May 12, 2022 - In the atrium of the Croatian National Theater in Split, the Green Future Conference was officially presented, an international event held on June 8 and 9 at the Croatian National Theater in Split.
The Green Future conference will address the topic of green transition, one of the most attractive topics in the world of business, public policy, mobility, sustainability, finance, and every other sector and business. Over 40 foreign and domestic experts will attend the conference, who will try to bring this topic closer to those who will mark the coming years and explain how to adapt certain activities to the green transition quickly.
"Instead of going elsewhere to learn about some of today's most important topics, why not bring the best to our city? As a result, the idea was recognized not only by those living and doing business in Split but by large domestic and foreign tech companies. In addition, the idea was recognized by the European Commission, which is sending an ambassador for innovation, and Hajduk!
Incompatible? Absolutely compatible when so many great people and organizations come together with a good goal. I thank everyone who invested trust, knowledge, work, and energy in making the Green Future Conference happen in Split, and I invite you to be a part," said Antonija Eremut Erceg from the Organizing Committee of the Conference, whose importance is recognized by many stakeholders, sponsors, and partners who got involved.
The Green Future conference, among others, is supported by the two largest Croatian tech companies, Rimac Group and Infobip.
"I am thrilled that the organizers recognized us as a strategic partner in this project. It is essential to emphasize such topics in the public and media space because a green future is what we all strive for. Apart from the fact that Rimac Technology is a partner of the Green Future conference, it is a special pleasure that Croatia will be presented in a modern and advanced light, and this conference will certainly occupy an important place on the world map of business events. As we are an active participant in the conference, in addition to other big names from the world of business globally, visitors will have the opportunity to participate in a lecture by Roger Moorhouse, Powertrain Research Manager from Rimac Technology, who works with his team of experts to develop technological innovations in electric motors, for which the Rimac Group is known all over the world today. I believe that visitors will be delighted with the unique content in Split," said Miljenko Baković, product manager from Rimac Technology.
Although the process of green transition is a challenge for most, some companies have already recognized its importance and started implementation with the aim of a faster, more successful, and more profitable business.
"OTP banka has recognized the importance of sustainable financing and the challenges it poses to banks and non-financial companies. To this end, we are integrating ESG criteria into our strategy, and we have established a special department in the bank in charge of sustainable development. To soon feel the progress in sustainability and meet the requirements of the Green Plan, cooperation with all stakeholders is essential. The role of banks is to accelerate sustainable financing, for which we especially value data on company plans and insight into sustainability trends. The Green Future conference allows us to exchange practices and experiences and ask questions to which we do not yet have answers. Our President of the Management Board, Balázs Békeffy, will actively participate in the conference as a keynote speaker and member of the Management Board Zvonimir Akrap in the panel on sustainable financing. In addition, the Green Future conference will host several speakers with experience in policymaking, emphasizing mobility, and many other solutions used iin smart cities" said Silvija Bareša, Director of Corporate Communications of OTP banka d.d., the gold sponsor of the conference.
The City of Split is on the way to becoming a smart city in the complete sense of the word, which has already stepped in the direction of sustainability through the implementation of specific digital solutions.
"I am glad that we will have an international event in Split on a topic that changes our development and business strategies and daily choices for the better. The City of Split supports the Green Future Conference, and RaST will actively participate in the panel on smart cities. Oslo was the Green Capital of Europe in 2019. We want to know how they became it and what they learned from it. We brought Oslo to Split three years ago, to the conference from which Split's Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan emerged together with the Strategy. Its implementation will require external sources of funding and changes in the habits of citizens," said Goran Batinić, Director of the Development Agency Split, on behalf of the City of Split.
Conference participants have many years of experience in implementing smart and sustainable projects, ranging from transport to other digital solutions.
"Profico is a digital agency that markets its services mainly on foreign markets but has been one of the active creators of the local ecosystem for ten years. Starting from pioneering days in the startup community and co-organizing the Shift Startup conference to organizing numerous local events and training, we recognize green technologies as one of the new trends that we want to establish more strongly in the local community. That is why we joined the organization of this conference, which encourages the local community to think in the direction of new global trends and the development of globally applicable technologies," said Mateo Perak, director of Profico, one of the organizational partners of the conference.
The conference was also supported by Alijana Vukšić from the Split Tourist Board and Joško Stella from the Split-Dalmatia County Tourist Board and Split-Dalmatia County.
"Ever since the European Union gave guidelines for the green and digital transition, I have been thinking about how policymakers and private companies do not understand what this means and how a conference like this is needed to bring them closer, so this event helps us to bring it closer to the stakeholders who are important to us. I was very pleased with the news that the Green Future Conference is happening, and Split-Dalmatia County will stand behind it to the maximum, especially when we know that SDŽ is first in terms of solar energy in Croatia, first in planned solar and wind farms, and other renewable energy sources, and first in projects to restore the degraded coastal landscape. It is unique that something is happening at this level in Split, that we all learn something and share experiences," said Stipe Čogelja, Deputy Prefect of Split-Dalmatia County.
The Green Future conference is a climate-neutral event held under the auspices of the two largest Croatian technology companies, Rimac and Infobip. Gold sponsors are OTP banka, A1, and Bosch, while sponsors are Daikin, Končar, and E&Y. The friends of the conference are Daikin, Professio energia, and the Croatian Chamber of Commerce, the Fund for Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency, the City of Split and Hajduk. In addition, the conference is supported by Dwelt, Eutopia, GBC HUB, Croatian Green Building Council, Circuit, Business Psychology Lab, and the Faculty of Philosophy, University of Split. The organizational partners are Profico, Vajt, and Poduzetnik.
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