Yesterday, the Braga Campus of the Portuguese Catholic University (UCP) hosted the ESG Braga conference – “Challenges, Opportunities and Best Practices”. Both the organisers, the Catholic University of Braga and the Braga Commercial Association (AEB), believe that the implementation of ESG rules – environmental, social and governance – is inevitable and essential for the future of companies and the planet itself.
The conference aimed to reflect on the integration of environmental, social and governance (ESG) criteria in organisations. It was the result of a partnership between the Catholic Braga Executive Academy, the AEB and the Catholic Porto Business School.
At the opening session, Paulo Dias, Vice-Chancellor of the Braga Regional Centre of Católica University, explained the importance of the event. "ESG criteria – environmental, social and governance – are now much more than a trend: they are imperative for the future of organisations. They represent the way we care for the planet, for people and for the trust that underpins our institutions. Integrating them is not only a matter of responsibility, but also an opportunity for innovation and competitiveness. He recalled that universities, and Católica in particular, can and should be a meeting place between academia and society, a meeting place for teachers and those who want to learn. ‘In a time of enormous global challenges, it is moments like this – of dialogue, sharing and reflection – that fuel social transformation,’ he said, leaving a word of gratitude to all the guest speakers for their presence and generosity in sharing knowledge.
Ivone Rocha, from Partner Telles de Abreu e Advogados, also emphasised the importance of these rules. "Recent changes and the international landscape in which we live have created a perception that ESG is less important for companies. This perception is wrong, it is not real. And it is through events like this, where knowledge and experience are shared, that it is demonstrated that it is absolutely essential to include ESG terms in companies' strategies. It is essential because if we do not build a new economic and social model, within a framework of sustainability, it is our future and our existence as humanity that is at stake," she warned.
AEB talks about challenges and opportunities
In turn, the Director-General of AEB justified participation in the event, firstly, because of the partnership, but above all because of the importance of these new rules for companies. "It is a topic that justifies our presence because, in fact, these issues related to sustainability are inevitable. Obviously, it is a challenge and an opportunity. But it is also inevitable, both because of European regulations, which are increasingly demanding and require companies to comply with sustainability reporting procedures, and because of financial considerations. Because credit granting already values and prioritises companies that have sustainability reporting in place for the future,‘ explained Rui Marques, convinced that Portuguese companies ’can be global leaders in sustainability.
Luís Rocharte, from Mota Engil, Ricardo Ramos, from Águas de Monchique, and João Pinto, Dean of Católica Porto Business School, were other speakers at the conference. The closing remarks were given by Father Bruno Nobre, director of FFCS at UCP in Braga.
