Rethinking Sustainability Transformation

11 Sep (Thur) Day 1 : 12:00 – 13:30

Full Programme
Roundtable A

As sustainability rises to the top of the corporate agenda, companies are setting bold long-term goals—but many still struggle to align short-term actions with their ambition. Why is the transformation so difficult to operationalize?

Join ERM and WBCSD for a thought-provoking roundtable exploring insights from Catching the Wave, a global dialogue with over 130 business leaders and sustainability experts. The discussion will unpack the internal and external barriers companies face and introduce a practical framework to unlock value, accelerate action, and future-proof business strategies.

Together, we’ll explore how organizations can shift mindsets, overcome inertia, and embrace disruption—emerging not just more sustainable, but more competitive.

Learnings

  • Understand the “multiple truths” of sustainability: Learn why companies must hold space for both risk and opportunity, and how embracing this duality can drive more effective strategy and innovation.
  • Identify internal blockers to progress: Gain insight into the most common internal barriers—short-termism, cost-first mindsets, and skills gaps—and how leading companies are overcoming them.
  • Draw parallels with past transformations: Discover how lessons from the digital revolution can be applied to accelerate sustainability integration across operations, products, and value chains.
  • Explore a practical transformation framework: Get introduced to a tested framework developed through global business input that helps companies align sustainability with commercial success and resilience.
  • Learn from real-world examples: Hear how companies are using the framework to guide strategic decisions, improve supplier collaboration, and turn sustainability ambition into measurable business impact.

Post-Event Actions

  • Reflect on internal barriers within your organization that may be slowing sustainability integration and identify opportunities to address them head-on.
  • Share key takeaways from the session with leadership and cross-functional teams to spark dialogue around accelerating your company’s sustainability transformation.
  • Apply the sustainability transformation framework introduced during the session to evaluate your current strategies and uncover new areas for value creation.
  • Initiate cross-functional conversations on embedding sustainability into core business decisions—from operations to product development and marketing.
  • Explore partnerships or peer learning opportunities with other delegates or organizations to collaboratively address shared challenges and external barriers.

Speakers

Yulia Dobrolyubova

ERM-Hong Kong Limited

Partner & Regional Service Leader, Corporate Sustainability & Climate Change

Yulia leads Corporate Sustainability and Climate Change services across Asia. She has 18 years’ experience in consulting and managing projects on climate change, clean energy and sustainable development, including over 15 years in Asia-Pacific (APAC). She has worked with various development organisations (World Bank/IFC, EBRD, ADB, United Nations agencies), impact investors and financial institutions, national and city governments, as well as companies in the Oil & Gas, energy, cement, steel, textile and apparel, automotive, chemical and pharmaceutical, consumer goods, and other sectors.

Yulia is one of the leads ERM experts in APAC for the design of environmental, social and governance (ESG) and climate strategies for various sectors and clients. She is also an author and reviewer of a number of studies and publications.

Speaking at 2026 sessions:

Day 1

Integrated Transition Plan: Value from Connecting Climate, Nature & People

Mark Harper

FGS Global

ESG Advisor

Mark Harper leads FGS Global’s work on ESG in Asia helping clients develop better strategies and implement campaigns to promote sustainability in their companies and beyond.

He is Chair of the BritCham ESG Committee and has over 20 years of experience in corporate sustainability. Recently served as Group Head of Sustainability at John Swire & Sons (H.K.) Ltd., where he led the Group’s global sustainability strategy, SwireTHRIVE, and advanced ESG integration across its businesses. Earlier in his career, he held senior roles at NGOs including the Earthwatch Institute, Fauna & Flora International, China Water Risk, and the Business Environment Council, focusing on sustainability strategy, climate change and nature risk and ESG reporting.

My Sustainability Goals for 2026:

  • Hong Kong to integrate sustainability as a key foundation for Hong Kong’s economic future within its first five year plan.
  • Hong Kong to increase its decarbonisation ambition within the updated climate action plan.

Speaking at 2026 sessions:

Day 1

Shifting Compliance Baselines: Climate and Nature Action in Hong Kong
Data: The Strategic Architecture of a Sustainable Future

Joe Phelan

World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD)

Executive Director, Asia Pacific

Joe is Executive Director, Asia Pacific for the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, the global, CEO-led community of the world’s leading sustainable businesses working together to realize a net-zero, nature-positive, more equitable future.

Joe is responsible for the engagement of ambitious companies from across Asia and Australasia in the World Business Council. He has supported collective action projects by business with demonstrable outcomes in areas such as climate change, energy transition, water risk, mobility and more resilient agriculture.

Prior to joining WBCSD, Joe held senior roles with the Prince of Wales Business Leaders Forum. Highlights included a series of special reports with the Financial Times on business and sustainable development, the development of the World Business & Development awards with the United Nations and International Chambers of Commerce, and delivery of programs in skills, inclusive business, and anti-corruption.

Born and educated in the UK, Joe has worked in Asia since 2009. He plays cricket and lives in Singapore with his wife, a writer, and their daughter.

Speaking at 2026 sessions:

Day 1

Integrated Transition Plan: Value from Connecting Climate, Nature & People

Richard Wang

Associate Partner

Richard leads the decarbonisation and disclosure services at ERM Hong Kong office. He has over 10 years of in corporate strategy and sustainability, climate change risk disclosure, GHG emissions inventory, target setting (scope 1-3), supply chain management and sustainable buildings. Prior to joining ERM, Richard served two blue-chip listed real estate companies in Hong Kong. Richard was the Co Head of the ULI HK Decarbonisation and Resilience Committee (2023 – 2025) and holds the CFA Certificate in ESG Investing

With thanks to