UNEP FI is hosting its 18th Global Roundtable on 10-11 December in Geneva, Switzerland and online. The flagship event will focus on accelerating practical approaches to setting and implementing targets in areas including net zero, nature, impact, pollution, human rights, and financial inclusion to help achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.
UNEP FI’s biennial Global Roundtable (GRT) is a key event for driving action within the finance industry, offering thousands of professionals the chance to collaborate with peers and gain insights from global leaders. The GRT convenes a diverse group of stakeholders, including banks, insurers, investors, regulators, policymakers, and civil society, to collectively shape the sustainable finance agenda and catalyse action across the financial system to deliver more sustainable global economies for years to come.
UNEP FI and Building Bridges join forces
This year, the Global Roundtable will be held under the same roof as Building Bridges (9-12 December), a powerful movement that brings 2500+ attendees from 100+ countries from the finance and corporate sectors, governments, civil society, academia, and sustainable development communities to Geneva annually, to shape the global sustainable finance agenda and build a bridge towards a global economic model that meets the needs of a sustainable and just society. Find out more about Building Bridges 2024 here.
Those who are registered to attend the Global Roundtable from 10-11 December will also have access to the Building Bridges 2024 Action Days from 10-12 December.
Registrations
Registrations for general public
Takes you to registration
UNEP FI Member registrations
Takes you to the Members’ Area
Virtual registrations
Live virtual attendance
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I register?
Please register here
What are the costs for event passes?
- UNEP FI Members: UNEP FI members receive 2 complimentary passes per organisation. You can find the link to register in the members’ area, or contact us on roundtable@unepfi.org
- General Public: Prices vary between 150 and 300CHF.
- Online Attendance: Free of charge.
I’ve registered for the UNEP FI Global Roundtable; do I also get access to Building Bridges?
Yes, registration grants access to the UNEP FI Global Roundtable and the Building Bridges Action Days (10-12 December), whether attending in person or virtually.
I’ve registered to attend in-person. Do I have to pay for anything else?
Participants traveling to Geneva are responsible for their own travel arrangements and related costs, including transportation, visa (if applicable), food, and accommodation.
Can I join online?
Yes, sessions at the Global Roundtable will be streamed live on the UNEP FI website. Register to attend online here for free, and a link to watch the event will be sent to you closer to the event. Join the conversation on social media using the hashtag #GRT2024.
Does UNEP FI provide certificates of participation?
No, UNEP FI does not issue certificates of participation.
Will there be Wi-Fi at the venue?
Yes, free Wi-Fi will be provided at the venue.
Where is the in-person event located?
The UNEP FI Global Roundtable (GRT) will be held at the CICG – The International Conference Center Geneva (Rue de Varembé 17, 1211 Genève, Switzerland).
Is there a recommended hotel I should stay at?
While it is entirely up to each participant to choose their accommodation, our partner Building Bridges has provided a list of recommended hotels on their website. Please note that UNEP FI does not have any special agreements with these hotels.
How do I get to the venue?
Please find detailed directions on the Building Bridges website.
How do I travel to Geneva?
You can travel to Geneva by plane, with Geneva Airport (GVA) being the main international gateway, or by train, car, or bus from other European cities. UNEP FI is not responsible for covering any travel costs.
What is the best way to travel around Geneva?
The best way to travel around Geneva is by using its efficient public transportation system, including trams, buses, and trains. Walking and cycling are also popular options.
How do I get to the CICG venue?
The CICG (Centre International de Conférences Genève) can be easily reached by taking a tram or bus from various parts of the city, or by taxi, although we recommend using the most sustainable choice i.e. public transport.
Do I need a visa to visit Geneva?
Whether you need a visa depends on your nationality. Schengen Area visa rules apply, so check if your country requires a visa for Switzerland. Participants traveling to Geneva are responsible for their own travel arrangements and related costs, including visa (if applicable).
UNEP FI is unable to provide letters to assist with visa applications.
