ESG Days with Future Up: from data to action

At Good Growth Collective, we know that reliable data is the backbone of any serious sustainability strategy. On October 7 and 8, our consultant Stef van Kleef attended the ESG Days at the Royal Jaarbeurs to see how the market is moving from ambition to accountability. Organized by Carbon Data, the Royal Jaarbeurs, and our partner Future Up (formerly MVO Nederland), the event gathered over 1,000 professionals to explore the future of data-driven sustainability.

The central theme of the conference was clear. Data provides the foundation but leadership drives the change. While much of the conversation revolved around technical reporting requirements like the CSRD and EUDR, the real value lay elsewhere. We focused on the sessions that connected these numbers to business strategy. The goal was to see how transparency can serve as a catalyst for new business models and social value rather than just a compliance exercise.

Day two provided the concrete tools needed to make this shift. We were particularly interested in the deep dives regarding Getting Value from ESG Data and AI Tooling. As organizations face an avalanche of new non-financial information, the challenge is no longer just collecting data. It is about organizing it effectively. Seeing practical examples of how AI is being applied to streamline this process highlighted that technology is finally catching up with regulatory demands.

However, technology alone is not a silver bullet. The session on Employee Engagement as a flywheel for ESG resonated deeply with our philosophy. Sustainability cannot be imposed strictly from the top down. It needs to come alive throughout the organisation. The insights shared on building support and making results visible proved that the human factor remains just as critical as the data factor.

The ESG Days confirmed that, while the reporting landscape is becoming increasingly complex, the tools to navigate it are becoming sharper. As a partner of Future Up, we are proud to be part of this ecosystem. We left the conference with fresh connections and a renewed sense of purpose. When you combine the right data with the right culture, you can build a future-proof economy.

Are you struggling to make sense of your ESG data? Reach out to us to turn your reporting requirements into a strategic advantage.