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About The Programme

Sustainability & ESG Africa 2026 Programme

Theme:
A world of change: Strengthening the Economics of Sustainability

The 2026 Sustainability and ESG Africa Conference is framed around the theme Strengthening the Economics of Sustainability. The programme positions sustainability not as a separate compliance or reporting activity, but as a core part of business continuity, resilience, competitiveness and long-term value creation. This aligns with the conference’s public positioning as an executive platform focused on the business and economics of sustainability, showing how sustainability makes business sense in a changing African and global context.

The programme is built around a stronger economic, strategic and practical sustainability agenda. Key themes include, sustainability as business continuity, resilience as a strategic capability, green industrialisation, systemic risk, climate and nature integration, reporting to performance, and the practical tools, skills and collaborations needed to move from ambition to implementation.

A major emphasis is on helping organisations understand how sustainability affects costs, revenues, assets, capital access, insurance, procurement, operational resilience, competitiveness and long-term enterprise value.

What sets the event apart

The 2026 programme builds on what already differentiates the Sustainability and ESG Africa Conference. The event is positioned as Africa’s premier Sustainability and ESG platform, described as the continent’s largest, longest-standing and most trusted sustainability gathering. It also offers influence that matters, connecting participants with leaders shaping sustainability across business, finance and policy.

The conference is also distinctive because it goes beyond the event. It is part of a broader sustainability community that supports collaboration before, during and after the conference through webinars, communities of practice and ongoing engagement. The 2026 programme strengthens this through impact hubs, masterclasses, skills clinics, sector discussions and practical tools.

07:00   |   Registration

This half-day pre-conference workshop invites delegates to help co-design the next generation of circular business solutions for forest-based
and biobased value chains. Designed as a hands-on working session rather than a lecture, it uses a structured “pre-mortem” to stress-test
new FSC solutions — built specifically for the African market — and turn practical feedback into concrete design input. This workshop will
attract Sustainability professionals, ESG practitioners, Procurement and Supply chain professionals, Strategic planning teams, Climate,

Nature and Reporting practitioners, Operations, Manufacturing and finance leads, Executives, Consultants and public-sector decision-
makers looking to prepare for the next generation of sustainability requirements.

Workshop Leader: Henriette Thorsén Clausen, Change Management and Process Lead, Forest Stewardship Council Circularity Hub

IUCN’s energy-related work supports decision-makers, regulators, investors and project developers in identifying and managing these risks
across the full project lifecycle—from strategic planning and site selection through construction, operation, repowering and decommissioning.
This includes applying spatial planning, early biodiversity-risk screening, cumulative-impact assessment and the mitigation hierarchy of avoid,
minimise, restore and, only where appropriate, offset.
The masterclass will also examine where Nature-based Solutions can complement engineered infrastructure and conventional environmental
management—for example through catchment restoration, wetland protection, erosion control, ecological rehabilitation and biodiversity
enhancement around energy developments.


Workshop Leader: Rachel Asante-Owusu, IUCN’s Global Lead on Energy Transition

Welcome:

Wendy Poulton, Director, ESG Events, Shameela Soobramoney, Chief Executive Officer, National Business Initiative


Keynote: Green Industrialisation: Building South Africa’s Next Competitive Advantage
Dr Sibongile Mazibuko, Deputy Director Invest SA- Green Economy, DTIC Green Economy


Business Leadership panel: Translating Policy ambition into investment, local value chains and jobs
Moderator: Tiekie Barnard, Chief Executive Officer, Shared Value Africa


Panellists:
● Senior representation, Nedbank
● Dan Marokane, Group Chief Executive, Eskom
● Vincent Labuschgne, Chief Operating Officer, SolarAfrica


Closure and call to action Summarise insights and leadership priorities
Athi Biko, Senior Manager: Finance & Stakeholder Engagement, UN Global Compact Network South Africa

Hosted By:
Partner:
Co-Sponsors

This executive panel will explore how leading organisations are responding to these complex risks, how sustainability is evolving from a Compliance function to a core leadership priority, and what boards and executives must do to build organisations that are resilient, adaptable and positioned for long term value creation in an Increasingly uncertain world.

