‘The ethical demand is silent. The responsibility is yours.’ It was with words to this effect that Mickey Gjerris concluded his philosophical keynote presentation at the DS Sustainability Day 2025, posing the question: ‘What character traits should we cultivate in ourselves and one another?’
With this thought-provoking call to action still hanging in the air, a panel debate followed, featuring politician Christian Friis Bach and representatives from the Danish Chamber of Commerce and the Danish Industry – as well as a string of presentations offering practical examples of how sustainability is already being implemented in both private and public companies and organisations.*
The presentations focused on ESG, documentation and standardisation.
E for Environment. Sustainable innovation, circular product development and commercial sustainability. Among other things with reference to Cradle to Cradle certification.
S for Social. Sustainable leadership, leaderless organisation and diversity. Including DS 5001:2022, the management system standard for equality and diversity.
G for Governance. Risk management and sustainable growth. With reference to the UN Global Compact Network Denmark and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Danish Standards also announced that ‘DS/ISO/UNDP PAS 53002:2024 Guidelines for contributing to the UN Sustainable Development Goals’ had just been approved and will be published as a management system standard.
Summary:
(1) The panel agreed that – particularly in these times of change – it is important to remain committed to the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals, whilst at the same time focusing on measuring and documenting only what is meaningful in relation to the core values and, not least, the key priorities of individual companies and organisations.
(2) It is also important that politicians learn to understand how companies and organisations are already working with sustainability (including with reference to other relevant DS/ISO management system standards). ‘Report only once’.
(3) The subsequent presentations demonstrated, in any case, that the foundation for the dissemination and implementation of sustainability thinking and systems is in place.
Ref. the photo: It had grown dark outside when, after an inspiring DS Sustainability Day, I left Portland Towers in Copenhagen’s Nordhavn … with a renewed sense of human optimism and a hopeful vision for a shared sustainable future.
*The politician Marianne Bigum from SF had also been invited to the panel but was unable to attend.
solveig einarsson/november 2025