Join us on Thursday, May 21 at 10:00 AM EDT / 4:00 PM CEST for a webinar conversation about the Congo Basin: governance, conservation, and integrated pathways to climate and prosperity.
Building on our earlier conversation about the Amazon and the Congo, this webinar zooms in on the Congo Basin — a region that matters profoundly for the climate, security, and prosperity of three continents. Sam Muller moderates a conversation with Diane Osgood, pioneer in climate strategy, sustainability, and human rights, and Aaron Vermeulen, Global Finance Practice Lead at WWF. Applying an integrated lens that connects governance, justice, conservation, and economic development, the conversation aims to surface the challenges and opportunities of a more integrated approach — and, critically, new possibilities for action.
Date: Thursday, May 21
Time: 10:00 AM EDT / 4:00 PM CEST
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REGISTRATION
MODERATOR
Sam Muller, Partner at Justice Compass Advisers; founding CEO of HiiL and the Wildlife Justice Commission; former Chair of WWF Netherlands.
A Dutch social entrepreneur and strategic adviser, Sam led the establishment of the International Criminal Court before founding HiiL and the Wildlife Justice Commission, both internationally recognized for advancing justice and conservation. He has advised governments, CEOs, and civil society leaders on governance reform, institutional transformation, and ESG strategy.
His contributions to justice and environmental protection earned him the 2022 Tällberg-SNF-Eliasson Global Leadership Prize and a Royal Decoration of the Netherlands (2024)
SPEAKERS
Diane Osgood is an environmental economist and sustainability strategist with more than 35 years of experience across corporate leadership, international consulting, and NGO governance. A recognised pioneer in the ESG field, she co-developed frameworks now in mainstream global use and has advised boards and C-suites at companies including DuPont, Monsanto, and Virgin Management Limited.
Diane has held senior leadership roles at Business for Social Responsibility and at Virgin Management, where she drove ESG integration across Virgin companies. She has provided evidence to UK Parliamentary proceedings on modern slavery and served as a Senior Advisor to the Clinton Global Initiative.
Aaron Vermeulen is the Finance Practice Lead for WWF-International and responsible for the sustainable finance strategy globally. Prior to this he was the head of Green Finance at WWF-NL and concurrently one of the founders of the Dutch Fund for Climate and Development (DFCD). Aaron also worked for five years as the WWF partnership manager at the headquarters of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in Manila. Before he held several positions, among others: director of the business group Water and Ecology for Royal HaskoningDHV consultancy in Amsterdam and as an associate expert for the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Cairo.
