The EFFAS CESG Conference 2025 brought together professionals, policymakers, and academics at the DoubleTree by Hilton Brussels City to explore how ESG, climate risk, and intangible assets are reshaping corporate and financial reporting.
After the opening by Hans Buysse (EFFAS Benelux Chair), Frank Klein (CESG Co-Chair, DWS), and François-Valéry Lecomte (Belfius AM CEO), the discussion brought together Anne-Catherine Delaye (Head of Responsible Investing, Belfius AM), Jean-Philippe Desmartin (CESG Co-Chair, Edmond de Rothschild AM), and Dr. Daniela Carosio Casieri (Sustainable Value Investors), moderated by Frank Klein.
Hungary was represented by Balázs Bozsik, Head of ESG Performance Coordination at MVM.
ESG in Transition: From Greenwashing risks to the 2025 U.S. Backlash
The first panel of the EFFAS CESG Conference 2025 set the tone for the day, exploring how ESG is evolving from scrutiny to a new phase of clarity and impact. Jean-Philippe Desmartin, Edmond de Rothschild AM, echoed an optimistic view: “The biggest risk in this period is lack of action, we will have more visibility and clarity for regulation. It will be much better to think about innovation.”
Anne-Catherine Delaye, Belfius AM, underlined that while sustainability began with global goals, implementation has become regional. She added that the U.S. backlash is not the end of ESG but the start of a data- and outcomes-driven phase, powered by technology and younger investors.
’’The US push back is not the end of ESG.
It brings a next phase. From ideology to focus on data & outcomes.”
The ECRA Presentation
Following the lunch break, Álvaro Cangas, Climate & Sustainability Practice Leader at Marsh Spain, presented the EFFAS Certified Climate Risk Analyst (ECRA®) programme — the latest EFFAS qualification developed in collaboration with Marsh McLennan to equip professionals with the skills to integrate climate risk into financial decision-making.
Interested in the programme? Don’t miss our Open Day on November 17, where Andrei Dochia, Regional Risk Consulting Leader at Marsh McLennan, will deliver an inspiring presentation on the groundbreaking ECRA programme that’s shaping the future of sustainable finance.
