A crowd-sourced program with 3 days of impact finance events.

The week comprised a crowd-sourced program of events planned by the Building Bridges Community in a range of formats that stimulated deeper levels of dialogue and collaboration including : panel discussions; roundtables; workshops, training sessions, pitches and networking events. 

Over 65 events took place during the week

Week Program 2022

  • TuesdaySeptember 30
  • WednesdayOctober 01
  • ThursdayOctober 02
Theme
Location
Geneva map
TuesdaySeptember 30, 2025
14:00 – 15:00 CET
Fishbowl Discussion 14:00 – 15:00 CEST

Costs and Opportunities of Real Impact: What It Takes for Impact-First Investments to Scale and Complement Traditional Aid

To scale impact-first investment solutions – especially NGO-led or hybrid models – we must uphold integrity and mission while attracting catalytic capital and managing risk. Impact-first investing often involves trade-offs, yet the cost of inaction is higher. This session explores three real-world models that blend public and private capital, examine innovative risk mitigation, and challenge the market to rethink what truly qualifies as “investable.”

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Impact Investing
Centre International de Conférences Genève – Room 9 (Level 2)
Panel 14:00 – 15:00 CEST

How can finance and philanthropy respond to the plastic issue?

Show more Centre International de Conférences Genève – Room B (Level 0)
Workshop 14:00 – 15:00 CEST

Countdown to Compliance: Preparing for FINMA’s Nature Risk Disclosure Requirements

From 1st January 2028, FINMA will introduce mandatory nature risk reporting requirements for supervised institutions — a regulatory shift set to reshape how organisations account for their nature-related impacts, dependencies, and risks. In this interactive workshop co-hosted by NatureAlpha and EY, we will set out what the new regulations will require in practice, including expected disclosures and governance obligations. A key focus will be on why high-quality asset location data is foundational for compliance — enabling accurate assessments of exposure to biodiversity loss, ecosystem degradation, and other nature-related risks. Participants will explore what steps companies should take now — from geospatial data strategy to governance readiness — to ensure full alignment with the upcoming standards. With regulatory timelines long but preparation time short, this session is designed to help risk, sustainability, legal and compliance professionals understand the implications and act early to avoid costly delays.

Show more Centre International de Conférences Genève – Room C (Level 0)
14:00 – 15:30 CET
15:30 – 17:00 CET
Fishbowl Discussion 15:30 – 17:00 CEST

Impact Investing for Systemic Change: Unlocking the Potential of Catalytic Capital

How can catalytic capital drive systemic change in emerging markets? How can we demystify this process for those on the journey? This interactive session explores how impact funders, now more than ever, are deploying the capital continuum and using innovative and blended finance to unlock scalable solutions. We will explore new partnerships and models for sustainable impact, showcasing the power of collaboration in advancing the SDGs. Join us—and let’s put capital to work!

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Impact Investing
Centre International de Conférences Genève – Room 9 (Level 2)
Workshop 15:30 – 17:00 CEST

Unlocking opportunities in nature finance

The event will tackle the many angles that nature finance can take – from shareholder engagement, financing opportunities locally (in Switzerland), and investing opportunities globally to risk mitigation and understanding of investors’ value-chain.

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Nature
Centre International de Conférences Genève – Room C (Level 0)
Workshop 15:30 – 17:00 CEST

Driving action on physical risk in value chains

There is clear evidence of how physical impacts are damaging businesses and value chains, but companies and investors have insufficient visibility on the risks that can cause business interruption and financial losses. This workshop will discuss a framework that incorporates identification, measurement, strategy development, execution, monitoring, and reporting and disclosure to build resilience. Discussion will be solutions-focused, cutting across climate, nature, equity and circularity.

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Systemic Change
Centre International de Conférences Genève – Room F (Level 3)
16:00 – 17:00 CET
17:30 – 18:30 CET
Workshop 17:30 – 18:30 CEST

ROI or Perish: Tech, Impact & the New Rules of Sustainable Business

The old sustainability playbook is dead, subsidies are vanishing. Geopolitical chaos is the new normal. Smart organizations are turning crisis into opportunity. This isn’t about regulatory box-ticking. It’s about hard numbers, attractive ROI, and driving impact. Organizations across diverse sectors – from investors, academia, to emerging economy innovators – are generating profits while acting sustainably.The companies thriving in a clean economy aren’t waiting for government handouts, they’re building nature-integrated tech solutions that deliver real returns. Discover how technology is creating competitive advantages that traditional businesses can’t match. The question isn’t whether sustainability pays. It’s whether you can afford to be left behind while your competitors build the future. Ready to stop treating environmental initiatives as cost centers and start treating them as revenue engines?Hear from the disruptors proving that sustainability isn’t a checkbox, it’s a business.

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Other
Centre International de Conférences Genève – Room 9 (Level 2)
Panel 17:30 – 18:30 CEST

Financing the Blue Economy: Turning Ocean Commitments into Capital Flows

This session explores how global ocean commitments—from international treaties to national plastic reduction targets—can be translated into tangible investment opportunities. It will highlight emerging financial instruments, innovations in marine conservation finance, and strategies to channel capital toward ocean health, coastal resilience, and sustainable livelihoods in the blue economy.

Show more Centre International de Conférences Genève – Room B (Level 0)
17:30 – 19:00 CET
Workshop 17:30 – 19:00 CEST

Strengthening Financial Institutions Corporate Governance to promote respect for Human Rights

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Policy & Regulation
Centre International de Conférences Genève – Room E (Level 3)
Workshop 17:30 – 19:00 CEST

Transition Finance in Action: Investing in Scalable Solutions for Real-World Impact

Achieving real-world impact through scalable investment solutions is essential to a successful climate transition. This workshop brings together key actors to explore how transition finance can drive tangible decarbonization through impact investing, smart incentives, stewardship, carbon pricing, and directing capital to high-need sectors and geographies.

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Systemic Change
Centre International de Conférences Genève – Room C (Level 0)
17:30 – 19:00 CEST

Designing the Next Asset Class: Climate-Linked Private Debt

Institutional investors increasingly seek climate-aligned debt financing opportunities in emerging markets, yet systemic barriers, from FX volatility to fragmented deal flow, prevent capital inflows. This session explores how de-risking tools, blended finance structures, and Article 6 carbon credit monetization can unlock scalable SDG investment pathways and catalyze private capital injection into high-impact, frontier market projects.

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Fintech Innovative Finance
Centre International de Conférences Genève – Room F (Level 3)
Panel 17:30 – 19:00 CEST

Infrastructure’s Role in Europe’s Transformation

As Europe accelerates its green and digital transformation, a €2.5 trillion funding gap persists in mid-market infrastructure—critical for scaling energy, digital, and transport projects. This event explores investment opportunities, regulatory stability, and the role of private capital in driving sustainable growth. Experts will discuss strategies to de-risk and expand mid-cap assets, ensuring Europe’s long-term competitiveness.

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Other
Centre International de Conférences Genève – Room A (Level 0)

Committed Partners

Sharing a same vision and shaping the global sustainable finance agenda.

Diamond

Platinum

With Support From

Special Collaborations