ESG Events 2026 You Shouldn't Miss
ESG events 2026: the sustainability conferences still ahead until December, plus a review of all events that already took place this year.
- Our overview covers 19 ESG events in Germany in 2026. 15 of them have already taken place (as of September 29, 2026).
- Four events are still ahead: the BNW Annual Conference (October 12), BAM! Bock auf Morgen (November 4-5), Impact Festival (November 25-26) and the German Sustainability Award (December 3-4).
- Topics range from sustainable finance and sustainability communication to GreenTech, circular economy and ESG software.
- Register for the remaining events soon, as places are limited at some of them.
- If budget is tight, free webinars via the CSRD Compass newsletter are a solid alternative.
2026 is a key year for companies that want to consistently drive sustainability, climate action and ESG. Changing requirements for CSRD reporting, rising expectations from investors and customers, and the transformation towards a climate-friendly economy make one thing clear: knowledge, exchange and networks are more important than ever.
Whether sustainability management, circular economy, diversity or Scope 3 strategies, many top-tier conferences and summits offer the opportunity to stay up to date, learn best practices, and make valuable connections with other ESG managers.
Below you will first find the ESG events still ahead in 2026, followed by a review of the events that have already taken place this year.
ESG Events Still Ahead in 2026
As of September 29, 2026. We checked the dates on the organizers' websites.
| Event | Date | Location | Focus |
|---|---|---|---|
| BNW Annual Conference 2026 | October 12, 2026 | Berlin | Sustainable business, sustainable finance |
| BAM! Bock auf Morgen | November 4-5, 2026 | Berlin | Communication, change |
| Impact Festival | November 25-26, 2026 | Frankfurt am Main | GreenTech, start-ups |
| German Sustainability Award | December 3-4, 2026 | Dusseldorf | Award ceremony, congress |
BNW Annual Conference 2026
Monday, October 12, 2026, Berlin
In 2026, the annual conference runs under the motto "Wie Geld wirkt – Finanzierung für eine Wirtschaft mit Zukunft" (How money works – financing an economy with a future) and is held in cooperation with the Heinrich Böll Foundation. The focus is on sustainable finance, risk assessment and alternative financing models. At the annual conference of Bundesverband Nachhaltige Wirtschaft e.V., you can look forward to exciting discussions, forward-looking impulses and exchange among experts.
Website: https://www.bnw-bundesverband.de/veranstaltungen
BAM! Bock auf Morgen
November 4-5, 2026, Berlin (Festsaal Kreuzberg)
A festival for sustainable communication, marketing, activism, and social change.
Website: https://www.bock.am/festival
Impact Festival
November 25-26, 2026, Frankfurt am Main (Messe Frankfurt)
GreenTech, start-ups, innovation and sustainable business models are the focus here. A strong year-end for the impact community.
Website: https://impact-festival.earth/
German Sustainability Award
December 3-4, 2026, Dusseldorf
The grand finale of the sustainability year: award ceremony, congress, and best practices surrounding ESG and sustainable transformation.
Website: https://www.nachhaltigkeitspreis.de
Review 2026: ESG Events That Already Took Place
The following events took place in the first three quarters of 2026. Check the organizers' websites to find out whether and when there will be a 2027 edition.
