Last Tuesday, June 13, the Círculo Ecuestre hosted the Impact Marks colloquium. Building a sustainable impact.

After the welcome by Antonio Delgado, president of the Círculo Ecuestre, and the presentation by Elena Carandini, president of the Raimat Lleida Community Foundation and member of the club, Marc Díaz, general director of Panasonic HVAC, and Mario Rovirosa, CEO of Ferrer, held a interesting dialogue about how the two companies are moving from being brands with a purpose to being brands with an impact, moderated by Sandra Pina, general director of Quiero and Sustainable Brands. 




After the argument for the importance of the inclusion of sustainability in large corporations delivered by Elena Carandini, the expert Sandra Pina informed the attendees of the problems that greenwashing and the implementation of ESG criteria or impact investments have generated that companies have internalized in recent years.

The moderator wanted to start the debate by asking the speakers about the evolution of ESG criteria in recent decades. Marc Díaz, from Panasonic Air Conditioning, opined that “ESG is a reflection of society”: “we are increasingly aware of climate change and that natural resources are limited. For this reason we can see that society is evolving positively and that this is reflected in the fact that it is essential for medium and large companies to have this type of policy”.



Mario Rovirosa, expressed that "even if it is due to consumer pressure, it is positive that there is a current in favor of ESG within the business world." The CEO of Ferrer also said that "companies have a lot to do with inequalities and the current environmental situation": "companies are responsible for 82% of world GDP, so we may have had something to do with what is happening ”. In this way, he called on all companies to realize and get involved in the task.

As a result of the statements made by his fellow speaker, Marc Díaz argued that "thanks to the rapid change that is taking place, it is easier for companies to commit to establishing a goal in line with a future of 1.5 °C and net zero , as established by the Science Based Targets”.

The moderator of the event invited the protagonists to explain what measures the companies they lead adopt to help curb the climate consequences. The CEO of Ferrer announced that the pharmaceutical laboratories have adhered to the Science Based Targets and that they are a B Corp corporation. “It may seem that the certifications are just a seal, but it is important to listen to the experts, detect areas for improvement and apply them," he added.

Marc Díaz also explained the positive process that the Science Based Targets have generated at Panasonic HVAC: “not only have they taught us how to measure our impact, but they have helped us define the following objectives and communicate our green impact plan to our employees in a more more coherent way".

Regarding the question of the moderator, who asked the speakers about how not to fall into greenwashing, the general director of Panasonic HVAC advocated "making what you want to do understandable and that the stakeholders see how the objectives are advancing". In addition, he insisted that "ESG criteria are not just another department of the organization, but that managers get involved and a purpose is established at the company level from the beginning." Mario Rovirosa called for "doing things well, consistently and without overselling".

Within the framework of the colloquium, the CEO of Ferrer explained that his company dedicates up to 60% of its income to social purposes. For his part, the general director of Panasonic HVAC detailed the purpose of his company to avoid 300 million tons of carbon emissions globally by 2050.

Pina wanted to conclude the discussion table by asking the speakers how they see the future at an environmental level. Mario Rovirosa expressed that, "although it is true that there is a trend in favor and that more and more companies that understand the problem, at a global level, in the face of a very large and urgent situation, there are few of us who have put our batteries into action." However, Marc Díaz closed the colloquium with a positive statement: “I am optimistic. We are not only working to reduce emissions, but we are working to avoid those of the future. Which will inevitably help us to be competitive”.