This session explores how companies can move beyond sustainability fatigue and re-energise teams around practical, business-relevant action. It
will consider how sustainability can be made meaningful for operations, finance and frontline staff, and how leadership narratives, incentives,
culture nudges can help connect sustainability to pride, purpose and performance

The focus in this session is on the shift from sustainability reporting as a compliance exercise to sustainability as a driver of performance and measurable impact. It will explore the latest reporting trends, how organisations can measure what changes outcomes, and how sustainability information can be linked more directly to financial resource allocation and decision-making.

Take advantage of this extended networking break to connect with fellow delegates, speakers, sponsors and exhibitors in an informal setting.

 

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Is Sustainability and ESG Dead,
Rebranded or Finally Becoming
Real?

Some argue ESG has become politicised and diluted others say it is moving from branding to
measurable business performance. 

Speaker:

Berenice Francis, Group Executive for Risk, Sustainability and People, The Motus Group

 

Climate Adaptation: Who Pays When the Future Becomes Uninsurable?

Governments, insurers, investors, businesses and communities all have different views on who
should carry the cost of rising climate risk

Speaker:

TBC, Marsh Africa

The Circular Business Case: What the Data Actually Shows


Many companies face growing pressure on material costs and supply security — but lack the data to act. This session presents
new, independently validated research on what circular transition costs and what it
delivers.

Speaker:

Henriette Aarslev Clausen, Change Management and Process Lead, Forestry

Who Rates the Raters? ESG Scores, Credit Risk and the
Power of Rating Agencies

A debate on whether rating
agencies are helping markets price sustainability risk properly, or whether inconsistent scoring, opaque methods and commercial incentives are distorting
decision-making

Speaker:

Ted Maselesele, Treasurer, African Credit Rating Association & Obed Mbuzi, Vice President, African Credit
Rating Association

 

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AI Augmenting v s Replacing Skills

This conversation will explore how AI is transforming the future of work by augmenting human capability, improving business performance, and reshaping skills development, while examining the balance between automation, ethics, and the continued value of
human insight and creativity across African industries.

Speaker:

Carolynn Chalmers, Chief Executive Officer, Good Governance Academy

Nature and Biodiversity: The Next Big Reporting Burden or a Business Survival Issue?

TNFD and nature-related disclosure are gaining traction, but some companies see nature as complex, hard to measure and difficult to monetise.

Speaker:

Emma Schumann, Sustainability and Strategic Consultant, Richard Fergusson, Forest
Stewardship Council (FSC)

Green Growth vs Degrowth: Can We Consume Our Way to Sustainability?


One view says technology, innovation and markets can deliver sustainable growth; another argues that consumption itself
must be reduced.

Speaker:

Karin Ireton, ESG and Sustainability Adviser, FTI Consulting

Scope 3 and Supply Chains: Accountability or Impossible
Burden?

Companies are increasingly expected to account
for supplier emissions and impacts, but many suppliers
lack data, capacity or resources.

Speaker:

Bhongo Sonti, Africa Programme Manager, GRI
Africa Tbc Kenya Airways

 

BREAKAWAY 1.2.5

 

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BREAKAWAY 1.2.7

 

BREAKAWAY 1.2.8

AI Augmenting v s Replacing Skills

This conversation will explore how AI is transforming the future of work by augmenting human capability, improving business performance, and reshaping skills development, while examining the balance between automation, ethics, and the continued value of
human insight and creativity across African industries.

Speaker:

Carolynn Chalmers, Chief Executive Officer, Good Governance Academy

Nature and Biodiversity: The Next Big Reporting Burden or a Business Survival Issue?

TNFD and nature-related disclosure are gaining traction, but some companies see nature as complex, hard to measure and difficult to monetise.

Speaker:

Emma Schumann, Sustainability and Strategic Consultant, Richard Fergusson, Forest
Stewardship Council (FSC)

Green Growth vs Degrowth: Can We Consume Our Way to Sustainability?


One view says technology, innovation and markets can deliver sustainable growth; another argues that consumption itself
must be reduced.

Speaker:

Karin Ireton, ESG and Sustainability Adviser, FTI Consulting

Scope 3 and Supply Chains: Accountability or Impossible
Burden?

