Lisbon, 25 March 2019: BCSD Portugal, WBCSD’s Global Network partner in the country, successfully organized its annual conference around the topic of “Society 5.0: The Challenge of Sustainable Smart Societies”.
Gathering some 300 representatives across various sectors of society, the focus of the discussions was placed on technological developments that are shaping the Fourth Industrial Revolution, and how the use of technology is impacting the development of society and the environment in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
António Mexia, CEO of EDP and President of BCSD Portugal, affirmed in the opening session that “it is not enough to be rich to have what you need, an intelligent society is needed that contributes to the well-being of all.”
João Pedro Matos Fernandes, Portugal’s Minister of the Environment and Energy Transition, reiterated that “it is foolish to imagine growth only from the financial indicators; to grow means to regenerate resources in a low-carbon world.”
Sogo Fujisaki, Vice President of Fujitsu Limited, made a point of reaffirming that while technology is fundamental to sustainable development, “the beneficiaries of Society 5.0 will be humans, not machines, nor artificial intelligence.” In addition, he underscored “having clear objectives of sustainable development is a responsibility that we all have with our companies: if we think in the long run, only sustainable businesses will have the chance to succeed.”
For his part, Peter Bakker, WBCSD’s President & CEO, shared an outlook on leadership implications when it comes to the business action around the sustainability agenda, touching upon the six system transformations that WBCSD is focused upon.
BCSD Portugal convenes and represents more than 90 leading businesses in Portugal, which are actively committed to the transition to a sustainable world. The sales volume of BCSD Portugal’s members represents 38% of the national GDP or EUR 65 million in turnover, with more than 270 thousand employees.
Event videos
More information
Rita Gíria
Head of Communication, BCSD Portugal
rita.giria@bcsdportugal.org
