On October 30, the 5th International Sustainability Forum (ISF25) took place in Lviv – a large-scale event that brought together more than 2000 participants from various parts of Ukraine and around the world. The event was organised by the Association of Sustainable Development Experts (ASDE) together with the Ukrainian Sustainable Finance Alliance (USFA) and supported by partners.

Association of Sustainable Development Experts (ASDE), as an NGO, is a long-standing partner of the UNIDO-GEF UKR IEE project in promoting the importance and benefits of multi-sectoral and industry inclusive energy efficiency measures and building effective dialogue with government stakeholders, industrial enterprises, and the financial sector. The ASDE’s annual flagman event – the International Sustainability Forum (ISF) – was supported by our project for several years. 

This year’s ISF2025 was particularly significant. Building on the success of previous editions held in Kyiv and The Hague, the 2025 event has convened leading stakeholders across government, finance, and development; gathering over 2000 participants and 50 partners from 20 countries, including representatives of EBRD, IFC, JICA, UNIDO, UNDP, GIZ, as well as banks, municipalities, and the private sector. 

The Forum is an international event with this year’s focus on strengthening strategic cooperation between donors (UN, IFIs), local financial institutions, and all groups of Ukrainian stakeholders, especially in the areas of energy security, efficiency, and sustainable development. 

Over the past five years, the Forum has been held in strategic partnership with international financial institutions, and has grown into a recognized platform for shaping Ukraine’s sustainable development and recovery agenda.

During the opening, Alina Sokolenko, Head of ASDE and the event’s initiator, stated:

“Last night, Lviv suffered from missile strikes, including hits on critical energy infrastructure. But despite everything, we have gathered here – a hall full of experts from business, government, and the financial sector – to develop a vision of sustainable development for Ukraine during wartime. Our crisis experience amazes the whole world. It’s hard to talk about sustainability now, but without it, we will not preserve our resources for future generations.”

At the same time, Andriy Moskalenko, Deputy Mayor of Lviv, emphasised that seven strategic directions have been approved for the city during the full-scale invasion:

“One of these directions is resilience and sustainability – not only in terms of critical infrastructure but also in the sense of sustainable development. Our goal is to become a climate-neutral city by 2050 (with 50% of transport running on electricity). Caring for communities is a key issue for us, so one of our priorities is investing in people. In 2022, we began developing the UNBROKEN program, which has since expanded into specialised rehabilitation centres for former prisoners of war and research institutions.”

The event brought together representatives of the state, business, banking sector, international organisations, government agencies and scientific institutions.

Anna Artemenko, Deputy Minister of Economy, Environment and Agriculture of Ukraine, emphasised the creation of a new integrated concept of economic development:

“The unification of ministries is a step toward synchronising the work of government institutions to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. This decision helps create synergy within teams with a unified horizontal objective – to protect the environment and natural resources. We are developing a new integrated concept of economic development, resource use and distribution, as well as better management of state assets. We are also creating favourable conditions for business development, working on economic diversification, attracting investment and improving labour productivity using modern planning methods and technological solutions.”

Given the UNIDO’s (UNIDO-GEF UKR IEE project) pivotal role and leadership in Ukraine’s energy and economy recovery focused on efficiency and sustainability, as well as our exemplary successful financial mechanism – the Loan Guarantee Fund, ASDE provided for us an opportunity to speak at the 5th panel of the ISF-2025. The Principal Expert on Energy Efficiency Financing and Policy, Mr. Serhiy Porovskyy, spoke about the achievements and results of the Loan Guarantee Fund, created within the framework of the project. During the operation of the Fund, more than $9 million was attracted for energy efficiency measures and the implementation of the energy management system. All funds have already been returned to the project and will be transferred to the Decarbonization Fund, with the condition that they will be used to finance energy efficiency projects for enterprises. Concluding his speech, Serhiy Porovskyy emphasised that such financial instruments as the Loan Guarantee Fund are very important in today’s difficult times and conditions, covering risks and providing enterprises with the opportunity to continue to develop and invest in energy modernisation, and highlighted that what was done in Ukraine will hopefully serve as a model for inclusion of financial instruments into the future structure of UNIDO project development and implementation.

The anniversary forum covered the following topics:

• Global markets and a new financial architecture for Ukraine’s recovery;
• Sustainable finance during wartime: from today’s challenges to tomorrow’s opportunities;
• Human capital for Ukraine’s recovery and sustainable growth;
• The power of communities as a driver of social impact;
• Finance that delivers results: achieving sustainable change in practice.

Based on the results of each panel, ASDE’s sustainable development experts will conduct an analysis that will help to develop new policies for the country in the face of global challenges.

The forum demonstrated that sustainable development is not only a post-war recovery strategy but also a new socio-economic contract between business, government, and civil society. Ukraine is becoming one of the drivers of sustainable development in Eastern Europe.

Amid war, Ukrainian businesses, cities, and communities are not merely adapting – they are creating a new economic model founded on transparency, partnership, and innovation.

Forum partners: EFSE (European Fund for Southeast Europe), UNDP, Metinvest, PrivatBank, UNIDO, GIZ, BGV Group Management, MHP, MHP-Gromadi Charitable Foundation, Bank Lviv, and others.

The recording of the event can be viewed here: https://youtu.be/RpJarLZyC9k

Source: Association of Sustainable Development Experts (ASDE)