals, Boussias Communications, Think Plus and -- internationally -- CSRwire and Ethical Performance.

Global Sustain Limited (Ltd.)

Global Sustain Limited (Ltd.)

About Global Sustain

Founded in 2006, Global Sustain with offices in Athens, Berlin, Brussels, London, New York and Nicosia, creates awareness and inspires and supports companies and organisations to embody sustainability, through advisory, communications, networking and training, with a focus on the people-planet-profit philosophy. Its members include corporations, non-governmental and non-profit organisations, municipalities and local authorities, educational foundations, media, professional bodies, think tanks and other public or private entities. Global Sustain is a signatory to the Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact, to the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI), a GRI Data Partner and Organisational Stakeholder (OS), an affiliated member of the Academy of Business in Society, Social Value International, Institute of Directors, CEO Clubs and EFQM. www.globalsustain.org / www.globalsustaingroup.com

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