Contact us for any questions or comments, or if you are interested in sponsoring the Global Roundtable, at: roundtable@unepfi.org
We invite you to explore the Global Roundtable 2024 agenda below. In parallel, the Building Bridges Action Days will take place from 10–12 December at the same venue. As a participant of the GRT, you will also have full access to the Building Bridges Action Days, featuring 65+ crowd-sourced sessions, offering a wide array of interactive formats such as panel discussions, workshops, fishbowl conversations, trainings, and case studies. To explore the Building Bridges Action Days program, click here.
Time (CET) | Joint sessions: Global Roundtable X Building Bridges | ||
09:00 |
BUILDING PARTNERSHIPS Opening remarks
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09:10 |
REMARKS
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09:15 |
FIRESIDE CHAT Accelerating systems change through finance
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09:30 |
FIRESIDE CHAT Wisdom from the Elders: The Right to a Resilient Future
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09:50 |
PLENARY PANEL How finance drives the sustainability agenda forward
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Time (CET) | Opening of the UNEP FI Global Roundtable Room D |
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10:50 |
OPENING SESSION Opening dialogue with Inger Andersen, Executive Director, UN Environment Programme
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11:05 |
MESSAGE Message from Christiana Figueres, Founder, Global Optimism |
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11:10 |
PLENARY PANEL Driving change through responsible banking and sustainable insurance
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12:00 |
HIGH-LEVEL PANEL Accelerating the real economy transition
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12:40 |
MESSAGE Message from H.E. Razan al Mubarak, President, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and UN Climate Change High-Level Champion |
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12:45 |
FIRESIDE CHAT Bringing nature to the heart of finance
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13:05 | Lunch | ||
Start of Deep Dive sessions | |||
14:00 |
DEEP DIVE SESSION 1 Embedding biodiversity concerns across portfolios
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DEEP DIVE SESSION 2 Mobilising finance for energy efficiency
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15:00 |
DEEP DIVE SESSION 3 Next steps to implementing the Global Biodiversity Framework
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DEEP DIVE SESSION 4 Mobilising sustainable finance in emerging markets
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16:00 |
DEEP DIVE SESSION 5 Driving interoperability between sustainable finance taxonomies
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DEEP DIVE SESSION 6 Just transition: Incorporating human rights into climate finance
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17:00 |
DEEP DIVE SESSION 7 Mainstreaming impact management
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DEEP DIVE SESSION 8 Tackling plastics and promoting circularity to achieve sustainability goals
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18:00 | End of Day 1 |
Time (CET) | Day 2 | ||
09:55 |
Opening keynote
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10:10 |
PLENARY PANEL Supporting global sustainability ambition through policy and regulation
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10:55 |
FIRESIDE CHAT Aligning professional practice with sustainability goals
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11:10 |
PLENARY PANEL Driving 1.5 ambition through finance
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11:55 |
FIRESIDE CHAT Risk and impact: Both sides of the same coin
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12:15 |
CASE STUDY Analysing performance of signatories to Principles for Responsible Banking
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12:25 | Lunch | ||
Start of Deep Dive sessions | |||
13:20 |
DEEP DIVE SESSION 9 Scaling finance for adaptation
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DEEP DIVE SESSION 10 Overcoming data challenges in sustainable finance
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14:10 |
DEEP DIVE SESSION 11 Transition finance: Opportunities and challenges
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DEEP DIVE SESSION 12 Public and private cooperation for sustainable development
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15:05 |
DEEP DIVE SESSION 13 Closing the gender gap: the role of banks (co-hosted with UN Women) Opening remarks:
Panellists:
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DEEP DIVE SESSION 14 – Insurance Unlocking the potential of insurance for nature positive Room C
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16:05 |
DEEP DIVE SESSION 15 – PRB Effective client engagement: Strategies for banks to foster sustainable finance
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DEEP DIVE SESSION 16 – Insurance Scaling up climate action in the insurance industry
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17:05 |
DEEP DIVE SESSION 17 – PRB Engaging clients on social issues: Strategies
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DEEP DIVE SESSION 18 – insurance 17:05 – 17:45CET
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DEEP DIVE SESSION 19 – insurance 17:45 – 18:15 CET Welcome and Introduction to the Nairobi Declaration on Sustainable Insurance and the purpose of the session:
Panel:
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18:15 |
COCKTAIL RECEPTION GRT Closing: Frontiers Planet Prize Sponsored by Frontiers Research Foundation |
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19:45 |
End of UNEP FI Global Roundtable 2024 |
10 December
Road to FFD4: Scaling up private finance and investment for the SDGs Location: CICG, Room 14 (Geneva) |
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11:45 – 13:00 |
The objective of this consultation session will be to:
Specifically, the UN-led session will explore the following topics: (a) barriers to scaling up private finance and investment for sustainable development; (b) possible policy and regulatory reforms to encourage the provision of long-term finance and investment in sustainable development; (c) ways to enhance the effectiveness of blended finance approaches to scale up SDG-aligned investment in emerging markets; significant recommendations and initiatives that could come out of the 4th International Conference on Financing for Development.
