At the third edition of Agri-Idea Sprout 2025, held last week at Hof Schlamann in Lengerich Germany, ACEEU played a key role in shaping discussions around the sustainable transformation of the agricultural and food industry. The event brought together more than 65 participants from agriculture, business, and science, providing an open space format for dialogue and co-creation.
Representing ACEEU and the EU project ESG4SMEs, Prof. Dr. Thorsten Kliewe and Angela Hernandez Mendieta, led a dedicated session on Future Skills - Key Competencies for Sustainability and Digital Transformation. Together with Varvara Leinz from WESt, they invited participants to explore which skills SMEs need to integrate ESG principles and artificial intelligence effectively into their operations. Across two workshop sessions, around 17 participants took part and explored these key competencies for driving sustainability and digital transformation within SMEs.
The session sparked lively debate, emphasising that ESG competences and AI are not optional but essential for future business success. They highlighted that while transformation requires time, companies must begin now, and that future skills are forged at the intersection of people and technology.
For ACEEU, Agri-Idea Sprout 2025 was not only a chance to connect with regional stakeholders but also to demonstrate leadership in guiding SMEs towards a sustainable and digitally enabled future. By representing ESG4SMEs at the event, ACEEU reaffirmed its commitment to equipping businesses with the competencies they need to thrive in a changing world.