Companies are increasingly expected to account
for supplier emissions and impacts, but many suppliers
lack data, capacity or resources.

Speaker:

Bhongo Sonti, Africa Programme Manager, GRI
Africa Tbc Kenya Airways

Take advantage of this extended networking break to connect with fellow delegates, speakers, sponsors and exhibitors in an informal setting.

This session will bring sustainability to life in our innovation in motion showcase while experts highlight the challenges, the complex ecosystem and where this industry is and can make a difference. 

Speaker: Emily Gammon, Knowledge Lawyer, Webber Wentzel

Speaker: Krelyne Andrew, General Manager Sustainability, Sappi Verve.

The fashion and accessory industry’s dependence on fossil fuels, cheap labour and complex supply chains makes it one of the most critical sectors for sustainable reform. Consumers and brands are driving
circularity, traceability and transparency, but the rate of change is slow and often opaque. As sustainability faces off against fast-paced consumerism in this critical industry, we interrogate topical questions for
the industry.

Moderator: Emily Gammon, Knowledge Lawyer, Webber Wentzel
Panellists:
• Esethu Cenga, Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Rewoven
• Carlyn Frittelli Davies, Consultant: Natural Resources and Environment, ENS
• Logan Duran, Global Head of Sustainability and ESG, Tapestry
• Ntombi Nkhambule, Previously Chief Operating Officer, Thebe Magugu

Experience the future of circular innovation through a curated collection of pioneering products—from recycled fibre fashion and upcycled accessories to products made from recycled plastics, sustainable material innovations and circular lifestyle solutions

The fashion and accessory industry’s dependence on fossil fuels, cheap labour and complex supply chains makes it one of the most critical sectors for sustainable reform. Consumers and brands are driving
circularity, traceability and transparency, but the rate of change is slow and often opaque. As sustainability faces off against fast-paced consumerism in this critical industry, we interrogate topical questions for
the industry.

Moderator: Emily Gammon, Knowledge Lawyer, Webber Wentzel
Panellists:
• Esethu Cenga, Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Rewoven
• Carlyn Frittelli Davies, Consultant: Natural Resources and Environment, ENS
• Logan Duran, Global Head of Sustainability and ESG, Tapestry
• Ntombi Nkhambule, Previously Chief Operating Officer, Thebe Magugu

 

FEATURED INNOVATORS

LEZA & CO

SARI FOR CHANGE

KLEIN MUIS

SEALAND

KUMA MOJERELE

The evening session will celebrate sustainability leadership, innovation and future talent. The Beyond Awards and Student Innovation Competition will recognise organisations, practitioners and emerging
innovators who are demonstrating practical action, measurable impact and new thinking in sustainability and ESG.

Connect, celebrate and network with industry leaders and changemakers at our post-Awards networking reception.

Registration opens
Exhibition Hall foyer

This short opening session will welcome participants back and frame the focus for the day. It will connect the previous day’s leadership, economics and impact discussions to the more sector-focused delivery conversations that follow.

Zama Mkhize, Group ESG Manager, Dis-Chem Pharmacies
Marie Parramon-Gurney, Chief Executive Officer, Skultcha

This workshop has been designed to simplify that landscape by introducing two globally recognised and complementary approaches to sustainability management and reporting and how SMMEs and utilise them (Free to attend)

Panel Discussion: How Insurance is Shaping Investment Decisions
This session will examine how insurance is increasingly influencing sustainability, investment and resilience decisions.

Chair: Thokozile Mahlangu (FIISA), Chief Executive Officer, I ISA*
Panellists
Danie Dorfling, Consultant, Moore Stephens
• Thabo Twalo, Chief Underwriting Officer, Santam Broker Solutions,
Santam
• Rachael Naggayi, Chief Finance Officer, RE Uganda
• Abel Sakhau, Chief Sustainability

Start the day by reconnecting with colleagues, meeting fellow delegates and engaging with exhibitors over refreshments. Explore the latest sustainability solutions, products and services while building valuable connections with industry leaders, innovators and decision-makers from across Africa.

