Sustainability LIVE London 2026 Adds 13 CSOs from PepsiCo, Philip Morris, RELX, ADM and VINCI

Sustainability LIVE: The Leadership Summit has announced a significant expansion of its speaker line-up ahead of London Climate Action Week 2026, adding 13 new Chief Sustainability Officers and senior sustainability leaders. The newly confirmed speakers represent global organisations including PepsiCo, Philip Morris International, RELX, ADM and VINCI Group, alongside specialist industry players. The announcement reinforces the summit's position as one of the principal gathering points for senior executives driving corporate sustainability transformation in Europe.

 

The Expanded Speaker Line-Up

 

The newly confirmed speakers bring expertise across diverse sectors including manufacturing, logistics, food and beverage, and professional services. The line-up includes Isabelle Spiegel, Vice-President of Environment at VINCI Group, Aimie Keeler, Global Head of Climate and Nature at BAT, and Dr Adam Read, Member of the Order of the British Empire and Chief Sustainability Officer at SUEZ Recycling and Recovery. Additional speakers include Garrett Quinn, Group Head of Sustainability at Smurfit Westrock, Øistein Jensen, Chief Sustainability Officer at Odfjell SE, and Annelie Selander, Chief Sustainability Officer at Westbury Street Holdings.

Further confirmed participants include Katherine Pickus, Chief Sustainability Officer at ADM, Jim Andrew, Chief Sustainability Officer at PepsiCo, and Jennifer Motles, Chief Sustainability Officer at Philip Morris International. The roster also features Dr Marcia Balisciano, Chief Sustainability Officer at RELX, Sophie Graham, Chief Sustainability Officer at IFS, Roel van Poppel, Chief Sustainability Officer at ofi, and Ben Shields, Executive Director for Advisory at SLR. The diversity of organisations represented reflects how sustainability leadership now spans virtually every major industrial sector.

 

Sustainable Supply Chains as a Central Theme

 

Several speakers will address the critical challenge of building sustainable supply chains, an area that has emerged as one of the most demanding components of corporate sustainability strategy. Katherine Pickus of ADM said that thinking about sustainable supply chains continues to evolve, with greater emphasis on action, accountability and measurable progress. She added that increased transparency, smarter use of data and stronger collaboration are helping companies build resilience while accelerating decarbonisation across the value chain.

Øistein Jensen of Odfjell SE highlighted execution as the central challenge in sustainable supply chains, noting that the biggest constraint is no longer ambition but the ability to deliver. He said companies cannot wait for perfect solutions but must act now with the technology, data and partnerships available to them. Turning frameworks and targets into real transparency and meaningful supplier engagement across a global value chain is where the hard work begins, reflecting a broader industry shift from commitment-setting to delivery.

 

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Decarbonisation Strategy and Implementation

 

The summit will also feature dedicated sessions on decarbonisation strategy and operational implementation, addressing the gap between long-term climate commitments and near-term operational change. Garrett Quinn of Smurfit Westrock said he is looking forward to sharing the company's global experience on the challenges and opportunities embedded within its decarbonisation strategy. Practical insights from companies at scale are increasingly valued by sustainability executives navigating similar implementation challenges across their own organisations.

The session structure is designed to enable peer-to-peer exchange among leaders responsible for translating climate commitments into measurable performance. As corporate decarbonisation programmes mature, the focus is increasingly shifting from announcing targets to demonstrating progress against them, often in the face of operational, supply chain and macroeconomic headwinds. This evolution is reshaping how sustainability conferences are structured and what executives expect to take away from them.

 

Broader Programme and Topic Areas

 

Beyond supply chains and decarbonisation, the summit features sessions on a wider range of critical industry topics. The Women in Sustainability session will explore gender diversity and leadership within the sector, addressing the under-representation of women in senior sustainability and broader corporate roles. The Global Climate Debate session will examine international policy and corporate responses to climate change, providing context for how multi-jurisdictional regulatory shifts are reshaping corporate strategy.

A dedicated session on Water Positivity will address water stewardship and resilience strategies, an increasingly important topic as climate change reshapes water availability across multiple regions. Water is emerging as a defining sustainability challenge alongside carbon, particularly for sectors with significant water exposure such as agriculture, beverages, semiconductors and data centres. The combined programme aims to provide attendees with actionable insights across the full spectrum of environmental, social and governance priorities.

 

The Strategic Significance of London Climate Action Week

 

London Climate Action Week has emerged as one of the most influential annual climate gatherings in Europe, drawing senior executives, policymakers, investors and civil society leaders from across the globe. The week typically features dozens of events spanning corporate strategy, finance, policy and technology, with major industry bodies and individual companies hosting specialised sessions. Inclusion within this framework provides Sustainability LIVE with substantial visibility among the global sustainability community.

The summit's positioning within the broader London Climate Action Week ecosystem also enables cross-pollination with parallel events focused on finance, technology and policy. Attendees often combine multiple events within the week to maximise the breadth of perspectives accessed during a single visit. This dynamic increases the strategic value of participation for both speakers and attendees seeking to build connections across the broader sustainability landscape.

 

Implications for Corporate Sustainability Leadership

 

The combination of senior CSOs from major global brands underscores how sustainability leadership has become a defining executive function within the world's largest companies. Chief Sustainability Officer roles have expanded significantly in both scope and seniority over recent years, often reporting directly to chief executive officers and engaging actively with boards on strategic risk and opportunity. The presence of executives from across consumer goods, tobacco, professional services, agriculture and infrastructure highlights the breadth of sectors now investing in dedicated sustainability leadership.

The peer engagement enabled by gatherings such as Sustainability LIVE also plays a meaningful role in shaping how the discipline evolves over time. Knowledge sharing, collective problem-solving and informal collaboration among CSOs help accelerate the diffusion of leading practices across organisations and sectors. As regulatory expectations tighten and stakeholder scrutiny intensifies, the network effects of professional gatherings have become increasingly valuable to executives navigating complex strategic challenges.

 

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Event Details and Practical Information

 

Sustainability LIVE: The Leadership Summit at London Climate Action Week 2026 will take place on 25 June 2026 at CodeNode, located at 10 South Place in London. The full agenda, speaker biographies and sponsor information are available on the dedicated event website. Tickets and registration are open to corporate executives, investors, policy professionals and other senior stakeholders engaged in sustainability and climate strategy.

The summit is part of the broader BizClik Media event portfolio, which produces sector-specific content across technology, sustainability, procurement, fintech, artificial intelligence and other areas. Sustainability LIVE itself operates as a global hybrid event series, with editions in multiple cities throughout the year that connect leaders, innovators and changemakers driving sustainability progress. The London event represents one of the most significant European editions in the calendar.

 

Outlook for Corporate Sustainability Gatherings

 

The expanded line-up for Sustainability LIVE London 2026 reflects how senior corporate sustainability gatherings are evolving in response to growing stakeholder expectations and tighter regulatory environments. Whether such forums can translate executive dialogue into meaningful operational outcomes will depend on the quality of follow-up engagement and the willingness of participants to commit to specific actions arising from the discussions. Sustained quality of programming and speaker engagement will be central to maintaining the relevance of these gatherings.

The trajectory of corporate sustainability leadership over the coming years will be shaped substantially by the calibre of professional discourse at events such as London Climate Action Week. As mandatory reporting frameworks tighten and physical climate impacts intensify, the demand for high-quality peer engagement among sustainability executives is expected to continue rising. The Sustainability LIVE London 2026 line-up positions the event to play a meaningful role in supporting this broader professional ecosystem.

 

Source: GlobeNewswire