9 Apr 2025
GOTHENBURG SUSTAINABILITY SUMMIT 2025
On 9 April, more than 400 visionaries, decision-makers and change leaders gathered for the Gothenburg Sustainability Summit. The focus was on pioneering leadership: the ability to navigate uncertainty, challenge established patterns, and drive sustainable transformation when it truly matters. A common thread ran through the entire day – that leadership is not only about external structures and strategies, but equally about the inner dimension – people’s own capacity for reflection, self-awareness and resilience.
Courage, Resilience and Purpose – Leadership in Times of Change Summary of the Gothenburg Sustainability Summit 2025
The day opened with Carl Bennet, a clear voice for long-term, values-driven leadership. He emphasised the importance of standing firm in difficult times and highlighted the courage required to make decisions that may not always be popular but are necessary for the future. Researcher Louise Bringselius continued, and stressed the central role of businesses in the sustainability transition, particularly highlighting trust as a key factor in building sustainable collaborations and achieving long-term results. Without trust between companies, society and individuals, genuine change becomes difficult – making it vital to actively nurture and maintain trust to meet today’s and tomorrow’s challenges.
One of the day’s strongest themes was raised by Lisen Schultz from the Stockholm Resilience Centre and Linnea Lind from the Inner Development Goals. They drew attention to the link between inner development and our collective ability to tackle complex societal challenges. Lisen emphasised the importance of building transformation capacity through leadership that can navigate uncertainty and systemic change. Linnea connected this to the need for inner capabilities such as empathy, courage and self-awareness in order to act sustainably in a rapidly changing world.
The day continued with a panel discussion featuring Johan Holmén, Lisen Schultz, Louise Bringselius and Linnéa Lind, who explored concrete challenges across both the public and private sectors. Here, the importance of creating psychologically safe workplaces emerged – environments where people dare to be themselves and contribute their best ideas. One participant described leadership as “being able to meet oneself fully in order to better meet others” – a phrase that set the tone for many of the day’s discussions.
Al Gore – A Global Perspective on the Future One of the highlights was Al Gore’s speech, in which he presented both a serious view of the climate crisis and a strong sense of optimism. He emphasised that despite all the challenges, a global sustainability revolution is underway. “It’s like a great wheel turning in the right direction,” he noted, pointing to the rapidly falling costs of renewable energy and technological advances across many fields that are opening new opportunities. Al Gore also stressed that leadership must be courageous enough to drive change in time, and that politicians, businesses and financial actors must collaborate to accelerate the transition to a fossil-free economy.
The second panel discussion highlighted the complexity of leadership in uncertain times. Viveka Reimers from VGR underscored the importance of collaboration and the role of civil society, while Sten Tolgfors from the County Administrative Board pointed to the need for a holistic perspective and adaptability within organisations. Eva Halvarsson from the financial sector emphasised the need for open and visible leadership to build trust, while Sandra Runsten from the business sector noted that sustainability must be an integrated, daily part of strategy to ensure long-term strength. In summary, leadership is about balancing short-term action with long-term resilience. In the concluding interviews with courageous leaders, the focus was on taking responsibility under pressure and the importance of long-term thinking. Leadership grounded in values and employee wellbeing was highlighted as essential, alongside the need to build both personal and organisational resilience to handle challenging times.
The day’s discussions showed that the leadership of the future is not shaped in isolation or through strategy alone – but in the meeting between the inner and the outer, between courage and compassion. The insight that emerged was clear: real change requires leaders who not only act, but also listen, feel and grow – as human beings and in their roles. The day left participants with a quiet strength – a reminder that even in a world marked by uncertainty, we have the power to shape something better together. It is not about always knowing the way forward, but about daring to stay the course, face the difficult, and build trust through action. As one speaker put it: “Now is the time to stand firm and build something new. Sustainability is a journey that happens every day, in every encounter, and in every decision.”