Chapter Zero Brussels Hosts ecoDa Board Diploma Training on Climate and Sustainability

On 24 October, Chapter Zero Brussels hosted the seventh edition of its joint training day with the European Confederation of Directors’ Associations (ecoDa), as part of the ongoing collaboration between the two organisations.

ecoDa regularly organises cohorts of its European Board Diploma, a programme designed for board members across Europe who wish to deepen their expertise in corporate governance. As part of this programme, Chapter Zero Brussels led the day dedicated to Climate and Sustainability — issues that have become essential for today’s boards.

The session was chaired by Gilda B. Neiman, Chair of the Board of Chapter Zero Brussels, who guided participants through an inspiring line-up of expert speakers:

• Dr. Kris De Meyer, neuroscientist, offered a thought-provoking perspective on the psychological and behavioural dimensions of environmental and climate challenges.

• Sybille van den Hove shared her company’s journey towards achieving B Corp certification.

• Mercedes Sanchez Varela, board member at Chapter Zero Brussels, presented the latest insights on EU sustainability policy.

• Fiorella Sanchez Monje, from the COO Sustainability Center at KPMG, explored the business case for biodiversity.

• Andrew Griffiths, from the IoD Sustainability Taskforce, discussed boards and governance in the context of sustainability.

• Vincent Jamblin, founder of Sereus, presented innovative circular economy business cases.

• Olivier Boutellis-Taft, co-founder of North Star Transition, concluded the day with reflections on climate-related risks, business implications, and strategic responses.

  
  

Participants engaged actively with the speakers, fostering animated discussions and sharing valuable insights from their own board and management experiences. This dedicated session highlighted the importance of equipping board members with the knowledge and tools needed to address climate and sustainability challenges — enabling them to lead their organisations toward resilient and responsible futures.

The day was designed to spark open discussions around critical topics and to hear what is truly happening within companies as they advance their clean transition. Participants demonstrated a strong commitment to aligning their current responsibilities with long-term resilience objectives.

While the current policy context may not always fully support these efforts, the conversations revealed a deep and growing awareness of the profound transformation business must continue to pursue; even when progress depends on leadership beyond regulatory momentum.

The discussions also underscored the central role of data and risk understanding in driving credible climate governance. This recognition is translating into a stronger commitment from business leaders to embed climate resilience into governance and strategic decision-making.