The sectoral breakouts will provide focused spaces for participants to explore sustainability risks, opportunities and implementation priorities within specific sectors, including energy and mining, manufacturing, and finance and insurance. Each session will include short case studies, a shared sector sustainability risk and opportunity map, identification of collaboration opportunities, and an innovation canvas to support practical sector-level action in the following sectors:

BREAKOUT 2.2.1
Manufacturing
BREAKOUT 2.2.2
Energy and Mining
BREAKOUT 2.2.3
Finance and Insurance

Why manufacturing competitiveness is being redefined

Facilitator: Phillippa Rodseth, Manufacturing Circle

  • Panel 1: Competing in a Low-Carbon and Digitally Traceable Trading System
  • Panel 2: Water, Nature and Circularity as Industrial Strategy
  • Synthesis and Closing Priorities: A Manufacturing Transition Agenda

From Energy Planning to Transition planning – what this Means for Business, Nature, Risk and skills
Facilitator: Xolile Msimanga, Secretary-General, SANEA

Keynote input:

  • New South African Integrated Energy Plan
  • Panel: What does the IEP mean for business transition planning?
  • Focused session: Nature and energy
    Skills, workers and regional transition response
  • Integrated synthesis and priority actions

The Evolving World of Finance Through a Sustainability Lens

Facilitator: Marie Parramon-Gurney, Chief Executive Officer and Chief
Transformative Impact Officer, Skultcha

  • What Is Finance Not Yet Looking At? 
  • When Does Sustainability Risk Become Financial Risk? 
  • Scenario Briefing: The Investment Committee of the Future
  • Scenario Workshop: Would You Finance It?
  • Finance Innovation Challenge: Don’t Reject the Deal – Redesign It
  • African Reality Check: Facilitated Plenary
    Closing Challenge: What Are We Still Missing?

Take advantage of this extended networking break to connect with fellow delegates, speakers, sponsors and exhibitors in an informal setting. 

14:00-16:00

THE NEXUS LAB – Accelerating Cross-Sectorial Collaboration

The session will focus on Water Security, Community Upliftment, Carbon management, Nature Positive action. Rather than considering these issues separately, participants will explore how action in one area can accelerate progress in the others. For example, an industrial water-reuse project may reduce water stress, lower energy use and carbon emissions, while also creating local employment and enterprise-development
opportunities.

THE SPARK: HIGH IMPACT FRAMING
Facilitator: Wendy Poulton, Director, Sustainability and ESG Africa conference and Expo

CASE STUDY: Collaborative Policy Development
Senior representative, Department of Fisheries, Forestry and the Environment

CASE STUDY: Business Collaboration for integrated intervention
Emma Smith, Senior Analyst, DNA Economics

THE PULSE: INTERACTIVE MAPPING

Participants use a digital platform to identify their priority sectors or area of works (water, nature, social or energy) sustainability
priorities and current levels of cross sector collaboration. The live results provide a baseline view of the room and highlight shared concerns.

LAB PHASE 1: Friction and Barriers

CASE STUDY: SunCentral Solar Farm: Cross sector collaboration to design, drive and maintain sustainability
Rethabile Mbokodi, Head of Sustainability and ESG, SolarAfrica

CASE STUDY: Dischem Foundation
Discussion on sector barriers

CASE STUDY BRIDGE

CASE STUDY: The Add Hope Story
Anastazia Sitenda, Social Purpose Lead, KFC Social Responsibility Trust

CASE STUDY: Industry-wide collaboration on regenerative Agriculture
Senior representative, Nestle

CASE STUDY: Rise International

LAB PHASE 2 – CO-DESIGNING INTERVENTIONS

The phase begins with a short solution-focused case study showing the design, governance, funding and implementation of a collaborative sustainability project.

THE RIPPLE EFFECT: ACCOUNTABILITY AND CLOSE

Participants then complete a digital commitment describing and action, a partnership, an initiative and resources they can share.

The closing session will draw together the key insights from the day and highlight the main implications for sustainability leadership, sector action and cross-sector collaboration. It will also identify the practical messages participants can take back into their organisations and networks.

A message from the DFFE – call to action on collaboration*

What is different in 2026?

This year’s programme is more applied, more sector-focused and more implementation-oriented. It moves beyond a traditional conference format by combining leadership dialogue with training, practitioner masterclasses, case studies, sector breakouts, an SMME forum, a C-suite leadership breakfast, practical implementation tools and dedicated Impact Hubs.