| Event | Date | Location | Focus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Circular Valley Convention | March 11-12, 2026 (took place) | Dusseldorf | Circular economy, innovation |
| Corporate Diversity Summit | March 18-19, 2026 (took place) | Frankfurt am Main | Diversity, sustainable leadership |
| VNU Environmental and Sustainability Management Day | March 24, 2026 (took place) | Frankfurt am Main | ESG processes, environmental management |
| Ecosummit | March 25-26, 2026 (took place) | Berlin | ClimateTech, AI, start-ups |
| Sustainable Economy Summit | April 21-22, 2026 (took place) | Berlin | Sustainable business, policy |
| Digital Sustainability Summit | April 23, 2026 (took place) | Berlin | Digitalization, data strategies |
| Sustainability World Summit | April 23-24, 2026 (took place) | Frankfurt am Main | ESG strategies, innovation |
| Gutes Morgen Festival | June 6-7, 2026 (took place) | Bochum | Future, workshops, talks |
| Sustainability osapiens Summit | June 9-10, 2026 (took place) | Mannheim | ESG software, SDGs |
| Climate Transformation Summit | June 10-11, 2026 (took place) | Berlin | Decarbonization, net zero |
| Sustainability Consulting Summit | June 22-23, 2026 (took place) | Frankfurt am Main | ESG and CSRD consulting |
| Sustainability Summit | June 24-25, 2026 (took place) | Hamburg | ESG trends, transformation |
| Sustainability Leadership Conference | June 25, 2026 (took place) | Munich | Leadership, impact |
| BAUM Conference | September 9-10, 2026 (took place) | Rust | Practice, exchange |
| Cradle to Cradle Congress | September 17-18, 2026 (took place) | Berlin | Circular economy, product design |
Circular Valley Convention
March 11-12, 2026, Dusseldorf (already took place)
A highlight for anyone working on circular economy, innovation and sustainable business models. The convention brings together companies, start-ups and academia.
Website: https://cvc-duesseldorf.com
Corporate Diversity Summit
March 18-19, 2026, Frankfurt am Main (already took place)
Diversity and ESG are inseparable. This event shows how companies can successfully shape diversity as part of sustainable corporate governance.
Website: https://www.diversity-summit.de/
VNU Environmental and Sustainability Management Day
March 24, 2026, Frankfurt am Main (already took place)
A practical specialist day focusing on ESG processes, environmental management, and tools for implementation in everyday business.
Info: https://www.vnu-ev.de/veranstaltungen/umwelt-und-nachhaltigkeitsmanagementtag-2026
Ecosummit
March 25-26, 2026, Berlin (already took place)
Ecosummit is all about sustainable technologies, ClimateTech and using AI for the green transformation. Especially exciting for innovation and start-up communities.
Website: https://ecosummit.net/
Sustainable Economy Summit
April 21-22, 2026, Berlin (already took place)
A key platform for sustainable business and the political and corporate frameworks for the transformation.
More info: https://sustainable-economy-summit.org/
Digital Sustainability Summit
April 23, 2026, Berlin (already took place)
This is where digitalization meets sustainability. The focus is on digital solutions, data strategies, and tech transformation within the ESG context.
Info: https://www.bitkom.org/Digital-Sustainability-Summit
Sustainability World Summit
April 23-24, 2026, Frankfurt am Main (already took place)
An international summit format for ESG strategies, sustainable innovations and exchange between businesses and experts.
Website: https://www.key-notion.com/sustainability-world-summit
Gutes Morgen Festival
June 6-7, 2026, Bochum (already took place)
The festival for a human and sustainable future featuring concerts, workshops, and talks.
Website: https://www.gutesmorgenfestival.de
Sustainability osapiens Summit
June 9-10, 2026, Mannheim (already took place)
A major event for sustainability officers, focusing on ESG software solutions, SDG implementation, and corporate best practices.
Website: https://event.osapiens.com
Climate Transformation Summit
June 10-11, 2026, Berlin (already took place)
The summit offers an exchange on decarbonization, climate strategies, and supply chain transformation. A must for everyone who takes Net Zero seriously.
Website: https://theclimatechoice.com/de/resources/summit
Sustainability Consulting Summit
June 22-23, 2026, Frankfurt am Main (already took place)
A meeting for ESG and CSRD consultancies to discuss sustainable business models, evaluate which topics remain relevant, and how to achieve differentiation in order to provide companies with the best possible advice on sustainability.
Website: https://www.sustainability-people.com/scs26/
Sustainability Summit
June 24-25, 2026, Hamburg (already took place)
An established industry event dedicated to ESG trends, sustainable corporate governance and transformation.
Website: https://sustainabilitysummit.de/
Sustainability Leadership Conference
June 25, 2026, Munich (already took place)
Leadership, impact, and ESG leadership take center stage here. Ideal for decision-makers and sustainability managers.
