VARIO-colloquium 2021. Sustainable Development Goals. Opportunities for Flemish companies.
The annual VARIO colloquium took place on Thursday 2 December. For those who missed it, the recording is available.
VARIO advises the Flemish Government to include the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) as the core to make our companies and our region as a whole more competitive and resilient. The relaunch in the context of the covid crisis offers excellent momentum. It is an impetus to implement truly innovative and strategic changes in combining business and purpose. With its recommendations, VARIO hopes to help further improve and accelerate this.
During the colloquium, VARIO gave four companies the opportunity to talk about how the SDGs are the compass for them towards greater sustainability and improved competitiveness. The panel discussion with the various government agencies showed that good developments have already been set in motion, and that the minds are maturing to work with the VARIO recommendations and take it a step further. Vice-minister president Hilde Crevits emphasized: “Companies that do not invest in societal challenges will also not survive economically. That is why we focus our economic support on sustainability, digitization and healthcare. This is how we encourage companies to invest in it. That is a win-win and is also what society expects.”
Content
Introduction: Riadh Bahri, moderator (video 0:00)
Key messages from the VARIO-advisory Report 20 around the SDG’s: Lieven Danneels, VARIO (video 2:20):
Company cases (video 10:45):
- Frédéric de Meulemeester, Ecosteryl
- Fried Vancraen, Materialise
- Julie Lietaer, Ariadne Innovation/European Spinning Group
- An Nuyttens, Solvay Silica
Panel discussion (video 57:49):
- Sonja Willems, FIT
- Willy Verstraete, FWO
- Elke Van de Walle, PMV
- Leo Van de Loock, VLAIO
- With a.o. questions from Peter Wollaert, Marion De Bruyne, Olivier Van Haute en Lieve Jacobs, the external experts from the sounding board for VARIO-advisory Report 20.
Response and views of vice-minister president Hilde Crevits (video 1:32:14)
End: Danielle Raspoet, VARIO (video 1:40:52)
Related advices
Advisory report 20: ‘The Sustainable Development Goals – Opportunities for Flemish companies’
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