A key difference in 2026 include:
  • The introduction of Impact Hubs, including a dedicated Sustainability Careers, Skills and Practice Hub. These hubs create practical spaces within the conference where participants can access tools, clinics, micro-sessions, training providers, career guidance, skills diagnostics, AI tools, mentorship opportunities and hands-on support. This gives the conference a stronger implementation and capability-building focus, helping participants move from listening and networking to learning, practising, connecting and applying.

 

  • The programme is also different because it caters to a wider range of professions, sectors and levels of experience in sustainability. It is designed for C-suite leaders, board members, sustainability practitioners, finance teams, procurement specialists, legal and compliance professionals, investors, insurers, SMMEs, consultants, academics, students and early-career professionals. The conversations are therefore tailored accordingly, with executive sessions focused on strategy, risk and value; sector sessions focused on practical implementation; masterclasses focused on skills; and hubs focused on careers, enterprise support, tools and practice development.

 

  • Another important difference is the stronger sector focus. The programme includes dedicated breakouts for sectors such as energy and mining, manufacturing and construction, and finance, insurance and property. These sessions will use short case studies, shared sustainability risk and opportunity maps, collaboration opportunity identification and innovation canvases to help each sector move from broad ESG discussion to practical action.

 

  • The sector breakouts will not remain as separate conversations. After the sector sessions, the programme will include a dedicated cross-sector collaboration session that brings the insights from each sector together. This session will explore where risks, opportunities and dependencies overlap across sectors, where collaboration is needed, and where there may be practical opportunities for joint action on non-competitive issues such as water, infrastructure resilience, skills, supply chains, technology adoption and nature-positive solutions.

 

The 2026 programme also places even greater emphasis on real examples and applied learning. More case studies will be included across the conference, including examples linked to sustainable fashion and circular economy, insurance and investment decision-making, adaptation and water risk, critical minerals, digital product passports, artificial intelligence, biodiversity and nature-positive strategies.

Recognition, innovation and future talent

The 2026 conference continues to recognise real impact through the Beyond Awards, YES Awards and Student Innovation Awards, which celebrate leaders, companies and future innovators. These awards will be linked more closely to the broader conference focus on practical implementation, measurable impact, youth participation, future skills and sustainability innovation.

Overall, the 2026 Sustainability and ESG Africa Conference is designed to be more than a conference. It is an African-led platform for sustainability leadership, economic value creation, implementation, collaboration and capability-building. It combines high-level executive insight with practical training, sector-specific work, impact hubs, case studies and tools that help participants strengthen the economics of sustainability and build resilience in a world of change.

Parallel Interventions

Sustainability Careers, Skills and Practice Hub in a dedicated areas in the exhibition hall and will include clinics, micro sessions and tools

  • The Sustainability Careers, Skills and Practice Hub will be hosted in a dedicated area within the exhibition hall and will provide a practical support space for people building, changing or strengthening their careers in sustainability throughout the conference. The hub will include mini exhibition areas for training service providers, short talks on career pathways in sustainability, climate and nature, CV and LinkedIn clinics for practitioners, skills gap diagnostics, AI tools for sustainability professionals and mentorship sign-ups. It is aimed at sustainability practitioners, early-career professionals, mid-career transitioners, SMMEs, consultants and academics who want to build practical capability and connect with others in the sustainability ecosystem. Other Impact Hubs may also be included, depending on partner interest, sponsorship and the priority themes that emerge as the programme is finalised.

 

  • The SMME Forum (half day) will provide a practical and accessible space for small, medium and micro-enterprises to understand what sustainability means for their businesses and how to integrate it into everyday decision-making. The forum will focus on helping SMMEs respond to changing customer, procurement, finance and regulatory expectations, while identifying opportunities to reduce costs, manage risks, improve competitiveness and access new markets. It will translate sustainability into practical business actions, such as improving resource efficiency, strengthening supply chain practices, understanding basic ESG requirements, telling a credible sustainability story and preparing for future reporting or buyer requirements. The session will also create opportunities for SMMEs to connect with larger companies, support organisations, funders and potential partners.