On November 4, 2025, in Riga, the Ministry of Smart Administration and Regional Development of Latvia (VARAM) hosted the international conference “Think Digital. Act Sustainable.” — a forward-looking event exploring how digitalization and sustainability can jointly drive progress and innovation across the Baltic Sea region.
The conference brought together policymakers, business leaders, digital transformation and sustainability experts to share best practices and discuss strategies for a more sustainable and connected regional future.
The recording of this conference is available on the VARAM Latvija YouTube channel here
The conference opened with welcoming remarks from Raimonds Čudars, Minister for Smart Administration and Regional Development of Latvia, and Sirli Heinsoo, representative of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications of Estonia.
Both speakers emphasized that digital transformation and sustainability are not parallel priorities but interlinked strategies essential for building resilience and competitiveness in the Baltic Sea region.
The event featured two keynote speakers who brought global and entrepreneurial perspectives to the discussion:
- Ilze Grase-Ķibilde, Head of Global Business Development, Digitalization and Compliance After Sales at Audi AG, shared how global company align digital processes with sustainability goals to enhance accountability, transparency, and performance, and to deliver the best products to customers.
- Jānis Palkavnieks, from Draugiem Group and Mentors Club, delivered an inspiring talk on innovation culture and entrepreneurship, illustrating how creativity and digital technologies can accelerate sustainable transitions.
The conference featured three dynamic panel discussions, bringing together experts from diverse fields and sectors to share insights, practical experiences, and visions for advancing digital and sustainable transformation across the Baltic Sea region.
Driving digital and sustainable transformation across the Baltic Sea region: Experiences and opportunities
This session explored how organizations across the region are supporting companies in adopting digital solutions that advance sustainability. Participants exchanged national experiences and good practices, emphasizing collaboration as the key to regional progress.
Speakers:
- Gatis Ozols, Deputy State Secretary on Digital Transformation Affairs, Ministry of Smart Administration and Regional Development of Latvia
- Esa Kokkonen, Director, The Baltic Institute of Finland
- Ingrida Lašinskienė, Representative, Green Finance Institute, Lithuania
- Mateusz Dobkowski, Director of Development, Association for the Development of Cooperatives and Local Entrepreneurship WAMA-COOP, Poland
- Sirli Heinsoo, Director of the Digital Economy Department, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications of Estonia
Navigating change: How regulation and green finance influence the financial sector and companies
This discussion explored how evolving regulations and the rise of green finance are reshaping the financial sector and influencing companies of all sizes. Experts examined how banks are integrating sustainability into their strategies, what this means for corporate reporting and access to finance, and how businesses can align with emerging expectations to stay competitive in a changing regulatory landscape.
Speakers:
- Marta Luste, Sustainability Area Manager (Corporate Banking), Swedbank Latvia
- Nora Pastore, Co-chair of the Sustainable Finance Working Group, Finance Latvia Association; Sustainability Officer, Signet Bank
- Viktors Toropovs, Co-chair of the Sustainable Finance Working Group, Finance Latvia Association; Head of Sustainability, SEB Latvia
Beyond compliance: How companies create value through sustainability
Moderated by Kristiina Kerge, Technology and Innovation Development Manager at Zero Waste Estonia, this session showcased how companies go beyond compliance to create tangible business value through sustainability. Speakers discused emerging opportunities, cultural and organizational impacts, sector-specific leadership, and the role of tools and partnerships in driving innovation and long-term strategic advantage.
Speakers:
- Audronė Alijošiutė-Paulauskienė, Sustainability Officer, AB “Kelių priežiūra”
- Linards Larionovs, Quality Manager, Electronic Communications Office of Latvia
- Lisbet Frey, Head of HR & Accountability, DIMECC Oy
- Māris Avotiņš, Country Manager, Alexela Latvia, AS “AVH Grupp”
The ESG Tool project (https://www.esgtool.eu/en) was presented by Joanna Annion, Lead Project Manager at the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications of Estonia.
She demonstrated how this digital tool enables companies to evaluate and enhance their sustainability performance, providing actionable insights and supporting more transparent reporting practices.
Key Takeaways
🌐 Integration of digitalization and sustainability is vital for long-term regional competitiveness.
🤝 Cross-border collaboration accelerates innovation and knowledge exchange in the Baltic Sea region.
💶 Green finance and regulatory frameworks are driving systemic change in the financial sector, making sustainability a core business criterion.
💡 Companies that go beyond compliance are realizing tangible business value — from efficiency gains to stronger stakeholder trust.
🧰 Digital tools like the ESG Tool are essential for tracking and improving sustainability performance at both company and policy levels.
🚀 Innovation culture and entrepreneurship remain key enablers of the green and digital transition.
The conference was organized within the Interreg Baltic Sea Region Programme project “Sustainability Reporting Tool (SusTool)” (https://interreg-baltic.eu/project/sustool/)
