DAY
1 | 24 March 2026
Africa’s Green Horizon: Leading the Global Transition
08:00 - 09:00 Registration and Refreshments
09:00 - 09:05 Moderators Welcome | TBC
09:05 - 09:10 Organiser’s Welcome | Ralf Fletcher, CEO, Topco Media
09:10 - 09:20 Gold Partner Address |Senior Representative, HEINEKEN Beverages
09:20 - 09:35 Opening Address | Artificial Intelligence for Inclusive Growth and the SDGs
This keynote explores how artificial intelligence can accelerate progress towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals across Africa. Examining the key enablers, drivers and strategic frameworks required to harness AI responsibly and effectively. Gain insights into practical applications of AI in healthcare, education, climate action and inclusive economic growth, as well as strategies to ensure technology deployment is equitable, scalable and aligned with Africa’s sustainable development priorities
09:35 - 09:50 Minister’s Address | Rebuilding Trust Through Coherent Environmental Governance
South Africa’s environmental policies are strong but implementation often falters due to fragmented governance and unclear mandates This keynote will examine how restoring coherence, accountability and capacity across institutions can turn ambition into action.
The Next Cycle | Engineering the Circular Revolution
09:50 - 10:20
Hosted by HEINEKEN Beverages Panel Discussion | Supporting Grassroots Green Entrepreneurs: Tools, Finance and Mentorship
Grassroots green entrepreneurs are at the forefront of South Africa’s circular economy transforming everyday waste into marketable products. Yet, these innovators often face barriers such as limited access to finance, technical skills, markets and institutional support. This session will explore practical interventions that empower small-scale entrepreneurs to scale their impact and build sustainable businesses.
Panelists:
● Catherine Wijnberg, CEO & Founder, Fetola
● Senior Representative, PETCO
● Senior Representative, HEINEKEN Beverages
10:20 - 10:35 Hosted by Isanti Glass Powertalk | Closing the Loop: Building a Resilient Glass Recycling Value Chain
South Africa's glass recycling system is impressive but fragile. In this session, Isanti Glass brings a manufacturer's perspective on how to strengthen every link in the chain. Discover what it truly takes to build an unbreakable circular economy for glass.
10:35 - 11:00
11:00 - 11:30
11:30 - 12:10 Panel Discussion | The End of "Trust Me" Sustainability Through Green Data
Carbon tax audits, JSE reporting and climate litigation are tightening and therefore sustainability claims built on annual estimates and spreadsheets are a mounting liability This session tackles the core crisis of credibility head-on by looking at practical technologies and systems that can transform self-reported estimates into verified and audit-ready facts.
Panellists:
● Loshni Naidoo, Chief Sustainability Officer, JSE
12:10 - 12:25
Hosted by Mashudu Tinyiko Consulting
Case Study | The Cost of Getting It Wrong: Governance Failures and Sustainability Risks
Sustainability ambitions collapse when governance systems fail to keep pace This case study explores how gaps in oversight, weak controls and fragmented accountability quietly derail sustainability initiatives long before results are visible. Drawing on real-world experience, this session will highlight where organisations most often go wrong.
12:25 - 13:05 Panel Discussion | Beyond Net Zero: Practical Climate Adaptation Strategies
South Africa has poured political attention, investment and policy effort into mitigation (especially energy transition) but far less into adaptation, even though climate impacts are already hitting communities, infrastructure and the economy This session unpacks why adaptation remains underfunded and underprioritised and showcases practical pathways to fix the imbalance. This is a call to move beyond mitigation and invest in resilience where it matters most.
Panellists: ● Cecilia Schultz, Senior Researcher, Krutham
13:05 - 14:00 LUNCH BREAK | Fuel Up and Connect
14:00 - 14:40 Panel Discussion | Practical Partnerships for Urban Water Security
Worsening water crises driven by aging systems, non-revenue water and financial constraints are now a direct threat to business continuity, economic stability and public health. This panel shifts the narrative to collaboration, exploring powerful, practical models of Public-Private-Community Partnerships (PPCPs) that are actively tackling water system failures.
14:40 - 15:20 Panel Discussion | Africa’s New Artisans: The Rise of Green Trades
As sustainability reshapes Africa’s economies, a new generation of technical careers is emerging From EV maintenance and biogas installation to water auditing and energy-efficient retrofits. This session explores how these green trades can be powerful engines of employment, local innovation and community resilience. Industry experts will unpack training pathways, apprenticeships and industry partnerships needed to equip young
people with the hands-on skills that will power Africa’s transition and create real future-proof jobs.
