Pact4Future 2026

Urban areas account for 70% of global emissions and are most exposed to climate impacts, with effects disproportionately affecting vulnerable social groups. Yet it is in cities that innovation, human capital and financial resources capable of driving the ecological transition are concentrated. From UN agendas to EU missions, the challenge is to make smart cities around the world climate-neutral and generate measurable long-term social and environmental progress

From the Alphafold revolution to Artificial Intelligence applied to defence and finance, technology is accelerating like never before. But computing power, data and algorithms are not enough. Without a shared direction, innovation risks losing its purpose and amplifying inequalities. The challenge is not to stop the race, but to give it a purpose

European regulations on sustainability reporting affect only a small number of companies in Italy. However, in order to have an effect on the production system, information needs to be disseminated through supply chains and districts, rather than with uncoordinated initiatives. Evidence shows that sustainability generates value, but SMEs in particular need to be supported with shared technological solutions. The country’s competitiveness depends on its ability to build common data infrastructures

After years of enthusiasm for business goals focused on ESG objectives and stakeholder capitalism, the debate on corporate purpose is entering a phase of reassessment, amid European regulatory slowdowns, US pushback and new openings in Asia. Beyond political polarization, the core issue is methodological: distinguishing between managerial vision and legal translation. What constitutes strategy and corporate culture in law becomes a matter of definitions, responsibilities and national boundaries that are difficult to reconcile

No longer just a statement of good intentions, but a strategic compass that guides choices, investments, and responsibilities. Sustainability is at the heart of corporate governance and redefines the role of the company in society, amid new rules, reputational risks, and long-term value creation

The climate crisis is not an “externality” to be corrected, but a warning sign of the structural limits of a model built on unlimited growth and natural capital treated as invisible in financial accounts. Rethinking indicators, incentives and leadership is not enough; the very definition of prosperity must be reconsidered in light of biophysical constraints and new geopolitical vulnerabilities