Bucharest, July 31, 2025 – Climate Change Summit, the largest event in Central and Eastern Europe dedicated to climate solutions, returns in 2025 with its fourth edition in an expanded format. The event will take place from October 20 to 25, at the Palace of the Parliament and in venues across Bucharest and Romania, as well as various locations throughout Central and Eastern Europe.

This year’s edition promises an innovative and multidisciplinary approach, bringing together professionals and leaders from around the world to discuss local and regional solutions within a framework for collaboration and action.

The main day of the summit, on October 21 at the Palace of the Parliament, will spotlight global climate topics. Participants will have the opportunity to learn from dozens of international speakers, engage in roundtable discussions and interactive sessions, and connect in networking zones designed to foster meaningful exchanges and partnerships.

Climate Change Summit is free and open to the public, with limited access based on application. The form is available at climatechange-summit.org and participant selection is based on expressed motivation, with priority given to representatives from civil society, students, and young professionals.

For those seeking an extended experience, tickets for purchase will soon be available, offering access to masterclasses and exclusive events.

Climate Change Summit 2025: A week dedicated to climate solutions and global partnerships

Previous editions gathered over 4,200 participants and reached a global audience of nearly 3 million people, engaging with more than 225 speakers.

This year’s summit will span six days and offer an open platform for dialogue and solutions to climate challenges, with key themes including circular economy, water management, rural transition, regenerative agriculture, biodiversity, and sustainable finance. The summit will also host discussions about the future of Romania’s and Europe’s economy, addressing topics such as energy security, geopolitics, urban development, cleantech, and the vital role of science and research in addressing climate change.

“We are pleased that, in just a few years, the Climate Change Summit has established itself as a key reference in the sustainability debate in Romania and the region. We founded this Summit with the belief that only through authentic dialogue, diverse know-how, and genuine collaboration among as many relevant stakeholders as possible, we can build responses to the climate challenges that affect us all and implement solutions. 

The Summit creates a platform where ideas are transformed into action directions in the economy, public policies, and everyday life. This year, the discussions will cover essential topics such as energy efficiency, food security, sustainable finance, reconfiguring cities, and water management. We hope that these topics will generate reflection and concrete steps toward solutions,” said Flavia Popa, Secretary General, BRD Groupe Société Générale.


“We aim for this edition of Climate Change Summit to be more than a simple debate; we want to provide an active space for concrete solutions and partnerships that can transform the way we address and adapt to climate challenges. Our hope is that the ideas discussed here will evolve into action plans and real initiatives that bring measurable, lasting, and fair impact to our communities. Innovation, collaboration, and responsibility must guide the decisions we make together for the future,” said Ciprian Stănescu, President of Social Innovation Solutions.

“This year, Climate Change Summit once again provides a valuable opportunity for participants and Auchan partners to learn, share, and inspire through best practices, identify relevant solutions at local and regional levels, and accelerate our collective climate transition. The shift towards a sustainable business model is no longer an option – it is essential. We hope that the ideas developed here will be translated into tangible actions, which is what we aim to do every day: turn vision into reality – by offering low-impact products and building strong partnerships throughout our entire supply chain. Decarbonization brings opportunities that have a direct impact on business profitability, and sustainability should not be viewed as a separate project, but as a dimension integrated into every decision and process,” said Corina Dospinoiu-Imre, Sustainability Director, Auchan Retail Romania.

“Climate change affects the communities with the least access to resources the most. Access to financial services – enabled by technology – can become a pillar of resilience for the most vulnerable. At Mastercard, we are actively involved in developing solutions to reduce environmental impact and investing in digital infrastructure that supports the transition to greener, more resilient, and inclusive economies. We are proud to support Climate Change Summit once again this year, a key space for dialogue, collaboration, and concrete action,” said Cosmin Vladimirescu, General Manager, Mastercard Romania and Croatia.

Renowned international speakers and thought leaders

Among the over 25 confirmed speakers are global leaders and top experts in climate change and sustainability, including:

• Magdalena Jabłońska, co-founder of Cleantech for CEE, who brings 20+ years of experience supporting tech startups and fostering innovative collaboration between the tech industry and the corporate sector. She actively advocates for clean technology to tackle air pollution and climate change in Central and Eastern Europe.
  
