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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