Info: https://www.footprint-intelligence.com/conference-info
BAUM Conference
September 9-10, 2026, Rust (already took place)
The conference offered insights into current sustainability topics as well as the opportunity to exchange ideas with corporate practitioners and experts.
Website: https://baumev.de/baum-tagung/
Cradle to Cradle Congress
September 17-18, 2026, Berlin (already took place)
A top event for the circular economy, sustainable product design, and the consistent implementation of the Cradle-to-Cradle principle.
Website: https://c2c-congress.org
Why Attending in Late 2026 Is Worth It
The regulatory framework shifted considerably in 2026. Many stages are therefore focusing on the new EU requirements from the Omnibus package and the newly published, simplified standards.
The Omnibus Directive has been in force since March 18, 2026: from financial year 2027, only companies with more than 1,000 employees and more than EUR 450 million in net turnover are subject to reporting. Both criteria apply cumulatively. The revised ESRS and the voluntary standard VS (formerly VSME) were published in the EU Official Journal on September 21, 2026. The VS has been in force since September 24, 2026 and is open to all companies that are not subject to CSRD reporting. Find the details in our article on the final ESRS and the VS standard.
Plan the Last ESG Events of 2026 Now
Whether sustainable finance, sustainability communication or GreenTech, the last quarter of 2026 still offers good opportunities to actively drive ESG forward, gather new inspiration, and expand your network in the sustainability world.
Our tip: Check the registration conditions for the remaining events on the organizers' websites soon. At the BNW Annual Conference, for example, places are limited.
- Get regulatory updates directly from practitioners and regulators
- Build your network with ESG officers, consultants, and innovators
- Pick up ready-to-use tools, templates, and frameworks
- Learn how peers are handling the revised ESRS and the VS
Heading to a CSRD or ESRS-focused conference? Our data point mapping tool, adapted to the revised ESRS, determines the ESRS data points your company needs to report and exports them as an Excel file.
No budget for ESG events?
If you don't have the budget this year to attend these industry events, there is a solid alternative.
In our CSRD Compass newsletter, we publish a list every two weeks of upcoming free webinars on CSRD, VS, Materiality Assessment and many other relevant topics.
Frequently asked questions about ESG events 2026
Which ESG events are still ahead in 2026?
After September 29, 2026, four events from our overview are still ahead: the BNW Annual Conference on October 12 in Berlin, BAM! Bock auf Morgen on November 4-5 in Berlin, the Impact Festival on November 25-26 in Frankfurt am Main, and the German Sustainability Award on December 3-4 in Dusseldorf.
Which ESG events in 2026 were best for CSRD and reporting topics?
The Sustainability Consulting Summit (June 22-23, Frankfurt) and the Sustainability osapiens Summit (June 9-10, Mannheim) had a strong focus on CSRD, ESG reporting, and software tools. The Sustainable Economy Summit (April 21-22, Berlin) also addressed the regulatory and corporate governance side of sustainability. These events have already taken place. For the rest of the year, the congress around the German Sustainability Award offers room for exchange on reporting and transformation, while the BNW Annual Conference focuses on sustainable finance in 2026.
Are there free ESG events or webinars as an alternative to conferences?
Yes. If your budget is limited, the CSRD Compass newsletter lists free webinars every two weeks covering CSRD, the VS, materiality assessment, and related topics. Sign up at /en/csrd-compass-newsletter/.
Which events focus on circular economy and sustainable product design?
The Circular Valley Convention (March 11-12, Dusseldorf) and the Cradle to Cradle Congress (September 17-18, Berlin) were the two dedicated circular economy events in 2026; both have already taken place. Still ahead, the Impact Festival (November 25-26, Frankfurt) covers sustainable business models and GreenTech innovation.
How should I decide which of the remaining ESG events to attend?
Start with your core objectives: regulatory updates, network building, or innovation scouting. Then match events to those goals. Sustainable finance professionals will get most value from the BNW Annual Conference, communication and marketing teams from BAM! Bock auf Morgen, and innovation scouts from the Impact Festival. The German Sustainability Award congress offers a broad overview of sustainable transformation. Register early, as places are limited at some events.