The session is hosted by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, alongside UNEP FI’s Global Roundtable. |
11 December
Nature Transition Planning Roundtable Location: Room Lausanne, Centre de Conference de Varembe (CCV) (across the GRT and Building Bridges Venue) This session has limited capacity, and attendance will be granted on a first-come, first-served basis. To secure your seat, see contact below. |
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9:00 – 10:30 |
Nature transition planning is an emergent concept that offers a coherent, structured way to manage an organisation’s responses and contributions to transition set out by the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF). During this rountable we will request participants to reflect on the concepts presented by WWF, TNFD and UNEP FI. The insights gathered will be instrumental in refining these approaches, and identifying actionable steps on nature transition planning, that can be implemented across the financial sector. Objectives:
The session is hosted by UNEP FI, WWF, and The Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD), and held alongside UNEP FI’s Global Roundtable. This session has limited capacity, and attendance will be granted on a first-come, first-served basis. To secure your seat, please contact: npoolen@wwfint.org |
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Gold Sponsor
Silver Sponsors
Bronze Sponsors
Partner:
Supporters:
Contact us if you are interested in sponsoring the Global Roundtable, at: roundtable@unepfi.org
Careen Abb
SDGs and Impact Lead
Angélica Afanador
Director, Guidehouse and Executive Director, Partnership for Carbon Accounting Financials (PCAF)
Abimbola Agbejule
Head, Corporate Sustainability, Wema Bank
Amal-Lee Amin
Managing Director and Head of Climate, Diversity and Advisory, British International Investment
Inger Andersen
Executive Director, UN Environment Programme
Jesica Lelynn Andrews
Head of Climate Accountability and Climate Co-Lead
Butch Bacani
Head of Insurance, UNEP and Chair of the Forum for Insurance Transition to Net Zero
Ana Bachurova
Energy Efficiency Lead
Dawn Bailey
Head of Financial Wellbeing, Bank of Ireland
Antoni Ballabriga
Global Head of Sustainability Intelligence & Advocacy, BBVA
Susan Barron
Managing Director and Global Co-Head of the Sustainable Banking Group, Barclays
Dirk Bartsch
Head of ESG, Berlin Hyp
Shargiil Bashir
Chief Sustainability Officer and Executive Vice President, First Abu Dhabi Bank
Dorothée Baumann-Pauly
Director, Geneva Center for Business and Human Rights
Luca Bertalot
Secretary General, European Mortgage Federation – European Covered Bond Council (EMF-ECBC)
Simon Bessant
Global Head of Insurance and Director, The Texel Group
Hans Biemans
Head of Sustainable Markets, ING
Sander Biesma
CEO, NN Re
Claudine Blamey
Chief Sustainability Officer, Aviva
Daniel Bouzas
Regional Lead, Europe
Thomas Brauchle
Head of Sustainability, Siemens Financial Services
Sofia Calltorp
Director, UN Women Geneva Office and Chief of Humanitarian Action
Filipe Camaño Garcia
Manager and Lead, Global Circularity Protocol for Business, WBCSD
Laura Canas da Costa
Co-Lead, Global Policy
Jean-François Chalifoux
President and CEO, Beneva
Mustafa Chaudhry
Co-Lead, Communications
Lauren Clarke-Wiest
Head of Data and Analytics, Aon
Lara de Mesa
Global Head of Responsible Banking, Santander (Spain)
Johannes Hermanus De Wit
Vice President, Executive Board Member, Head of Retail, Bank of Beijing
Xavier Demeulenaere
Research and Analysis Associate Director, S&P Global Mobility
Alejandra Díaz
Chief Sustainability Officer, Banco Davivienda and Seguros Bolívar (Colombia)
Laura Diaz Zea
Implementation Guidance Coordinator and Financial Health & Inclusion Lead
Johanna Dichtl
Implementation Guidance Team Lead
Dimitrios Dimopoulos
Head of ESG, Piraeus Financial Holdings
Vanessa Doger de Spéville
Head, Sustainability, Reputation & Engagement, MCB
Shanning Dong
General Manager, Green Finance Department, Bank of Jiangsu
Esther Egeter
Sustainability Manager, a.s.r.
