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SFI–SSF Conference 2025

Sustainable Finance: Moving from Compliance to Opportunities

Date24 Sep 2025

Time13:15 - 17:20

LocationLake Side, Bellerivestrasse 170, 8008 Zurich

This conference is fully booked and we are unfortunately no longer able to accept registrations. Thank you very much for your understanding.

In partnership with Swiss Sustainable Finance and in association with Building Bridges, the Swiss Finance Institute is hosting the fifth edition of its renowned conference on current sustainable finance issues. This year's theme is "Sustainable Finance: Moving from Compliance to Opportunities". The conference will be held in Zurich on Wednesday, 24 September 2025.

Sustainable finance is often viewed as a compliance exercise aimed at meeting regulatory requirements and addressing social and political expectations. However, given the evolving political landscape it is increasingly important to assess the true value and real-world impact of sustainable financial practices. Recognizing sustainable finance as a strategic opportunity rather than just an obligation enables more effective capital allocation toward efforts to address urgent environmental and social challenges, while also improving investment strategies. This conference offers a platform from which to explore whether moving beyond compliance can unlock real value—financially, environmentally, and socially.

Download of Conference Program as PDF (A5)

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SFI–SSF Conference Program 2025

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12:00	Doors Open, Registration, and Lunch
13:15	Welcome Note Hannah Wise, Moderator
13:20	Short Interview with Representatives of SFI and of SSF Prof. François Degeorge, Managing Director, SFI, and Sabine Döbeli, CEO, SSF,
Keynote Speeches
13:25	Keynote Presentation I—Navigating the ESG Fatigue: Unlocking the True Potential of Sustainable Finance Urs Baumann, CEO, Zürcher Kantonalbank
13:45	Keynote Presentation II—What Drives Sustainable Finance Fatigue? SFI Prof. Philipp Krüger, Professor of Responsible Finance, UNIGE, and Senior Chair, SFI
Investing with Impact
14:05	Presentation I—How Not to Have Impact? SFI Prof. Laurent Frésard, Professor of Finance, USI, and Senior Chair, SFI
14:20	Presentation II—Shaping Outcomes through Stewardship Julia Wittenburg, Head of Stewardship, Bank J. Safra Sarasin Ltd
14:35	Presentation III—Impact Investing: Switzerland’s Strategic Edge Rosa Sangiorgio, Founder, RSg Impact Investing, and Chair of the Board, Swiss Platform for Impact Investing
14:50	Joint Q&A
15:05	Break and Refreshments
Asset Classes in Sustainable Investing
15:35	Presentation I—Green Investing: In and Out of Equilibrium SFI Prof. Stefano Ramelli, Assistant Professor in Corporate Finance, UNISG, and Faculty Member, SFI
15:50	Presentation II—Responsible Gold Investments Esther Halas, Head of Product Management, Banque Bonhôte & Cie SA
16:05	Presentation III—Green Bonds: A View from an Issuer Perspective Lukas Gisiger, Relationship Manager Multinationals, UBS Switzerland AG
16:20	Joint Q&A
Panel
16:35	Panel Discussion—Capturing Opportunities in Sustainable Finance SFI Prof. Philipp Krüger, Professor of Responsible Finance, UNIGE, and Senior Chair, SFI Nadia Nikolova, CEO, responsAbility Dr. Jürg Tobler, Deputy CEO and Chief Investment Officer, Pensionskasse Stadt Zürich Frederick Widl, Head of Real Assets, AXA Investment Managers Switzerland
17:15	Closing Remarks Hannah Wise, Moderator
17:20	Aperitif