The Evolution of Sustainability: from Regulation to Market-Driven Strategy

Summary

Understanding the Shifting Landscape of Sustainability — and Switzerland’s Strategic Response

The global sustainability landscape is changing. After years of strong regulatory momentum, we are now seeing signs of recalibration. In the US, recent developments are affecting key climate policies and incentives. In Europe, debates around the scope and pace of sustainability regulations are gaining traction, reflecting broader geopolitical and economic dynamics.

As sustainability moves from regulation to market forces, are we accelerating progress or risking fragmentation?

Join our event for a focused discussion on:

• How Sustainability frameworks and market expectations are evolving globally
• What it takes to go beyond compliance and embed Sustainability / ESG into strategy
• The emerging risks of regulatory divergence across regions
• What lies ahead for sustainable risk transfer solutions and investment flows
• Switzerland’s proactive and principles-based approach to navigating these shifts

Presenters

• Gabrielle Durisch, Chief Sustainability Officer at Allianz Commercial
  Gabrielle joined Allianz Commercial in April 2023 and was promoted to Chief Sustainability Officer in December 2024. In this role, Gabrielle takes a holistic approach to sustainability, addressing the complex sustainability issues that define modern organisations. Her strategic focus extends beyond climate, as she supports global sustainability goals to help create a resilient society. Prior to joining Allianz, Gabrielle held various roles at Zurich Insurance in finance, claims and group underwriting – the last of which was Head of Sustainability for Commercial Insurance (CI), where she successfully embedded sustainability competencies across the CI organisation. With an additional 6+ years at KPMG and Deloitte, Gabrielle brings a unique perspective to sustainability with skills in various finance and consulting functions including M&A. Educated in the UK, Gabrielle has a BSc in Geology from the University of Edinburgh and is a qualified UK accountant (FCA, ICAEW).
• Martin Weymann, Head Group Sustainability at Swiss Re
  Martin heads Group Sustainability which is responsible for the Group Sustainability Strategy and embeds environmental, social and governance aspects across the firm. Since 2017 he served as Head Sustainability, Emerging & Political Risk Management. From 2015 – 2017 he was a Senior Risk Officer for Swiss Re in Latin America based in Sao Paulo. Prior, he was a secondee at the Institute of International Finance (IIF) in Washington DC to build up the Institute’s insurance industry initiatives. Since joining Swiss Re in 2002, Martin held diverse roles in Risk Management, Underwriting, Asset Management and Sustainability. Martin holds a MSc in environmental sciences from ETH Zurich with further education from Oxford and Harvard.

Introduced and moderated by Eugenie Molyneux, Chapter Chair of Sustainability at Swiss Risk Association.

Agenda

17:45 Arrival & Name Tag Collection
18:00 Welcome and Introduction (Eugenie Molyneux)
18:05 Keynote Presentations
19:40 Panel and Q&A
19:20 Conclusion
19:30 Networking Drinks (all)
20:30 End

Chapter Event

In our chapter events – access for members only – we present one or more speakers to share knowledge, updates and best practices on a specific risk topic. In small groups of risk professionals you can exchange thoughts and test ideas. More on SRA chapters. This event is hosted by the chapter Sustainability.