The 12th Daimler Sustainability Dialogue took place at the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart on November 20 and 21, 2019. Representatives from industry, science, politics, NGOs, associations, trade unions and municipalities discussed the opportunities and challenges for a new era of sustainable mobility.
"This dialog has never been as relevant as it is now," said Ola Källenius, CEO of Daimler AG and Mercedes-Benz AG, in the opening remarks of his speech in the evening before the Dialogue. It is about balancing the growing demand for mobility with protecting the climate, conserving resources, safety on the roads, the responsible use of data and effective safeguards for the observance of human rights. The rapid transition to electromobility requires a fundamental transformation. Daimler is prepared but the company cannot guarantee success all by itself. According to the CEO, alliances are required between politics, industry and society.
As chairs of the Daimler Group Sustainability Board, Renata Jungo Brüngger and Markus Schäfer sent out the invitations to the annual Sustainability Dialogue. More than 100 guests made their way to Stuttgart to find out more about Daimler's sustainable business strategy and to share their own experiences.
The previous evening's event, which was open to the press, featured podium discussions with international experts including Dr. Sigrid Nikutta, CEO of Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe, urban planner Jeff Risom, and mobility experts Helmut Holzapfel and Peter Jones, while the second day focused on workshops for concrete measures and projects.
In seven, non-public working groups, participants dealt with topics such as the ethics of automated driving, the environmental challenges of inner-city transport, or data security when dealing with artificial intelligence.
Renata Jungo Brüngger, member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG and Mercedes-Benz AG responsible for Integrity and Law, was impressed by the tone of the discussions in the working groups. "We don't all share the same beliefs. But the agreed confidentiality of the discussions made people more willing to tolerate different viewpoints and to work on practical solutions."
The 2019 Sustainability Dialogue was planned as a climate-friendly event. The CO2 emissions generated were reduced by avoiding paper and regional catering. The set-up and disassembly for the event, the travel arrangements and catering for participants, and the organization of the event were compensated with a donation to a climate project.
