About the conference

The BLF Summit is the largest and oldest event on corporate responsibility in Slovakia. For 20 years, we have been opening discussions on a broad range of ESG topics and trends involving experts both from Slovakia and abroad. We have been offering not only practical solutions for employers but also inspiration for personal life. Since 2019, an award for contribution to sustainable development, SDGs Award, has been awarded at the conference every year. The BLF Summit has been organized by Pontis Foundation and its non-formal association of companies that have committed to corporate responsibility principles.

conferences since 2004

participants in previous events

speakers

awards for sustainable development

Program

9:00 – 9:05

Opening words (hosted by Lukáš Bakoš)

Ivana Vagaská, Executive Director, Business Leaders Forum
Michal Kišša, Co-CEO, The Pontis Foundation

9:05 – 9:15

Presentation: Responsible business in the eyes of the Slovak public

How does the Slovak public view corporate social responsibility and what has changed since 2004, when Business Leaders Forum conducted its first research in cooperation with the FOCUS agency?

Martin Slosiarik, FOCUS agency

9:15 – 9:30

CEO Talk

What are the current challenges of responsible business? Which topics require special attention?

Mladen Mitić, Slovak Telekom

9:30 – 10:00

Interview: Building an inclusive company culture

What are the key elements of creating an inclusive culture in a company or organization? How to measure success in this endeavor? And where can we draw inspiration from Finnish companies and their approach to diversity and inclusion?

Jonna Louvrier, Includia Leadership (FI)

10:00 – 10:30

The SDG Awards ceremony

Interview:

Katarína Pšenáková, the Tesco Foundation
Michal Kišša, the Pontis Foundation
Alena Vachnová, the DEDO Foundation

10:30 – 11:00

Break

11:00 – 12:00

Round-table discussions (only for the offline participants)

Jonna Louvrier, Includia Leadership: Building an inclusive company culture*

*This round-table discussion is a continuation of the main event program

Erika Vitálošová, PwC: Challenges associated with mandatory CSRD reporting

From 2025 onwards, the majority of companies with 250+ employees will be obliged to report on selected ESG indicators. What should they start working on now so that they are not taken by surprise when the new legal requirement comes into effect? What are the biggest CSRD-related challenges companies will face?

Simona Sabolová, Roman Žitný, Roche: Supporting women’s health (not only) in the company

Focusing on women’s health also improves the public health of others. This is because women make almost 90% of all healthcare decisions in families. How can employers support women’s health in their companies How can this contribute to the prosperity of not only individuals, but also companies and society?

Marcela Krajčová, Jana Cupková, Philip Morris Slovakia: Employee resource groups

Many companies (and especially international ones) have had so-called “employee resource groups” for years now. How to promote their establishment and operation? And how do they benefit both diverse groups of people and the companies themselves?

Viera Baštáková, Metro Cash&Carry & Veronika Hagovská, INCIEN: The circular economy as part of the company’s ESG strategy

The transition to a circular economy will require a change of mindset in society and new ways of optimizing and streamlining the use of resources. Where does the circular economy fit within the ESG framework? What specific steps can companies take? How does it actually work in companies – do they actively influence consumer behavior towards sustainability or do they adapt to existing attitudes?

12:00 – 13:00

Lunch

13:00 – 14:00

Discussion: Engaged corporate communication (hosted by Veronika Cifrová Ostrihoňová)

What attitude should companies take towards sensitive social issues? Has the pandemic, the war in Ukraine, or last year’s murder of queer people in Bratislava changed what and how they choose to communicate externally? And what does engaged communication bring to the companies themselves – hate or greater respect?

Martina Bechyňová, Liftago (CZ)
Michal Meško, Martinus
Petra Novotná, Slovak Telekom
Róbert Slovák, the Slovák & Friends advertising agency

14:00 – 14:10

Presentation: How companies have joined forces to improve children’s digital skills

Alena Kanabová, Accenture

14:10 – 15:30

4x20 minutes (not only) about responsibility

Tomáš Pešek, YouthWatch: What do young people need?

What does the young generation deal with, what is it like, and in what ways does it hold up a mirror to us? Do boys also face gender stereotypes on their journey to manhood?

Thomas Kolster, The Hero Trap: Companies were looking for purpose. Now what?

Can brands really solve society-wide issues? Aren’t their goals too ambitious? Shouldn’t they instead entrust their customers with being agents of change?

Patrícia Gajdošociová, environmental psychologist: How to talk to children about the climate crisis

We try to protect our children from difficult topics, but the climate crisis has become an issue that is hardly avoidable today. How to talk about something that we can’t even handle ourselves?

Mária Bieliková, KInIT: The future with AI and what it means for our humanity

Can we already imagine what artificial intelligence (AI) means for the future of individuals, companies, and society as a whole? What impact will AI have on attributes such as empathy, selflessness, or compassion? And should every organization already have a dedicated position focusing on this topic?