EAE Barcelona hosts the Summit on Sustainable Business Excellence, tackling the impact of AI and sustainability on businesses
- The event’s slogan is "Innovation, sustainability and digital transformation for a responsible business future"
· Held from 20th to 22nd November in Barcelona, the Summit is organized by EAE Business School’s Research Institute for Business Trends.
· International experts, academics and business leaders from different sectors are exploring the emerging trends that are redefining corporate strategies and business models.
Barcelona, 22nd November 2024 - EAE Business School Barcelona, which belongs to Planeta Formación y Universidades, has inaugurated the second edition of the Summit on Sustainable Business Excellence, organized by the EAE Research Institute for Business Trends. Held from 20th to 22nd November in Barcelona, this event focuses on the challenges and opportunities of sustainable business excellence and the impact of Artificial Intelligence on the modern corporate landscape.
Under the slogan "Innovation, sustainability and digital transformation for a responsible business future", the Summit brings together international experts, academics and business leaders from different sectors to explore the emerging trends that are redefining corporate strategies and business models.
To open the Summit, the Dean of EAE Business School Barcelona, Enric Ordeix, underlined the importance of this annual event: “At EAE Business School Barcelona, we are driving the creation of an ecosystem of solid research with the aim of boosting the quality of our training and programs. With this in mind, we conduct research and build partnerships with other universities and companies that enable us to achieve excellence. We are now at a crucial point at which companies have to lead the transition towards more sustainable and inclusive models. This Summit provides a unique platform for discussion, learning and the creation of collaborative solutions”.
The inauguration was also attended by Alfonso González Herrero, the Director of Government & Regulatory Affairs at IBM, who shared his thoughts on the integration Artificial Intelligence in our everyday working lives, highlighting that “AI is nothing new. It forms part of our day-to-day lives and we use it all the time with GPS, Google Translator and Siri. The crucial point is knowing whether we can trust it and ensuring that nobody has entered any wrong information. AI can solve lots of society’s problems, but it has to be developed based on inclusivity and transparency, and aligned with social values”.
González went on to add that “AI is not going to replace humans, but rather complement us. The data belong to the customers. Any company that develops AI has a responsibility, and society will decide who to trust”.
Next, Jürgen Salenbacher, the author of “The Innovation of Meaning”, emphasized the importance of investing in technology and its impact on business decision-making. “At least 10% of a company’s revenue should be allocated to technological research. Moreover, people’s decisions are very important in their career. Even the people you work with, your boss and the company you work for will shape your career”.
Other key figures who attended the inauguration of the Summit included Eva Prada, the Director of the British Chamber of Commerce in Spain; Paloma Bernal, a Professor at the Universidad Rey Juan Carlos I and the Baratta Center for Global Business at Georgetown University; and Samer Ajour, the Vice-Dean of Undergraduate Programs and Research at EAE Business School Barcelona.
This edition of the Summit focuses on four key topic areas: innovation and digital transformation, business development and intrapreneurship, value creation and performance, and sustainability. The event included plenary sessions and panels with acclaimed experts, who shared their research, experiences and insights on the key trends that are shaping the future of business.
Lastly, a workshop on digitization and technology led by Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) brought the event to a close. The workshop analysed the challenges of digital transformation for small and medium companies. The event ended with a visit to the Glòries Lookout Tower, where the participants explored the impact of emerging technologies on the business landscape
The Summit run by the EAE Research Institute for Business Trends has reaffirmed its status as a leading forum for promoting business excellence and sustainability. With its hybrid approach, which enables people to take part both in person and online, this event fosters dialogue, innovation and collective learning