Brussels Climate Week | Strengthening European competitiveness and resilience: the added value of a stakeholder economy

Europe is redefining its competitiveness and resilience agenda in response to geopolitical pressure, economic uncertainty and concerns about the cost of doing business. But competitiveness is not only about economic performance. It is also about long-term prosperity, fairness, resilience and the ability of businesses, citizens and communities to thrive.

This policy dialogue will explore the role of a stakeholder economy: an economy in which businesses create long-term value by considering their impacts and dependencies on workers, communities, customers and the environment alongside financial performance.

Businesses already operating in this way can help make the policy question tangible. B Corps and other purpose-driven companies are showing what it means to embed stakeholder interests, sustainability and long-term value creation into how they operate and compete. Yet many of these businesses still face barriers — from higher costs and weak market recognition to regulatory complexity and limited enabling conditions.

Through a moderated conversation with B Corps and EU officials, this session will explore:

• How purpose-driven businesses contribute to Europe’s competitiveness and resilience

• What enabling conditions are needed for sustainability and competitiveness to reinforce one another

• Where purpose-driven governance and stakeholder value could fit within the EU’s competitiveness agenda

Speakers

• Bruno Tobback, Member of the European Parliament

• Diederik Samsom, Former Head of Cabinet for First Vice-President of the European Commission Frans Timmermans

• Alice Lemesle, Senior Sustainability Manager Benelux at Danone

Who should attend

This session is designed for: B Corps and purpose-driven businesses, policymakers, civil society organisations, think tanks and ecosystem partners, business networks and sustainability practitioners, organisations interested in the future of responsible business in Europe.

Practical information

Date: 14 October 2026 

Time:

● 09:00 - 09:30: Arrival & networking | Please arrive approx. 15 min before, for us to set you up.
● 09:30 - 09:40: Welcome and introduction to the session
● 09:40 - 10:30: Panel discussion
● 10:30 - 10:50: Discussion with audience | All panelists
● 10:50 - 11:00: Summarising the debate & closing statement
● 11:00 - 11:30: Networking & departure

Location: Classroom (2nd floor), Maison de la Poste – Tour & Taxis, Rue Picard 7, 1000 Bruxelles, Belgium

Format: Policy dialogue

Participation: Free, registration required

Important registration note

To attend this session, you must also be registered for Brussels Climate Week.

Registration for Brussels Climate Week is free. We recommend registering online before the event to avoid delays on the day. It will also be possible to register on the spot, subject to the event organisers’ process and capacity.

Please make sure you complete both steps:

1. Register for this B Lab policy dialogue via this page.

2. Register for Brussels Climate Week through the official Brussels Climate Week website