Global Sustainability Conference 2026
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From £135 + VAT
Overview
We are delighted to announce the return of the RICS Global Sustainability Conference in 2026. With a focus on biodiversity, this year’s conference brings together professionals from across the built and natural environment sectors for a full day of insight, collaboration, and practical learning on how nature-positive sustainability practices can be embedded across the property lifecycle.
The event will bring together leading minds in climate adaptation, natural hazard planning, and ecological stewardship. As our planet experiences climate shifts, the role of surveyors in ensuring the nature-positive impacts of their projects has never been more vital. Through new technologies, data-driven planning, and strategies for cross-industry collaboration, we can design and maintain infrastructure that protects both people and ecosystems.
Learning outcomes
Participants will identify how biodiversity can be embedded in project lifecycles, from site selection and master planning through to delivery and long-term asset management.
Participants will understand the credibility, limitations and governance requirements of multiple emerging digital solutions. Delegates will gain insight into how collaboration between technology providers, developers and investors enables scalable, transparent biodiversity outcomes.
Participants will recognise how delivering nature-positive outcomes requires collaboration across valuation, land management, construction, investment and policy disciplines.
They will understand how RICS standards and competencies are evolving to embed biodiversity into everyday professional practice. Attendees will leave with a clearer mandate for leadership, accountability and measurable action within their organisations.
They will understand how RICS standards and competencies are evolving to embed biodiversity into everyday professional practice. Attendees will leave with a clearer mandate for leadership, accountability and measurable action within their organisations.
Participants will engage with real-world case studies, implementation tools and step-by-step frameworks that demonstrate how nature-positive commitments can be operationalised within their own organisations. Delegates will leave with a clear set of practical takeaways and immediate next steps to embed nature-positive principles into day-to-day professional practice.
Event programme
Published date: 09 September 2026
Speakers
Alexandra Faciu, MA, MRICS.
President, Alexandra Capital and Founder, SAM Curated
Alexandra is a purpose-driven leader and entrepreneur with a focus on maintaining a high level of expertise in sustainability and real estate asset and portfolio strategies. Her objective is to assist as many real estate owners as possible in integrating the latest best practices, including around sustainability, into their real estate activities and in future-proofing their portfolios. Alexandra has over 25 years of professional experience, during which time she has occupied a number of senior roles, spending approximately half of her time as an advisor and half as a principal. She is currently serving as President of Alexandra Capital Inc., a boutique practice specialising in sustainable investing strategy, change management and transformations. She is also the Founder and Curator SAM Curated, an online library and platform established to provide access to the latest best practices related to climate risks, sustainability and ESG for use primarily in asset management and portfolio strategies, but not only. Throughout her career, Alexandra has been involved in projects in Canada, the US, Europe, and internationally, which has allowed her to gain experience in all asset classes (commercial property and infrastructure). Prior to establishing Alexandra Capital, Alexandra was the head of asset and portfolio management for Cominar REIT, with a portfolio valued at CA$6 billion during her tenure with the company. She had overall responsibility for the newly established asset and portfolio management functions, with a mandate to develop the practice and implement ongoing asset management processes in line with the 2019 Strategic Plan. Reporting to the president and working closely with the CFO, main achievements included establishing asset value creation strategies and action plans, creating a portfolio optimization strategy, and monitoring the market and sectors. Alexandra has held a number of principal positions in her career, including roles at Bombardier, Ivanhoe Cambridge and Fonds immobilier de solidarité FTQ. In each of these roles, she has been tasked with transforming various teams, practices, portfolios or companies, with a focus on value creation and risk mitigation. In addition to her work with RICS, Alexandra is involved with a number of organisations and projects, such as the OECD, where she is a member of the OECD Task Force on Sustainable Real Estate Investment. The objective of the initiative is to analyze risk, practices, and prospects in order to ensure the future-proofing of real estate investments. The output of this initiative is a policy paper, which will be presented at COP30. Most recently, Alexandra co-authored a research study on the "Impact of Climate Risks and Sustainability Factors on Commercial Real Estate Values". This subject is of particular importance to her, as she believes it is crucial in making the business case for decarbonizing the built environment. Alexandra has shared her passion for sustainability with RICS by serving as the Sustainability Lead on the RICS Americas World Regional Board for several years. She has subsequently remained part of the RICS Americas Sustainability Working Group after the end of her term on the Board.
Anil Sawhney
Global Head of Sustainability, Data and Technology, RICS
Anil Sawhney leads a portfolio of global initiatives that advance RICS’ strategic objectives across sustainability, digital transformation and data innovation, helping shape the future of the built environment. Dr. Sawhney contributes to the development of industry knowledge, strategic solutions, professional standards, guidance, education and training, with a particular focus on leveraging technology and data to drive sustainable outcomes.
Francesca Fowler-Walsh MRICS
Associate, Natural Capital, Savills and RICS Matrics Board Member
Justin Young
Chief Executive Officer, RICS
As CEO, Justin is leading the transformation of RICS into an experience-led organisation that puts members, colleagues and other stakeholders at the centre of everything that it does. His background is in business transformation, particularly in the areas of growth and customer experience. His career has been primarily in professional services, including real estate, where he was the Chief Operating Officer at Knight Frank for five years. He has lived and worked in the UK, Europe and Asia, including six years in Singapore with the law firm Clifford Chance where he built successful partnerships and alliances between firms in global networks, and established operations in new locations. Prior to that, Justin was in the technology industry with Hewlett Packard (HP) and the military.
Lisa Lamb
Head of Planning and Major Infrastructure & The Planner RTPI Woman , National Trust and The Planner RTPI Woman on Influence 2025
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