A growing number of consumer brands are exploring new packaging types, whether in response to direct pressures or in pursuit of new business models and revenue streams. But doing so is not without peril. First and foremost, companies must maintain their brand integrity and value proposition while they tweak or transform one of their principal assets: their branded packaging. In this half-day, invitation-only event, representatives from the plastics and packaging value chains, along with leading packaged goods companies, will explore the promise and pitfalls for brands seeking to transition packaging to circular materials and models.

Request an invite to the summit here. 

Join us for a tour of Target Field! During your guided 90-minute tour of Target Field, you'll see areas of the ballpark many guests normally don't see. These spaces may include the Herb Carneal Press Box, clubhouse, dugout, suite level, Bat & Barrel, Delta SKY360 Club, Budweiser Roof Deck, and Thompson Reuters Champions Club. Guests will be exposed to the art work, displays of memorabilia, environmental and sustainability features of Target Field, as well as Twins history. Sign up for the tour here. 

This interactive, solution-oriented workshop will provide tangible tactics and strategies for you to consider applying to regional water circularity solutions and collaboration by hearing examples from members of the MN Sustainable Growth Coalition.  This private/public/non-profit partnership aims to advance the circular economy for the growth and prosperity of the region by focusing on water, materials and energy from a systems, social level approach. Hear water-focused takeaways and lessons learned from leaders at Fortune 500 companies. 

The United States throws away 63 million tons of food annually. The financial impact translates into a loss of $218 billion — or 1.3 percent of the GDP — that is wasted from growing, processing, transporting and disposing of food that is never actually eaten. As more companies work to prevent food waste, however, they are faced with challenging trade-offs, sometimes swapping one problem for another. Enter plastic packaging. By both prolonging a product’s shelf life and by allowing customers to purchase only what they will consume, an increase in packaging offers a promising solution to combat food spoilage. But given the politically charged dialogue (and dogma) around plastics and plastic waste, navigating these trade-offs can be both contentious and counterintuitive.

Learn about how the dynamic tension between food waste and plastic waste, the cumulative impacts and systemic implications of each and understand how companies are navigating conflicting priorities in their journey towards circularity. 

In nature, water is the ultimate circular resource. All the water that we’ll ever have already exists, and it is constantly moving through the hydrological cycle. In the last century, however, we’ve spent billions of dollars to make water fit our linear economy. We take water (usually from the ground) à treat it à use it à treat it again as “waste” water à dump it (usually into surface water). And now, the pipes we laid 100 years ago are crumbling beneath our feet. The EPA estimates we need $800 billion in investment in the next 20 years to keep the level of drinking water service we have today. But all that would get us are shiny new pipes in an old linear model, not designed for the realities of a changing climate. Meanwhile, in places as different as Amsterdam, Australia, Ghana, and India, new water service delivery models are cropping up that are far more efficient, cost effective, and most importantly, recognize the truly circular nature of water. In this panel discussion, we’ll explore different water service business models (such as community owned and decentralized treatment at the point of use); the rise of “smart” water technologies to optimize both energy and water use and recovery; and progress towards full water reuse in different sectors.

Many pop culture visions of the future food system are dystopic and disconnected from the land, natural processes, and other human beings. As a response to this crisis, The Rockefeller Foundation is launching the Food System 2050 Vision Prize. This 18-month program will encourage the development of future visions of the global food system that nourish entire populations, protect and regenerate the environment, and enable the flourishing of cultures and communities. These visions will help funders, communities, companies, organizations, and governments identify new opportunities to catalyze change, open a new channel to listen directly to diverse voices across the planet, and translate those visions into practical solutions.

Join SecondMuse for a design thinking session focused on envisioning a desirable future food system for all. Participants of this workshop will be some of the first to help shape the Vision 2050 Prize. Together we will ideate and co-create positive narratives around the future of food and design new models for how to get there. This will be a multi-stakeholder environment interactive session that will provide great opportunities for networking and connecting with top level and emerging leaders in the field and beyond.

Everybody loves the idea of circular water management, but we’re a long way from making it happen. In fact, we don’t even agree on what circular water management is. That’s a problem, because we face a projected 40 percent water deficit by 2030 and businesses are already feeling the effects of mounting water scarcity. But it’s also an opportunity, because our margin for progress is wide-open. This breakout is a live brainstorming session with the best water minds from a variety of companies on the front lines. What does circular water management mean to them? Which obstacles are they finding on the journey and what are the best ways to overcome them? And how are they propagating these best practices up and down the supply chain? The answers will determine the actions we take to ward off a crisis and safeguard sustainable growth in the crucial next decade.

Big food and beverage companies are digging into regenerative agriculture in a big way: General Mills, for one, has pledged to work with organic and conventional farmers to bring these practices to more than 1 million acres by 2030. Sourcing and sustainability teams from PepsiCo, Danone and Land O’Lakes are likewise encouraging regenerative principles among their suppliers.

The imperative is clear: fertile soil can stabilize the climate by drawing down carbon dioxide emissions and improving water infiltration — while improving yields, by making soil healthier. It’s an inherently circular process, one that will be the roots for a sustainable food system. This discussion will highlight the role of rotational livestock grazing; explore symbiotic plant and animal species; and consider the valuable ecosystem services provided by surrounding pastures and fields with marshlands or savannahs.