Digital innovation is reshaping what growth means, turning sustainability into the new measure of success. This was the key outcome of the panel discussion ‘Green is Profitable, Digital is Sustainable‘, moderated by Erika Staël von Holstein, Co-Founder & CEO of Re-Imagine Europa, organised under the umbrella of the Digital with Purpose Global Summit organised by the Global Enabling Sustainability Initiative (GeSI) on 27-28 October in Brussels.
The panel brought together experts and changemakers driving the twin transition from vision to reality, to discuss how technology with purpose can drive true transformation. Christer Otterstrom, CEO of Hummeltorp Sverige AB, highlighted the opportunities of the circular economy: “We’re sitting on a gold mine of possibilities if we think differently — one industry alone could cut total carbon footprints by up to 12% through circularity”. Facundo Armas, LATAM Head of Sustainable Business, Globant, explained that “digital transformation and sustainability must converge” and reminded that every IT project should measure its environmental impact: “it’s time to connect data with carbon.” For Nizar Kammourie, CEO of SAWACO – Water Desalination, “digital tools bridge the gap between sustainability and profitability. With blockchain and data transparency, we can even finance water infrastructure through water credits.” Fernando Reino da Costa, CEO of Unipartner pointed out to the fact that “digital isn’t just part of the solution — it’s the infrastructure of sustainability. You can’t reach net zero without knowing your data”, he added.
The Digital with Purpose Global Summit convenes experts from policy, business and technology to discuss how digital transformation can reinforce Europe’s economic autonomy, innovation capacity, and green leadership. At a time when digital infrastructure, AI, and data policy are increasingly tied to strategic sovereignty and climate goals, the Summit emphasizes actionable pathways to ensure Europe leads the global digital race not only through regulation, but by enabling innovation and scale.
This summit was built around five key imperatives:
- Place Digital as a fundamental driver of Europe’s transformational change and leadership
- Build Trust through transparency and evidence-based decision making
- Enable sustainable digital transformation
- Support scaling and competitivenes
- Digital as the driving force that turns environmental ambition into economic opportunity
