Climate Governance Initiative Germany

Key role of supervisory boards in furthering climate action and sustainability

A collaboration set up by the World Economic Forum (WEF), the Climate Governance Initiative (CGI) underscores the pivotal role of corporate boards in the long-term stewardship and strategic direction of companies.

The initiative seeks to empower board directors to take action on environmental and climate issues by enhancing their knowledge and skills, based on the ” rel=”noopener” target=”_blank”>Principles for Effective Climate Governance. The ultimate aim is to understand the opportunities and risks that global crises can pose for companies and enable joint action to boost business success and resilience. Through a global network of local Chapters, the CGI creates awareness and fosters collective action to ensure companies’ lasting success and endurance over the long term.

The German Council for Sustainable Development (RNE) promotes sustainability in business and the economy as a whole, with climate neutrality and environmental protection front and centre. In February 2021, together with ESMT Berlin and the Board Academy, the RNE founded the German branch – Chapter Germany – of the Climate Governance Initiative with the aim of working with supervisory board members and other stakeholders to amplify the discourse around climate and the environment and accelerate biodiversity protection.

Eco- and climate-friendly operation must be embedded in business models

The urgent need to address the current global crises – climate change, declining biodiversity and high levels of pollution – calls for governments and businesses to step up the transition to a new and fairer economic model (“just transition”).

Global crises in fact bring both risks and opportunities for businesses. Companies that lead the way in establishing a circular economy or climate neutrality can secure a competitive advantage, as investors and regulators are increasingly demanding that businesses show responsibility and take strategic action on issues of climate, biodiversity and the environment. Boardrooms face the challenge of integrating risks and opportunities as they develop just strategies for the transition. As such, supervisory boards must be fully aware of the implications of the environmental crisis and lead their companies through the complex requirements of climate change mitigation. Chapter Germany promotes this development by collaborating with like-minded partners.

Our offerings

Networking opportunities in a worldwide network of supervisory boards

The global network of the Climate Governance Initiative consists of more than 20 local subgroups (local chapter), which are supported in their work by the Global Secretariat. The Global Secretariat promotes the international exchange of experience and shares valuable products and resources with all members. Visit the Climate Governance Initiative’s website for more information on the global initiative, local chapter, news, and events. Become a member of Chapter Germany and benefit from the knowledge of the global network.

Peer-to-peer learning

How do other supervisory boards steer their companies in the transformation towards more sustainability? Which leadership styles have proven successful? Members of the Chapter Germany discusses these and other questions in digital events, discussion rounds and round tables together with supervisory boards of German-based companies. You can find a selection of past and future events in the section below. Become part of this exclusive network and register here as a member.

Educate your Board-Session

The recent amendments to the German Corporate Governance Code emphasize that supervisory board members should possess skills and expertise regarding sustainability issues relevant to the company. The FUTURE Institute for Sustainable Transformation at ESMT Berlin, the #1 business school in Germany and one of the partners of CGI Germany, offers executive education for supervisory board members on sustainability. The innovative learning program grounded on research focuses on sustainability capacity development of supervisory board members. It can be delivered customized for each supervisory board. It enables supervisory board members to understand global sustainability challenges, sustainability frameworks and regulation as well as take an active role in overseeing ESG issues. For more information, please contact Joanna Radeke, Executive Director of the FUTURE Institute for Sustainable Transformation at ESMT Berlin at joanna.radeke@esmt.org. Please do not hesitate to reach out.

External Advisory Council

Chapter Germany is advised in its work by a high-ranking advisory body consisting of supervisory boards of companies domiciled in Germany.

Events

Virtual seminar series on sustainability on the supervisory board, from 5 September to 28 November 2024

In the first, foundational session, Hanna Setterberg from the Stockholm School of Economics discussed with the participating board members global ecological, social and governance challenges as well as scientific frameworks such as planetary boundaries and the triple bottom line.

In the second session, with Prof. Dr Juliane Hilf, partner in Freshfields law firm, participants explored the topic of companies’ dependencies and risks in the climate crisis as well as legal duties and responsibilities of supervisory board members.

The third session saw experienced supervisory board members Margret Suckale, Daniela Mattheus and Kai Andrejewski discuss examples of successful sustainability governance structures and the impact of sustainability on the company’s success as a strategic factor in a board’s decision-making.