Lisa Eichler
Head of Physical Risk & Natural Solutions, MSCI
Paul Ekins
Professor of Resources and Environmental Policy, Bartlett School Env, Energy & Resources, University College London
Anna Falth
Global Head of the Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs), UN Women
Amandine Favier
Head of Sustainable Finance, WWF-Switzerland
Lauren Ferstandig
Managing Director, Nature Vest, The Nature Conservancy
Remco Fischer
Co-head of NZAOA Secretariat; Climate Lead, UNEP FI
Jonathan Fowlie
Chief External Relations Officer and Head of Impact Strategy, Vancity
Linda Freiner
Chief Sustainability Officer, Zurich Insurance Group
Warrick Fuchsloch
Senior Client Engagement Specialist, S&P Global Sustinable1
Noelia Garcia Nebra
Head of Sustainability, ISO
Verónica Gavilanes Véjar
Deputy General Manager, BancoSol
Romie Goedicke den Hertog
Co-Lead, Nature
Denisse González
Climate Change Specialist, Produbanco
Mark Gough
Executive Director, Natural Capital Coalition
Nik Gowing
Founder and Co-Director, Thinking the Unthinkable
Anja Hannerz
Group Head of Sustainability, Nordea
Makoto Haraguchi
SVP of Sustainability Section, MS&AD Insurance Group
Paul Harris
Sustainable Product Innovation Lead, Bank of Ireland
Irene Heemskerk
Head of the Climate Change Centre, European Central Bank
Glenn Hodes
Senior adviser on SDG investment, United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA)
Clémence Humeau
Head of Sustainability Coordination and Governance, AXA IM
Tomohiro Ishikawa
Chief Regulatory Engagement Officer, Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG)
Masaaki Iwabuchi
General Manager, Finance & Investment Planning Department, Nippon Life Insurance Company
Joseph Jacobelli
Advisory Group Expert, ESCAP (FET Project) and Managing Partner, Bougie Impact Capital
Geetu Joshi
Advisor, Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance of the Government of India
Marc Kahn
Chief Strategy & Sustainability Officer, Investec Group
Jenny Wik Karlsson
CEO & Senior Legal Adviser, Swedish Sami Association and Chairperson, FSC Sweden
Patty Karuaihe-Martin
Managing Director, NamibRe (Namibia)
Sean Kidney
CEO, Climate Bonds Initiative
Raj Kumar
President & Editor-in-Chief, Devex
Alvaro Lario
President, International Fund of Agricultural Development (IFAD)
Nathalie Larrousé
Associate Director, Green Financial Systems, Head of Green Capital Markets, EBRD
Christine Lee
Director, Climate and Nature Risk Product Development and Management, S&P Global Sustainable1
Peggy Lefort
Pollution & Circular Economy Lead
Philippe Lionnet
Envoy for Sustainable Finance and Co-Head of the Policy Issues & International Relations unit, State Secretariat for International Finance (SIF), Swiss Federal Department of Finance
Alexandra Lockyer
Senior Sustainable Finance Analyst, UN Women
Philip Lopokoiyit
CEO, ICEA LION Group
Stefan Malchow
Head of Sales, ESG Solutions, SAP Fioneer
Kelvin Massingham
Director, Risk and Resilience FSD Africa
Emily McKenzie
Technical Director, TNFD
Christos Megalou
CEO, Piraeus Bank
João Mestre
Head of Sustainability, Fidelidade Group
Madelena Mohamed
Sustainability Director, Bank Negara Malaysia
Masaaki Nagamura
Fellow International Initiatives, Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance Co., Ltd.
