Once again, the B Corp movement placed sustainability at the centre of business debate during B Good Day 2025. More than 350 participants from 185 organisations, alongside 54 speakers, gathered in Madrid for a full day hosted by B Lab Spain, focused on the sustainability challenges facing Spanish businesses today.
APPLE TREE, a member of the B Corp movement for more than three years, took part in the event through Patricia Meso, the agency’s Communications and Sustainability Director.
One message resonated clearly throughout the day: sustainability must be embedded within business strategy if it is to deliver real impact for society and the environment. Companies increasingly recognise that sustainability is not just a reputational asset, but a genuine competitive advantage
In this context, positive impact investment has tripled since 2018, both globally and in Spain, according to Raúl Sánchez, Impact Investment Director at Cofides. This growth has continued, with a global compound annual growth rate of around 21% over the past five years. Sánchez highlighted the direct link between economic and social value: “A company that generates economic impact can also generate social impact.”
Pablo Sánchez, co-founder of R4S and Skills4Impact, emphasised that the private sector can no longer settle for mere compliance: “I believe this is the time for corporate social activism.”
Partnerships as a key driver for sustainability
The third panel focused on climate and cooperation. Patricia Meso, APPLE TREE’s Communications and Sustainability Director, addressed the operational challenge of building effective partnerships: “We often talk about partnerships, but the real complexity lies in how to construct them.”
She also noted, “Mitigation is essential, but adaptation is what will make the difference in achieving sustainability goals.”
Adapting to the new climate reality is a global challenge, and we must learn to coexist with a changing planet while ensuring no one is left behind. Technology, public-private collaboration, and citizen engagement are now the driving forces for change.
Eduard Martín, CIO of Mobile World Capital Barcelona, summed up the current operational reality: “We are in a new digital era where partnerships are no longer optional, because it is now impossible to launch projects alone.”
Similarly, María Vidal, Chief Communications and Sustainability Officer at Grupo Raventós Codorníu, directly linked purpose and interdependence: “For me, talking about partnerships and sustainability goes hand in hand: sustainability is synonymous with collaboration and generosity.”
She shared how Grupo Raventós Codorníu works with more than 300 winegrowing families to transition towards sustainable agriculture, adding: “To move from purpose to action, partnerships are essential, because it is very difficult to achieve high-impact change alone.”
The debate also highlighted the potential role of technology, including artificial intelligence. However, José María Lasalle, expert in digital humanism and culture and an independent political analyst, cautioned against isolated efforts within complex systems: “The fabric of reality is so complex that it can overwhelm you if you try to intervene on your own.”