The fourth and final session focused on an important but still much-neglected topic on company boards: biodiversity. RNE member Myriam Rapior presented a guide to biodiversity management for supervisory boards, entrepreneur and investor Anna Alex reported on her journey to promoting biodiversity in business, and Dirk Voeste spoke about his experience of the topic of biodiversity as Chief Sustainability Officer at the Volkswagen Group.

 

Panel discussion on corporate strategies out of the crisis on December, 1st 2022 as part of the 15th German Sustainability Award in Düsseldorf

“Strategy is sustainability and sustainability is strategy,” commented the discussant Dr. Sopna Sury, Member of the Supervisory Board at Heidelberg Materials and Managing Director of Hydrogen RWE Generation SE, during the panel discussion “Climate Governance Initiative. Sustainability strategies for the realignment of companies”, hosted by the Climate Governance Initiative Germany as part of the 15th German Sustainability Award. After opening remarks by RNE-Chairman Dr. Werner Schnappauf, in addition the invited guests Prof. Dr. Alexander Bassen (RNE Member), Prof. Dr. Kerstin Lopatta (Supervisory Board Freenet & EQS Group, University Hamburg), and Dr. Dorothea Wenzel (Supervisory Board Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA, H. Lundbeck A/S, Dentsply Sirona) discussed corporate strategies in response to current crises and the importance of sustainability reporting in the transformation. The discussion was moderated by the CGI Germany partner Katharina von Frankenberg.

 

Panel discussion on sustainability leadership at CGI´s Global Summit 2022 on October 12th, 2022

The Climate Governance Initiative Germany hosted a panel discussion on “Climate and People: Putting Passion into Board Practice” as part of the initiative’s global summit. The guests Robin Stalker (Supervisory Board Schaeffler, Commerzbank, Hugo Boss, former CFO of adidas), Prof. Dr. Katja Windt (Supervisory Board Deutsche Post and Fraport) and Michael Vassiliadis (Supervisory Board BASF, Henkel, Steag, Chairman IGBCE) discussed the importance and power of sustainability leadership. The event was moderated by CGI Germany partner Katharina von Frankenberg. The event was held in English.

Watch the recording of the event here:

 

Sustainable Business Roundtable “The Board’s Role in Sustainability” on May 18th, 2022

The Sustainable Business Roundtable (SBRT) members and invited guests met on May 18th, 2022 at ESMT Berlin to discuss the role of boards in sustainability. The event was organized by ESMT, one of the founding partners of the Climate Governance Initiative Germany (CGI Germany), with the CGI Germany. The participants discussed topics, such as recent study results on sustainability leadership, board structure for sustainability oversight and reporting and disclosure of sustainability among others. You can find further impressions here. The SBRT is a peer-to-peer learning network founded by ESMT in 2011.

 

Webinar of the Climate Governance Initaitive in collaboration with the World Economic Forum on November 23rd 2021

 

Virtual Summit, 23 March 2021: Climate Governance Initiative Germany: The Dual Board System and Sustainable Corporate Governance

The Climate Governance Initiative Germany has hosted its inaugural session at the Climate Governance Initiative’s global summit on „The Dual Board System and Sustainable Corporate Governance”. The panel with Dr. Simone Bagel-Trah, Joe Kaeser and Reiner Hoffmann among the guests discussed how supervisory boards can boost sustainable development and climate neutrality. This is the recording of our event:

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Contact

Cathleen Seeger
German Council for Sustainable Development
Office c/o GIZ GmbH
Potsdamer Platz 10, 10785 Berlin
Phone +49 (0) 30 338424-401
Email climategovernance@nachhaltigkeitsrat.de

Joanna Radeke
Executive Director of the ESMT Institute for Sustainable Transformation
ESMT Berlin
Schlossplatz 1, 10178 Berlin
Phone +49 175 356 6320
Email joanna.radeke@esmt.org

Caspar von Blomberg
Board Academy e.V.
c/o Egon Zehnder International
Promenadeplatz 12, 80333 Munich
Phone +49 89 29 00 69 0
Email caspar.blomberg@egonzehnder.com