15:20 - 15:30 Moderator’s Closing Remarks
DAY 1 END
DAY 2 | 25 March 2026
Africa’s Green Horizon: Leading the Global Transition
08:00 - 09:15 Registration and Refreshments
09:30 - 09:35 Moderators Welcome | TBC
09:35 - 09:50 Keynote Address | Maxwell Gomera, Resident Representative, United Nations Development Programme
09:50 - 10:05 Minister’s Address | Leveraging the Energy Transition for Industrialisation
This session will explore how the massive capital-intensive shift in our energy system can be strategically leveraged to rebuild our industrial base, create lasting employment and position South Africa as a competitive player in the global green economy
The Green Engine| Investing in Shared Prosperity
10:05 - 10:40 Panel Discussion| Navigating the Carbon Curve: Strategies for Managing Rising Carbon Costs in South Africa
As South Africa’s carbon tax continues to rise, businesses face increasing pressure to manage both costs and emissions. This panel will explore practical strategies for navigating the “carbon curve,” from improving operational efficiency and adopting low-carbon technologies to leveraging offsets, incentives and forward-looking financial planning. Gain insights into turning regulatory challenges into competitive advantage, ensuring your company remains resilient, compliant and sustainable in a rapidly evolving carbon landscape.
Panellists:
● Zeph Nhleko, Chief Economist and GE: Strategy & Sustainability, Development Bank of Southern Africa
10:40 - 11:00 Fireside Chat | Building a Taxonomy from Existing Building Blocks
The call for a South African Green Taxonomy is clear but the path to creating one from scratch is long, complex and risks leaving the market in limbo. This session champions a pragmatic, action-oriented alternative: we do not need to reinvent the wheel. Experts will explore how we can move beyond theoretical debate to actively map the credible market-tested standards already in use such as JSE’s Sustainability Disclosure Guidance, IFC’s Performance Standards and the Carbon Tax Act’s technical criteria and sector-based codes.
Panellists: ● Jarredine Morris, Associate Director: Co-Head, The Carbon Trust Africa
11:00 - 11:15 Fast Track Networking
11:15 - 11:40 Networking Coffee Break Policy That Serves People and Protects the Planet
11:40 - 12:20 Panel Discussion | Where Nature Meets Finance: How Banks Are Stress-Testing Nature-Related Risk
Banks are beginning to treat biodiversity loss, water stress and ecosystem degradation as real financial risks, not side issues. This session unpacks how leading institutions are integrating nature into credit assessments, lending decisions and portfolio strategies. From TNFD-aligned disclosures to scenario modelling and sector-level stress tests, this panel explores the tools, data and governance shifts reshaping sustainable finance.
12:20 - 13:00 Panel Discussion|Purpose-Washing vs. Real Impact: How to Detect Companies That Talk but Don’t Transform
Leaders often set ambitious purpose and ESG goals but intentions alone don’t create impact. This session offers a practical, inside-out perspective on how to identify areas where strategy, governance or culture may be undermining your company’s stated purpose. Spot gaps between intention and action and implement remedies that ensure ESG and social commitments translate into real, systemic change. Leaders will leave with tools to audit their own operations, set credible KPIs and create internal structures that prevent purpose-washing before it happens.
13:00 - 14:00 Lunch
14:00 - 14:40 Panel Discussion| Land, Power and Climate Resilience: Why Women’s Ownership Matters
Land is the foundation of Africa’s climate response and women are central to managing that land yet they remain largely excluded from ownership. This discussion reveals how gendered land inequity weakens adaptation strategies, disrupts food systems and increases vulnerability during climate shocks The session looks at pathways to shift power: legal reforms, customary law transformation, financial inclusion and community-led governance models that place women at the centre of resilience planning.
14:40 - 15:20 Panel Discussion | Young, Gifted and Green: Giving Youth a Voice in Environmental Governance
This session tackles the critical gap between youth activism and real decision-making power in environmental governance. This dialogue brings together pioneering youth leaders who are rewriting the rules, alongside forward-thinking policymakers and corporate leaders committed to genuine power-sharing.
Panelists: ● Lesedi Monnanyane, Regenerative Entrepreneur & Just Transitions Scholar
15:20 - 15:30 Moderator’s Closing Remarks
16:00 - 18:00 Networking and Cocktail Function