John Williams, Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder of the Centre for CSR, West Africa, has said corporate sustainability must move beyond good intentions to deliver measurable results that benefit businesses, communities and the environment.
Williams spoke ahead of the inaugural Climate X Culture Summit 2026, scheduled for October 22 at the Google Artificial Intelligence Community Centre in Accra, Ghana.
The summit, themed “Designing Sustainable Creative Experiences for Africa,” aims to promote climate-conscious practices across the creative, cultural and events industries.
He said climate change was increasingly shaping economies, communities and the future of the creative sector, making practical action more urgent.
“Our collective commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals is not just a checklist for tomorrow, but a shared promise we must keep today, so that we can have a ‘tomorrow’,” Williams said.
“The question is no longer whether we can afford to act, but whether we can afford the cost of doing nothing or not doing enough,” he added.
Williams said the Centre’s support for the summit reflected its commitment to integrating sustainability into West Africa’s creative and cultural industries, while encouraging businesses to adopt practical approaches to environmental responsibility.
He noted that the initiative would help move climate discussions beyond policy documents and scientific reports by engaging event producers, artists, influencers and other creative professionals in adopting sustainable production practices.
According to him, sustainability must become part of everyday cultural and business activities rather than remain a concept discussed at conferences.
He said the Centre for CSR, West Africa, would continue supporting businesses with practical sustainability strategies aligned with community needs and responsible corporate practices.
Kenneth Darko, founder of the Climate X Culture Summit, said the event was expected to produce tangible outcomes, including the signing of the Accra Climate Culture Accord and the development of a Sustainable Event Production Guide for Ghana.
Darko said the partnership would draw on the Centre’s expertise in corporate social responsibility policy and sustainability strategy to strengthen climate action within the events industry.
Both organisations also aim to establish a lasting network of climate-culture practitioners to encourage the adoption of sustainable practices across the region’s growing creative and events sectors.
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