2nd Forum on Sustainability and Climate Resilience in Cities and Businesses

Athens, 11 November 2025

The 2nd Kifissia Summit on Climate Resilience took place on 4 November at the amphitheater of the Goulandris Natural History Museum in Kifissia. The event was organized by the Municipality of Kifissia in collaboration with the Center for Sustainability & Excellence (CSE).

The Forum brought together representatives from the national government, local authorities, the scientific community and the business sector. Participants actively contributed to a meaningful dialogue, exchanging views, experiences and best practices on sustainable development, climate resilience and the green transition of cities and businesses.

Strong Commitment from the Municipality of Kifissia

The Mayor of Kifissia and President of SPAP, Vasilis Xypolytas, highlighted in his speech the major initiatives of the Municipality to strengthen climate resilience and sustainable development, presenting projects with a total value of more than €60 million.

These include:

• The underground installation of 107 km of power and telecommunications cables

• A new Green Regulation, which foresees the planting of six new trees for every one removed

• The creation of a digital forest and green registry, with GPS mapping of all trees in the city

These actions aim to protect and enhance Kifissia’s natural capital, improve the quality of life for citizens and create a more climate-resilient urban environment.

CSE: 20 Years at the Frontline of Sustainable Development

Opening the Forum, Nikos Avlonas, President of the Center for Sustainability & Excellence (CSE) and Vice President of the Corporate Responsibility Institute, underlined the need for a long-term national and local plan to address the climate crisis:

“The climate crisis and increasingly extreme weather events constitute an asymmetric threat that requires a strategy with at least a ten-year horizon. Sustainable development, in which the Center for Sustainability & Excellence (CSE) has been a global pioneer over the past 20 years, is now more urgent than ever. Best practices must be adopted across all levels of Local Government.”

With a presence in more than 30 countries and collaborations with international organizations, Fortune 500 companies and universities, CSE – headquartered in Kifissia – celebrates this year 20 years of leadership in providing sustainability consulting services and professional ESG and sustainability certifications.

High-Level Participation from Institutions and Business

The Forum featured contributions from distinguished representatives of the European Union, national political leadership, the scientific community, local government and the private sector.

Among the speakers were:

• Marise Coutsouradis, European Commission

• Dimitris Kairidis, MP for Athens B1 North Sector, representing the President of the Hellenic Parliament

• Dr. Evangelos Gerasopoulos, National Observatory of Athens

Mayors G. Moralis, G. Pisimisis, I. Apostolopoulos, G. Markopoulos and G. Konstantatos emphasized the need for stronger cooperation among municipalities and the development of joint adaptation strategies to the climate crisis. They focused on green infrastructure, circular economy measures and the protection of the urban environment as key pillars for resilient cities.

From the business community, E. Athousakis (Motor Oil), M. Filippidis (ION), S. Kintzios (Uni-pharma) and Th. Tzortzinis (Sarantis Group) presented ESG initiatives and examples of sustainable development implemented within their companies. Their interventions highlighted how corporate strategies can align with climate goals, transparency and social responsibility.

Recognizing Leadership in Sustainability and Transparency

As part of the event, Periklis Thanopoulos was honored by the Mayor of Kifissia for the sustainability and transparency practices implemented by his company. The distinction underlines the company’s commitment to responsible business, climate resilience and long-term value creation for stakeholders.

A Shared Commitment for the Future

The Forum concluded with a shared commitment from all participants to continued cooperation and concrete action, with the goal of creating more sustainable, resilient and green cities for future generations.

CSE will continue to support municipalities, businesses and institutions in designing and implementing effective sustainability and climate resilience strategies, combining international expertise with practical tools that drive real impact.