• Azadeh Farajpour Javazmi, founder of “betterSoil – for a better world,” works to improve soil quality for climate resilience and environmental protection. Through betterSoil, she promotes innovative solutions for food security and ecosystem preservation.
  
• Hassan Damluji, Director at Global Nation and Senior Advisor to the Gates & Rockefeller Foundations, is a global expert in international cooperation on climate and health. With a decade at the Gates Foundation, where he served as a trusted advisor to Bill Gates, he played a key role in developing the Climate Resilience Partnership between the UAE and Gates Foundation, announced at COP28 in Dubai.
  
• Michel Scholte, co-founder of True Price & Impact Institute, is a leader in promoting transparent pricing and sustainable economics. A pioneer in real pricing to foster a fair global economy, his organization has been internationally recognized for contributions to market regulation, sustainability reporting, and professional education.
  
• Dr. Scott Kelly, Senior Vice President at Risilience, is an economist and sustainability expert who advises governments and global companies on the transition to a low-carbon, resilient future. He is an associate professor in sustainable development and holds an honorary position at the University of Cambridge Judge Business School.

€15,000 in awards for climate solutions developed by youth, PhDs, SMEs, and NGOs

A key component of the 2025 event is the Climate Change Summit Awards, now in its second edition. The program recognizes and supports innovative solutions developed by youths under 30, PhD students, SMEs, and NGOs from across Central and Eastern Europe.

Awards will include grants and public recognition for the most promising projects addressing climate change. Winners of the 2024 Climate Change Summit Awards are listed here. This year’s application details will be announced soon at climatechange-summit.org.

About Climate Change Summit

Climate Change Summit 2025 is organized by Social Innovation Solutions, together with BRD Groupe Société Générale as founding partner, alongside Auchan Romania as strategic partner and Mastercard as climate partner. The 2025 edition is also supported by PPC, Ayvens, Volvo, Heidelberg Materials, Danone, Leroy Merlin, PPC Renewables, PPC Blue, Rețele Electrice, Ursus Breweries, and Carbon Tool.

About Social Innovation Solutions (SIS)

Social Innovation Solutions (SIS) is an organization active in Central and Eastern Europe, accelerating systemic change toward a sustainable and competitive future. SIS aims to build a critical mass of leaders, organizations, and initiatives capable of addressing global challenges through action and collaboration.

SIS runs educational and support programs dedicated to sustainability, innovation, and leadership, including Academia de Sustenabilitate, Transformator, and ESG Lab. Through these initiatives, SIS supports over 20,000 SMEs, NGOs, and leaders in Romania and five other countries in the region. Platforms like Climate Change Summit  and cross-sector partnerships help SIS bridge gaps and contribute to the region’s green transition.

About BRD Groupe Société Générale

BRD Groupe Société Générale operates a network of 357 branches. The bank’s total assets, as of the end of June 2025, amounted to 90 billion RON.

BRD is part of Société Générale, a top-tier European bank and a major player in the economy for over 160 years. The Société Générale Group employs 119,000 people serving over 26 million clients in 62 countries worldwide and operates through three complementary business lines that integrate ESG offers for all its clients:

• Retail banking in France, private banking, and insurance
• Global banking and solutions for investors
• Mobility, international retail banking, and financial services

BRD Groupe Société Générale is a founding partner of the Climate Change Summit, supporting this initiative not only as a sponsor but also as an active participant in the sustainable transition of the Romanian economy.

BRD – Groupe Société Générale is an active player in the sustainable transition of the Romanian economy, taking on a strategic role in promoting green financing and responsible practices. In 2024, the bank provided sustainable financing worth over 1.8 billion RON, significantly exceeding the cumulative target for 2025 set for three years in advance. In the first half of this year, the bank strengthened its position as a benchmark in sustainable financing, with loans totaling 351 million EUR granted by mid-year.

Additionally, BRD launched, for the first time in the Romanian market, a Sustainability Linked Loan (SLL) dedicated to Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), further solidifying its commitment to sustainable development and supporting responsible entrepreneurship.