Rein Bryssinck 0:00:04.2: 

The reason I wanted to have sustainability on the agenda is because it's an important topic, and so far we haven't been able to really address it, or it was not something that you would expect at an Anaplan Connect event. I think that's changing now because many of our customers are looking at how they can collect the data to report on ESG, and CSRD directive, of course, pushes every company of a certain size to start reporting on it. I was at an event actually this week on sustainability and I learned two new terms. One is the one of greenhushing, which basically means that people start to shut up about sustainability for two reasons. They are afraid that they will be told that they're greenwashing, so greenhushing, because otherwise you'd be [?told it would be 0:00:51.8] greenwashing. Secondly, because if you show the data, there might be people who attack you on, oh, you're not doing enough and we're using your data to actually attack you on that, but still, I think it's important to share it. It needs to be on the agenda and it needs to be on the agenda of every company. 

 

Rein Bryssinck 0:01:11.6: 

Before we speak about it, I want to also share with you our numbers and where we are, Anaplan, on our environmental strategy. We made a baseline on our carbon emissions in 2023, so that's when we really started looking at, okay, what are we doing with regards to sustainability, and how much do we actually exhaust? As you can see, 34,336 metric tons, it's quite a lot, but 96 per cent of that is basically scope 3. I don't know if you are at home in sustainability, so just as a reminder, scope 1 is what you exhaust as in your company. Scope 2 is the electricity that you use in your company, how is it being generated, and how much does that exhaust. Scope 3 is what's the impact of your customers using your product or your suppliers providing you. For us, it's mainly our customers and our suppliers, because everything runs in a data center. So, with having all these customers around the world doing all that calculation, that's quite a lot of data center exhaust that's being created. So that's kind of our footprint.  

 

Rein Bryssinck 0:02:26.5: 

We have established the kind of milestone. By next year, we will set our net zero timeline. We're working with the Science Based Target initiatives to define what it should be, and what is realistic for us to become a company which is net neutral. So, we are working with our largest customers to also see what do they want to do, and how do we align with that, because of course our largest customers are asking also from us, what are you going to do about that 36,000 metric tons? Then with regards to ESG reporting, we have been doing disclosure since 2017, and we're also working with EcoVadis to make sure that that is done in a way that is comparable, so it is on our agenda. It's not something that we are typically very focused on, that's typically for large industrial companies, but we are looking into that, and it's an important topic, so I thought it was worthwhile sharing that with you.  

 

Rein Bryssinck 0:03:23.2: 

Now, to really see how Anaplan can be used for ESG reporting and CSRD, I want to invite Effrosyni Lefka from Ethias on the stage to have a bit of a fireside chat conversation on this topic, and to see what Ethias has been doing on that domain. Maybe we can start with a question about my surprise that when I heard that Ethias was ready to talk about this, that I was thinking insurance company, I mean, that's a few people, that's a few computers. There's nothing being manufactured, maybe a few leasing cars or a few cars, but why is it a big thing about sustainability? Can you explain why it's such a big topic for you? 

 

Effrosyni Lefka 0:04:07.7: 

Of course. It's a less big topic than for petrol companies of course. We're not a chemical company, but still, insurance companies are very important for the whole system, because insurance companies are systemic companies. One of their major parts is the financial part, so it's the investments that we do to different companies of course, including all kind of sectors, so it is very important to focus a little or to be sure that we finance the right part of the company, and we finance companies who have a trajectory, who have a plan for transition, and to promote environmental behavior of course. 

 

Rein Bryssinck 0:04:58.0: 

Okay, so for you it's also...  

 

Effrosyni Lefka 0:04:59.1: 

And of course, on the other side, social aspects as well. 

 

Rein Bryssinck 0:05:03.4: 

Yes, of course. We're not only talking about sustainability, also the social aspects of it. Is it correct to say then that for you also, it's mainly scope 3 that's relevant? 

 

Effrosyni Lefka 0:05:11.1: 

It's mainly scope 3, yes. 

 

Rein Bryssinck 0:05:11.6: 

It's where you invest the money that the company, okay. 

 

Effrosyni Lefka 0:05:15.7: 

Indeed, but on the other side, we still have to look at our own operations and make sure that we do all the efforts we need to do to go net zero, and I join you to the effort that you make with the partnership of SBTi. We also have a commitment... 

 

Rein Bryssinck 0:05:32.9: 

To do the same, yes.  

 

Effrosyni Lefka 0:05:34.5: 

To go net zero for 2050, and of course to make near term standards and targets in order to go progressively to the net zero.  

 

Rein Bryssinck 0:05:46.6: 

Okay, so if we then take maybe a step towards how you are going on that journey and making sure you get the data, and how Anaplan plays a role in that, maybe before we go there, can you just give an update on your journey as Ethias with Anaplan so far? Then how you got to taking as a next step the CSRD, and I think we have a slide to share, yes?  

 

Effrosyni Lefka 0:06:10.3: 

Yes, we have a slide. My colleagues from the [?SPNC/SP&C 0:06:16.1] team, better to talk about this and this journey, and they would be a real fan of the - I see Xavier smiling - I'm sure they would say much of a good speak for Anaplan. I heard previously the testimony where they said, 'One push on the button and everything runs like heaven.' I think this is the speech that my colleague, Xavier, would have as well for this kind of journey where we use Anaplan for budgeting our planning forecast, and also capital projections and things like that. We started in 2021 if I'm not wrong, and yes, everybody using Anaplan is quite happy with the use.  

 

Rein Bryssinck 0:07:14.6: 

Okay, that's very nice to hear that.  

