Agenda
Morning sessions
8:30–9:00AM
Check-In
Light snacks and coffee will be provided
9:00–9:05AM
Opening Remarks
Managing Directors:
Saman Baghestani, MBA '24
Javad Mushtaq, SFMBA '24
Our Managing Directors will kick off the day with a welcome and overview of what's to come.
9:05–9:20AM
From Limits to Growth to Earth to All
Sandrine Dixson-Declève
President of the Club of Rome
Sandrine Dixson-Declève is an environmental scientist and an international climate change, sustainable development, sustainable finance, and complex system thought leader. She is Co-President of the Club of Rome—among many other accomplishments—and divides her time between leading the Club of Rome, advising on non-Executive corporate and academic Boards, lecturing, and facilitating difficult conversations.
9:25–9:50AM
The Decarbonizer's Dilemma
Michael Raynor
Managing Director, Deloitte
Decarbonizing the hard-to-abate (HTA) sector is crucial for overall emission reduction, yet companies within face significant constraints that often limit them to incremental innovations. Dr. Michael E. Raynor will discuss how renewable energy and electric vehicles exemplify market mechanisms that could be applied to HTA commodities, fostering large-scale disruptive innovation as a key solution to the decarbonization challenge.
10:00–10:50AM
Multiple Lenses
Kate Raworth
Economist, best known for “donut economics”
A Model for Sustainable Living
Carlos Alvarado Quesada
Former President of Costa Rica
Reviving Biodiversity: Costa Rica's Systemic Shift to Ensure Nature Conservation
Laurens Speelman
Principal, Rocky Mountain Institute
Visioning for a Different Future, Emergence Theory, Historical Example of Rapid Transformation
Peter Senge
Senior Lecturer, Leadership and Sustainability
10:50–11:05AM
Coffee Break
11:10AM–12:00PM
Track Previews
Joao Campari
Global Leader, Food Practice of WWF International
Track 1: Biodiversity and Agriculture
Diane Hoskins
Global Co-Chair of Gensler
MIT ‘79
Track 2: Built Environment
John Moavenzadeh
Executive Director, MIT Mobility Initiative
Track 3: Transportation
12:00–12:10PM
What Can One Person Do?
John Sterman
Jay W. Forrester Professor of Management, Director MIT System Dynamics Group, Founder and faculty director, MIT Sloan Sustainability Initiative
Professor John Sterman, the current director of the MIT System Dynamics Group at the MIT Sloan School of Management, will provide reminders of the System Dynamics framework and key things to think about going into the second half of the day.
12:10–1:10PM
Lunch
Lunch will be provided. Vegan and gluten free options available.
Afternoon sessions
Inspired by MIT's role in the Apollo 11 mission, we're adopting a moonshot approach to tackle the world's most pressing challenges. Just as humanity's collective ingenuity made the moon landing possible, we believe that with a targeted vision and the right mix of collaborators, we can achieve transformative changes in critical sectors by 2040.
The afternoon allows attendees to engage with visionary leaders in expert panels, then apply these insights in interactive workshops to solve 3 proposed challenges. This collaborative effort aims to develop concrete strategies for a sustainable future, leveraging collective expertise to address pressing challenges.
3 Tracks
Biodiversity and agriculture
THE CHALLENGE: By 2040 we’ve succeeded in protecting biodiversity and have widespread regenerative agriculture techniques that align with planetary-wellbeing and “an earth for all”
BUILT ENVIRONMENT
The challenge: By 2040 near-zero emission cement is the preferred choice in global markets, with efficient use and near-zero emissions cement production established and growing in every region.
TRANSPORTATION
The challenge: By 2040 we achieve net zero-emission in the supply chain of goods, they are the new normal and accessible, affordable, and sustainable in all regions.
1:20–2:05PM
Expert Context Panel
Biodiversity and agriculture
David Bennell
Managing Director, Transformational Investing in Food Systems (TIFS)
Dhanush Dinesh
Founder, Clim-Eat
Joao Campari
Global Leader, Food Practice of WWF International
Marina Piatto
Executive Director, Imaflora
Purvi Metha
Asia Lead, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Susy Yoshimura
Senior Sustainability Director, Carrefour Brazil
Tasso Azevedo
General Coordinator, MapBiomas
Built Environment
Ann Esbeck
Chief Innovation Officer, Bechtel
Andrew Minson
Concrete and Sustain-able Construction Director, GCCA
Erik Barth
Senior Associate, Gensler
Greg Williams
VP of Product, Sublime Systems, MIT MBA
Hessam AzariJafari
Deputy Director, MIT Concrete Sustainability Hub (CSHub)
Jeremy Gregory
Executive Director, MIT MCSC
Kevin Deabler
Co-Founder, RODE Architects Inc.
Mike Gryniuk
Principal, Cora Structural
Pritesh Gandhi
Digital Transformation Lead, Holcim
Transportation
Brian Raspino
Associate Partner, McKinsey
Gayle Gibson
Senior Fellow, Mission Possible Partnerships
Heather Richardson
Community Planner, Volpe, The National Transportation Systems Center
Jason Walter
Director, Prologis Mobility
Mazen Danaf
Economist, Uber Freight
Nate Valaik
Director of Sustainable Energy and Alternative Fleets, Vontier
Raj Jhaveri
CTO, Greenlane
Jamey Tesler
Executive Director, Mass Mobility Hub
2:10–2:55PM
Prototyping
Teams use the facts, frameworks, and rubrics provided to build a system-level solution.
2:55–3:15PM
Rotating Feedback
Learn from other teams within the track: share prototypes and get feedback from rotating members
3:15–3:30PM
Final Concepts
Make updates and finalize prototypes based on learnings
3:30–3:50PM
Showcase to Expert Panel
One person per table shares out their final concept
3:50–4:10PM
Coffee Break
Coffee break to recharge.
4:15–4:30PM
Notes From Experts
Expert panelists will highlight ideas from each track, including final insights.
4:30–4:40PM
Final Wrap
Jason Jay
Senior Lecturer at the MIT Sloan School of Management and Director of the Sustainability Initiative at MIT Sloan
Jason Jay teaches courses on leadership, strategy, and innovation for sustainable business. Jason’s research focuses on how people navigate the tensions inherent in the quest for sustainability, as they simultaneously pursue their own self-interest and the flourishing of human and other life.
4:40–5:40PM
Drinks & Networking
