Activating projects to turn ambition into action

Activating projects to turn
ambition into action.

Jan 14th, 2025

The Responsible Business Summit in March 2025 will challenge businesses to move beyond awareness and translate intentions into tangible outcomes. More than just lofty goals, it is about addressing the urgent challenges faced by Small Island Developing States (SIDS) like Mauritius, including climate change, resource scarcity and the pressing need for sustainable development. The summit’s focus on “Activating projects” is a rallying cry for organisations to transform sustainability aspirations into impactful, real-world initiatives.

By activating meaningful projects, businesses can deliver transformative impact, aligning with global priorities while addressing the unique vulnerabilities of SIDS. More than corporate responsibility, this is a critical step towards fostering resilience, equity and sustainability.

From insights to action

The summit’s line-up features distinguished speakers, including Pierre-Alexandre Moussa, Head of Climate and Sustainable Solutions at TP ICAP, Harald Friedl, CEO of Green Leadership, Ifedolapo Runsewe, visionary entrepreneur and Managing Director of Freee Recycle Limited, Yann LeMoël, CEO and Founder of Living Labs Federation, Nassima Saddar, CEO of AfroClimate and co-Founder of Living Labs Federation and Justin Smith, Head of Business Development at WWF South Africa. Topics will range from corporate water stewardship to advancing circular economies, in alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 12: Responsible Consumption and Production.

Through round tables, workshops and the sharing of best-practice, participants will gain practical tools and inspiration to turn insights into impactful initiatives.

Thought-provoking sessions

• Understanding and mitigating climate risks is fundamental to any sustainability strategy. The “Climate risk assessment: Essential tool for sustainable adaptation” round table will explore methodologies for identifying and responding to such risks, showcasing their role in shaping corporate transition plans. For Mauritius and other SIDS, which face acute vulnerability to climate change, these assessments provide a roadmap for adaptation, addressing both environmental and social challenges.
• The circular economy shifts resource management away from the linear “take-make-dispose” model, emphasising reuse, recycling and regeneration. The session on “Closing the loop: Embracing circular business models” will showcase success stories in Africa, offering insights into reducing waste, minimising environmental impact and enhancing resource efficiency.
• The session themed “Corporate water stewardship: Advancing equitable access to resources” will emphasise the critical role of corporate water stewardship in ensuring equitable access to this vital resource. With Mauritius surrounded by a fragile lagoon ecosystem, water management challenges are multifaceted, from over-extraction and pollution to the impacts of climate change. The session will explore how businesses can take proactive roles in ensuring equitable access to water resources.

Key priorities for activating projects

Driving meaningful progress in sustainability requires organisations to embrace collaboration – within the private sector and in partnership with public institutions. This collective approach strengthens the foundations for impactful change, fosters innovation and promotes shared accountability. As emphasised by the UN Global Compact’s Forward Faster Programme, collective action amplifies outcomes and accelerates progress.

Equally essential is the need to set ambitious yet realistic goals, grounded in an organisation’s material priorities and aligned with its long-term vision. Businesses must define clear roadmaps that integrate sustainability objectives with measurable impacts. Setting specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound (SMART) goals ensures focus, accountability and progress.

To achieve tangible outcomes, organisations should commit resources, assign responsibilities and establish milestones. Regularly tracking and communicating progress ensures visibility and maximises impact.

Learning from successful initiatives is another critical enabler or progress. By pooling resources, sharing best practices and collaborating across industries, businesses can accelerate their sustainability transition and unlock new opportunities to create shared value for society and the environment.

For instance, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation highlights the potential of circular economies to address systemic challenges, while the WWF’s Corporate Water Stewardship programme provides actionable guidance for responsible water management. Locally, the Signe Natir Pact commits the Mauritian business community “to engage in sustainable consumption and production, including a local agricultural value chain, through producer/importer and consumer responsibility to valorise and optimise resources and by-products.”

These frameworks empower businesses to adopt best practices and adapt them to their specific contexts. For SIDS like Mauritius, where limited resources and heightened climate vulnerability are pressing realities, solutions must be both contextually relevant and locally impactful.

Activating projects is about turning possibilities into reality. This requires commitment at every level, from executives to employees and from local communities to global networks. By working together, businesses can contribute to a future that is resilient, equitable and thriving.

24/25 MAR 2025

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CAUDAN ARTS CENTRE, PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS

Register now for the Responsible Business Summit 2025, alongside business leaders and key actors in the ecosystem who are eager for change.