Puleng Tumelo Ndjwili-Potele
Co-Lead, Banking
Patrick Odier
Chairman of the Supervisory Board, Lombard Odier Group and Chair, Building Bridges
Ralph Opara
Group Head, Commercial Banking Division, Access Bank
Yasmine Pagni
Head of Social Policy Unit, Environment, Climate and Social Office (ECSO), Projects Directorate (PJ), EIB
Susanne Pedersen
Director, Science and Knowledge Centre, IUCN
Joana Pedro
Social Lead
Nicolas Picchiottino
Head of Public Development Banks, AFD & Secretary General, IDFC
Franco Piza
Head of Sustainability, Grupo Bancolombia (Colombia)
Hacina Py
Group Chief Sustainability Officer, Societe Generale
Jan Raes
Finance and Plastics Lead
Sue Reid
Climate Finance Advisor to Christiana Figueres, Global Optimism
Udo Riese
Global Head of Sustainable Investing, Allianz Investment Management (AIM) SE
Rémy Rioux
CEO, Agence Française de Développement (AFD)
Nick Robins
Professor of Practice in Sustainable Finance, LSE
Mary Robinson
Chair, The Elders & former President of Ireland, & former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
Carlos José Santos Lardé
Sustainability Manager, Banco Bolivariano
Clemence Schmid
Director, Global Plastics Action Partnership, World Economic Forum
Kirsten Schuijt
Director General, WWF International
Krishnan Sharma
Principal Economic Affairs Adviser, Financing for Sustainable Development Office, UN DESA
Vincent Siegerink
Economist, OECD WISE Centre and Co-Lead, Impact Management Platform
Maria Simonson
Head of Client Relationship Management and Chief Sustainability Officer, Swedish Export Credit Corporation (SEK)
Elisabeth Skorna
Chief Financial Officer and Vice-President Finance, DACH, Schneider Electric
Jessica Smith
Lead, Nature
Tomas Soley Perez
General Superintendent, General Superintendence of Insurance of Costa Rica (SUGESE)
Caroline Wakesho Sonje
ESG Specialist, ICEA Lion
Maria Eugenia Sosa Taborda
Membership and Regional Co-ordination Manager
Susan Stawicki
Head of Reporting, UN Global Compact
Elisabeth Stern
Board Member, KlimaSeniorinnen
Saori Takahashi
Manager, Sustainability Management, Corporate Strategy Group, The Norinchukin Bank
Nirnita Talukdar
Regional Lead, Asia Pacific
Grace Tam
Director, Investments, Clean Energy Finance Corporation
Wendy Teleki
Head of the Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative (We-Fi), the World Bank
Massimiano Tellini
Head – Circular Economy, Intesa Sanpaolo Innovation Center
Massamba Thioye
Project Executive, UN Climate Change Global Innovation Hub, UNFCCC secretariat
Simon Thompson
Managing Director, Global Capacity Building Coalition (GCBC)
Quyen Thuc Nguyen
Senior Climate Finance Specialist, Global Product Lead, IFC
Cirhan Truswell
Director, Climate Science, Sun Life
Eric Usher
Head, UNEP Finance Initiative
Liesel van Ast
Deputy Head
Rie Vejs-Kjeldgaard
Director of the Sustainable Enterprises, Productivity and Just Transition Department, International Labour Organization (ILO)
Thomas Viegas
Nature Strategy Lead, Aviva
Helena Viñes Fiestas
Co-Chair, Taskforce on Net Zero Policy and Chair, EU Platform on Sustainable Finance
Caroline Wellemans
Head of Unit, Sustainable Finance Policy - DG INTPA, European Commission
Olivier Wibo
Sustainable Finance Solutions Product Manager, Bloomberg
Makaio Witte
Head of Sustainable Finance, Sustainable Economic Transformation and Sustainable Finance Global Project, GIZ
Christine Würfel
Head of Group ESG & Sustainability Management, Raiffeisen Bank International AG (RBI)
Amanda Zillig
Human Rights Lead, ING