 

Effrosyni Lefka 0:07:17.5: 

On the side, personally I use it for CSRD so it's another story.  

 

Rein Bryssinck 0:07:24.4: 

How did you come to the conclusion that, okay, we need to do something around CSRD and then... There's lots of tools, and I know there's many customers who are taking a very dedicated tool for that. You were already an Anaplan customer, so how did you come to the conclusion that, let's leverage what we already have?  

 

Effrosyni Lefka 0:07:42.7: 

Well, it was not an easy decision because we were quite at the early stage of CSRD, so not all things were already implemented. We have asked for some help to express, like, Deloitte, and we already had the tool in-house, so this is why we turned to Anaplan, but with the perspective of a pilot project rather than a real decision. We wanted to come up in maturity, to grow a bit in knowledge, before we really settle a decision, but for the moment, we have a win-win situation with our expert consultants, and we helped them to build up their tool and their model, to improve it and to get feedback, and on our side we tried to accelerate our process, so that's the deal. 

 

Rein Bryssinck 0:08:44.2: 

Okay, great. Where are you now in the implementation journey, so what have you already achieved and what would be next on the...?  

 

Effrosyni Lefka 0:08:53.2: 

We have already done our gap analysis, and that's where the tool has mainly helped us with the process on the other side. We had already done our first double materiality assessment in 2023 and so this was... We were a little bit ahead of the requirements. This year we do it again with full requirement knowledge. The tool helps us to collect and to consolidate the data, but this is on testing model for the moment.  

 

Rein Bryssinck 0:09:33.4: 

Right, and then with regards to the reporting which needs to be in a very specific format, so I understand Fluence can play a role there?  

 

Effrosyni Lefka 0:09:39.9: 

Yes, we already had Sturnis which became Fluence, and so that's also something very helpful. Normally, Anaplan will communicate with Sturnis and we still are hoping for the one push on the button, well, if it doesn't come, there will be two pushes on the button, but it's in the... 

 

Rein Bryssinck 0:10:01.6: 

But it will flow through? 

 

Effrosyni Lefka 0:10:02.6: 

Hopefully, everything will flow through, yes.  

 

Rein Bryssinck 0:10:05.1: 

Okay, and so you mentioned the role of the partners, so Deloitte was advising you on this?  

 

Effrosyni Lefka 0:10:09.8: 

Yes.  

 

Rein Bryssinck 0:10:10.3: 

Can you say a bit more about that?  

 

Effrosyni Lefka 0:10:12.9: 

Well, we are very happy with our partners for this journey. It's a very enriching experience, because it's new for everyone. They have gone through this, the directive and all this knowledge on our side too, so I think we combine very well each other, and everyone is very committed to bring real transparency, and compliance of course, in 2025. 

 

Rein Bryssinck 0:10:47.5: 

Yes, and so 2025 is coming. When is it exactly that you will need to report?  

 

Effrosyni Lefka 0:10:53.9: 

We report on end March 2025 [over speaking 0:10:57.7], yes, so we are all, yes. 

 

Rein Bryssinck 0:10:57.4: 

End of March 2025, and you feel comfortable that that will happen?  

 

Effrosyni Lefka 0:11:01.1: 

Ha, comfortable is a big word, [amused tone] but yes, I think we are... At least, we are very committed and very motivated to go through this process and to come up with a real nice report. 

 

Rein Bryssinck 0:11:12.5: 

Okay, great. What would be your advice to maybe people in the audience, who still have to go through their own reporting obligations, and finding the facts?  

 

Effrosyni Lefka 0:11:23.8: 

I would say be strong, because the path is long and, but it's really, really interesting, and it is very motivating to onboard people through the whole company, because it's not a question of just one thing working about a report. It's really the whole company that has to come up on the stage and to commit on targets. I think CSRD is an opportunity to think about all the commitments that we have to do, to make for the planet, for the society, for our children, for all. 

 

Rein Bryssinck 0:12:05.0: 

Yes, absolutely, and so maybe in closing, so about sustainability, as I mentioned in the beginning, making sure it's in front and that we talk about it. What's your perspective? I mean this greenhushing, and so what's your view on that?  

 

Effrosyni Lefka 0:12:25.3: 

I agree with what you said previously. I think it's important for everyone to, not to talk, but also to walk the talk. It's very important not to promise things that we cannot achieve, but to commit a little bit higher than we think we can do, so let's...  

 

Rein Bryssinck 0:12:49.2: 

Put the bar a little bit higher... 

 

Effrosyni Lefka 0:12:49.7: 

Yes, put the bar a little bit higher... 

 

Rein Bryssinck 0:12:51.5: 

And challenging targets.  

 

Effrosyni Lefka 0:12:52.9: 

But still remain humble and know what you say and try to, yes, to engage.  

 

Rein Bryssinck 0:13:01.4: 

I think that's a nice closing remark.  

 

Effrosyni Lefka 0:13:03.3: 

Thank you very much.  

 

Rein Bryssinck 0:13:03.4: 

Thank you very much for sharing that. [Audience applause] I think as a general message, I think we have three of our partners who already have developed CSRD reporting models in Anaplan. You can link it to Fluence. You can do the XBLR [sic] reporting through Fluence, so if you're still on the journey of finding how you're going to do it, come and speak to us. There's a demo also available outside, so if you want to see that, that's possible. Thank you once again Effrosyni. 

 

Effrosyni Lefka 0:13:37.6: 

Thank you very much.  

 

Rein Bryssinck 0:13:38.3: 

Thank you. [Audience applause]