Miriam Wrobel of FTI Consulting on ESG Trust Hopes at Davos

Miriam Wrobel is a Senior Managing Director and leads FTI Consulting’s global Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) practice.

She advises public and private companies and ESG investors, leveraging 20 years of strategic experience in the energy transition.

As she heads to the annual World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, Switzerland, Wrobel shares her views with Sustainability magazine on digital transformation and its role in ESG.

Why is Davos important – and why is it crucial for tech and sustainability leaders to be there? 

Davos brings together the most visionary leaders from business, government and civil society to discuss solutions to the most challenging issues of our time. As sustainability leaders, it is crucial for us to take advantage of the unmatched opportunity to bring new ideas to this very visible table and move the needle on global discourse, and, more importantly, global action.

Davos participants have never been more diverse, and the collaborative spirit of the week makes it an especially fertile ground for new ideas, initiatives, partnerships and solutions.

What discussions, debates, and dialogues will you be part of at Davos 2024?

I am excited to dive into this year’s theme – Rebuilding Trust – especially as it pertains to ESG and sustainability. There is a great deal of mistrust in the world of ESG and Sustainability. 

Stakeholders question companies’ commitments, and companies are confused about what steps their stakeholders expect them to take. 

We have an opportunity to bridge this divide by enabling more transparency and helping companies focus on the ESG topics that are most impactful to their business.

How key will the topic of sustainability likely be at Davos 2024? And what areas, challenges and opportunities are likely to be on the table?

The Davos 2024 agenda is full of sustainability topics, which I am pleased to see. WEF just published its Top 10 Risks Report, the top four of which over the next 10 years are all environmental. 

When we look to the ‘S’ and ‘G’ of ESG and include social and governance issues, almost every single one of the top 10 risks comes into play. Thinking about these risks at face value can be disheartening, but it’s important to remember that with each of these risks, there’s great opportunity to find and harness new and innovative solutions. 

I’m excited to discuss the role new technologies can have in mitigating some of these risks and opening up new areas of the economy for investment at all levels.

How important is digital transformation in meeting sustainability goals and is this likely to be a focus at Davos?

Digital transformation is front of mind for almost everyone in the sustainability space these days. Given that two of Davos’ four key themes are AI and climate strategy, I have to imagine digital transformation as it relates to sustainability will be very much in focus. 

The rapid innovation we need in data collection, management, and insights requires new technology, integration of AI, and substantial financial investment. At the same time, as technology advances, we also have to remain cognizant of the social and environmental impacts of those new technologies. 

I often find myself in conversations with clients about the new data centre capacity we’ll need in the coming years and the real demands we will be placing on the power grid just to enable it all.

What are your hopes for Davos – what outcomes would you like to see emerge from the conference? 

I hope to meet other leaders who are inclined toward action and are trying new things, whether it’s innovative supplier management software or novel community engagement strategies. 

By sharing ideas and looking for opportunities to collaborate, we can advance progress and rebuild trust simultaneously.

*******************

Make sure you check out the latest edition of Sustainability Magazine and also sign up to our global conference series – Sustainability LIVE 2024.

*******************

Sustainability is a BizClik brand.