London, August 2025 – As economic pressures mount and ESG expectations rise, sustainability is no longer a side initiative but a strategic imperative. In a recent Reuters Events webinar, senior leaders from Volkswagen Group, Funke Mediengruppe, and EssilorLuxottica shared how they’re embedding sustainability across business divisions to drive innovation, resilience, and long-term value.
Hosted on July 24, 2025, the webinar “Navigating the Sustainability Landscape: Integrating Strategy Across Business Divisions” was organised by Project Director Katie Kilner and moderated by Sylvan Lutz, Policy Officer at the Transition Pathway Initiative Centre, LSE. The panel featured:
- Dirk Voeste, Chief Sustainability Officer, Volkswagen Group
- Gundula Ullah, Chief Procurement and Sustainability Officer, Funke Mediengruppe
- Elena Dimichino, Chief Corporate Sustainability Officer, EssilorLuxottica
The discussion explored how sustainability can be leveraged as a strategic advantage through cross-functional collaboration, pilot initiatives, performance metrics, and long-term resilience planning.
Key Insights from the Webinar
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Building Internal Buy-In
Sustainability must demonstrate clear business value. Dirk Voeste emphasized the importance of showing departments “what’s in it for them” – from product positioning to risk mitigation. Funke Mediengruppe’s dedicated sustainability budgets helped overcome early cost barriers.
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Cross-Functional Collaboration
Elena Dimichino described how EssilorLuxottica’s Eyes on the Planet initiative brings together logistics, EHS, R&D, and procurement in weekly meetings to drive carbon reduction targets and embed sustainability into core operations.
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Scaling Through Pilot Projects
Gundula Ullah shared how Funke Mediengruppe’s sustainable magazine pilot achieved a 64% emissions reduction, creating a blueprint for broader implementation and internal momentum.
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Linking Sustainability to KPIs
Volkswagen Group ties sustainability performance to compensation, with 12 KPIs broken down across brands. This integration signals that sustainability is central to business success.
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Maintaining Long-Term Focus
Despite economic uncertainty, the panel stressed the importance of staying committed. Volkswagen’s Regenerate Plus strategy remains unchanged, reflecting a shift from “nice to have” to “must have.”
Discover how Europe’s top sustainability leaders are driving innovation, resilience, and long-term business value. Get your full webinar replay today and learn how to apply these strategies to your own organisation to stay ahead: https://shorturl.at/PnHVz
About Reuters Events
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Media Contact
Katie Kilner
Project Director, Reuters Events
[email protected]
www.reutersevents.com
