Bangladesh Innovation Conclave initiated the first ever AkijBashir Group Presents Sustainability Summit in Association with Intellier held at Le Méridien Dhaka on September 10.
Organised by Bangladesh Brand Forum and Sustainable Brand Initiative, the summit aimed to bring together brands, industry leaders, and experts to discuss and exchange ideas on how to align brands & business practices with sustainability and inspire them to contribute to achieving SDG Goals for Bangladesh.
The summit featured an engaging agenda comprising 01 Keynote Session, 02 Panel Discussions, 03 Insight Sessions and 01 Case Study. The event was graced by renowned industry leaders, experts, and panellists, who shared their thoughts and experiences on aligning brands with sustainable development goals.
Opening the summit, Shariful Islam, Founder and Managing Director, Bangladesh Innovation Conclave, said, “The future of Bangladesh lies in the hands of those who dare to be pioneers of positive change. Today, we are not just discussing sustainability as a concept, but as a practice that must be embedded into the DNA of every brand and organization. We stand at the cusp of transformation, and the decisions we make today will define the legacy we leave for future generations.”
The event began with a keynote session by Zaved Akhtar, Chairman & Managing Director, Unilever Bangladesh Limited; President, Foreign Investors’ Chamber of Commerce & Industry, who shared insights on why sustainability is critical for Bangladeshi businesses and how they should pursue it. A case study on the Sustainable Practices of AkijBashir Group was then conducted by Bashiruddin Ahmed, Chairman AkijBashir Group.
The first panel discussion, titled, “Why Bangladeshi Businesses Should Embrace Sustainability for Future World,” was moderated by Dr. Syed Ferhat Anwar, Vice-Chancellor, BRAC University; President, Asia Marketing Federation (AMF), Chairman, BBF Academy; and featured panelists including Dr. A. K. Enamul Haque, Professor, Department of Economics & Dean, Faculty of Business and Economics, East West University; President, Marketing Society of Bangladesh (MSB); Selim R. F. Hussain, CEO & Managing Director, Brac Bank PLC.; Dr. Melita Mehjabeen, Professor, Institute of Business Administration, University of Dhaka; Md. Sabur Khan, Chairman, Daffodil International University (DIU); Sayef Nasir, Managing Director, Social Marketing Enterprise Ltd. (SMC).
The event was followed by an insight session titled “IFC Perspective: Setting ESG Standards to Advance Sustainable Finance,” orchestrated by Lopa Rahman, ESG officer, International Finance Corporation (IFC).
Shehzad Munim, Advisor & Former President, Foreign Investors’ Chamber of Commerce & Industry; Mentor, Leadership Academy conducted the second insight session ‘Bridging the Renewable Energy Gap.’
A CEO panel on Leadership’s Impact on Embedding Sustainability into Business Purpose was moderated by Asif Iqbal, Transformative Business Leader; and the panellists included Sabbir Hasan Nasir, Managing Director, ACI Logistics Limited; Rupali Chowdhury, Managing Director Berger Paints Bangladesh Ltd.; Ahsan Khan Chowdhury, Chairman & CEO, PRAN-RFL Group; K A M Majedur Rahman, Group CEO, A. K. Khan & Company Ltd.; MD. Rubaiyath Sarwar, Managing Director, Innovision Consulting Private Ltd. and Syed Mahbubur Rahman, Managing Director & CEO, Mutual Trust Bank PLC.
Lastly, the final insight session was conducted by Saif Islam, Senior Programme Officer, International Labour Organization (ILO); regarding the policies and practices of accelerating climate action.
The event provided hands-on experience with implementing SGD and addressed common challenges and questions related to SGD. Collaboration opportunities and their potential impact on brands were explored, and emerging SDG trends and innovations were discussed. The discussion received overwhelming participation and positive feedback from the attendees, who appreciated the opportunity to discuss the importance of sustainability in brand strategy and explore ways to integrate SDGs into their business practices.
