Edwin Anderson will help you troubleshoot your challenges and illuminate the opportunities and strategies that TCFD enables.

As more companies, communities and utilities set their sights on carbon neutrality goals, an uncomfortable truth is coming to the forefront: reaching carbon neutrality is very hard. Join experts leading organizations that are on the path to zero who are thinking pragmatically about what needs to happen to decarbonize operations — from getting started to reaching the last 20 percent. 

The COVID-19 pandemic and the corresponding breakdown in global supply chains showed that the food and agriculture sectors rely on a fragile system.  A breakdown in any one of the components or by any one of the ‘actors’ within the system can cause catastrophic impact across the supply chain for workers, customers, investors, communities and the environment. The crisis has amplified the need for transforming the global food system and asking the obvious question: How do we reliably and sustainably feed a planet predicted to soon reach 9 billion people? Join this session to learn how companies throughout the value chain are driving change towards a sustainable food system and what your company can do to be part of the solution.

What does it mean to set science-based targets for nature and regeneration targets at the company and brand level? Join this session to hear from some of the early adopters of these approaches to understand how to establish goals, define regeneration, learnings from early progress and results, and how you can apply these principles to your own work. Participants will learn what science-based targets for nature are, understand how companies and brands are establishing and progressing against these, and how regeneration and these types of targets fit into this approach.

Visit the Quantis booth to see how the Sustainable Business Simulation convinces business leaders that sustainability is a business issue.

On top of the incredibly devastating human impact, COVID-19 brought unparalleled disruption to supply chains around the globe. How can the global supply chain prepare for and withstand the next, unexpected, shift in supply and demand? First and foremost, every company must take actionable steps and implement strategies to help navigate this crisis, mitigate negative impacts and leverage data to ultimately position their supply chain to succeed in this era of turbulence. This includes reevaluating its capacity for supply chain resilience and putting a risk management plan in place, which in turn will directly improve its ecological, ethical and economic sustainability. By examining the landscape of turbulence, factoring in risks including geopolitical shifts, cyberthreats, resource depletion, climate change, and pandemics, supply chains can better prepare for the next disruption. Join this session to learn about how companies are building new adaptive, resilient, and shock resistant supply chains that are strategic and real-time responsive. By looking toward the future and anticipating what risks lay on the horizon, supply chains can build stronger, long-term relationships across the value chain, reduce supply chain fragility, and increase sustainability and resiliency.

Nature is the underpinning of our economy, but businesses still struggle to value and account for it in decisions. Building nature’s value into business decisions can lead to better outcomes for companies and the environment. Navigating this frontier has brought together economists, engineers, conservation scientists, and sustainability professionals from both organizations to advance the research, tools, and processes needed to integrate nature’s value into business operations. Hear from corporate and NGO sustainability leaders on how they have built the trust, skills and strategies to effectively integrate nature in business decisions at the enterprise-level. The session will also highlight a new toolkit for companies to use to operationalize valuing nature and discuss how this progress is motivating future action together to shift how industry values nature.

What emission reduction opportunities are available today to help organizations meet net zero goals? Many companies are now expanding their sustainability programs from focusing solely on renewable energy to a more comprehensive net zero emissions program. In this session, we will focus on the immediate actions organizations can take across Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions on the path to net zero. Join us to discuss tools available to reduce your organization's emissions as much as possible, as soon as possible.

Join GreenBiz 21 roundtables to connect with like-minded participants for interactive virtual discussions around a big question or hot topic. Select your topic of interest to join a group discussion hosted by experts. Bring your own challenges, questions and ideas to these interactive discussions. Cameras on!

How should you assess your current packaging footprint and build future proof goals and a reporting framework for circularity? Join this interactive discussion to explore the need for packaging baselines and the best practice methodologies for collecting information against which annual improvements and progress can be mapped. We'll explore examples of different approaches to setting scopes, data management, supplier engagement and a discussion about the best ways to set goals which reflect your organization’s level of ambition.

Join GreenBiz 21 roundtables to connect with like-minded participants for interactive virtual discussions around a big question or hot topic. Select your topic of interest to join a group discussion hosted by experts. Bring your own challenges, questions and ideas to these interactive discussions. Cameras on!

Traditional risk management approaches have failed to arm companies with the appropriate processes to address and strategically respond to high impact ESG-related events and risks. Despite recognition of the potentially catastrophic impact of a global pandemic, very few companies recognized infectious disease as a high-risk factor, and organizations were woefully underprepared to strategically and operationally respond to COVID-19. As organizations revive and revise their business models, they must implement more robust operational models and processes focused on resiliency and the management of business vulnerabilities. Organizations need to better plan and prepare for the impacts and challenges of addressing global disruptions and worldwide networks of interconnected ESG-related risks. Join this session for insights and tools to assess the vulnerability of your organization to ESG-related risk, extend traditional risk management activities to address dynamics and connectivity of risks, and build resiliency to critical and emergent ESG-risks.

As part of creating an agricultural system that is fit for the future, regenerative agriculture practices have the potential to create more resilient supply chains, restore soil health and enable farmers and businesses to thrive. At its heart, regenerative agriculture is an approach to farming that puts more back into the environment and society than it takes out. While activity and investment in regenerative agriculture in the US has accelerated over the last five years, there are significant barriers holding us back. The sector is now at a critical point where collectively, different actors can enable the urgently-needed and just transition of the agriculture system towards resilience and regeneration. This will require breaking down silos between seasoned regenerative practitioners with deep experience and ambition, and incumbent stakeholders with resources and expertise to drive transformation across the country. Join this session to hear from representatives from across the agriculture system who will share the key findings from the first phase of the Growing our Future project, which identified the key actions that players across the supply chain – including farmers, businesses with agricultural supply chains, agribusinesses, non-profits, investors and financial services, research institutions, philanthropists and policy makers – must take to drive change. Using the report findings as a foundation, attendees will explore their role in implementing concrete, coherent action to accelerate the adoption of regenerative agriculture practices.

 As climate risks become more and more disruptive, how can companies prepare for these disruptions and ensure resilience throughout their supply chain? How can companies formally incorporate climate change risk assessment into their supply chain risk management strategy? How are investors evaluating supply chain risks due to climate change? Join this session to explore why climate change risks must be addressed within a supply chain risk management program and the opportunities that companies have to create greater supply chain resilience.

Decarbonization commitment is just the start for companies working to reduce their GHG emissions.  Join EY moderator Matt Handford and guests from Cox Enterprises, JP Morgan Chase, and BAE Systems for a breakout session focused on how closing the gap between strategy to execution positions companies for successful decarbonization outcomes. This session will explore how strategic intent is only the start of a low/zero carbon transformation and the importance of execution priorities against established time horizons. It will explore different enablers companies can leverage to achieve their carbon reduction goals and how outcomes and value realization should be defined early stage to drive continual improvements. 

Gain clarity and focus on reaching your potential for impact with a one-on-one coaching session with ICF-certified coach, Shannon Houde.

How can companies shift consumer behavior to advance sustainable outcomes? Many sustainable product interventions rely on consumer behavior to succeed. From circular shopping to cold water washing, the consumer plays an active role in making decisions that ensure sustainable outcomes. But when a consumer is unfamiliar or unwilling to participate, sustainable initiatives and business models can fail. How can you encourage your consumers to change their behavior and ensure sustainability success? Learn from practitioners and researchers who are studying and provoking consumer behavior change.

Health and wellbeing in the workplace is typically associated with a wellness program or an occupational health and safety initiative. However, as COVID-19 has demonstrated, companies need to take a bold and holistic approach to health and wellbeing — one that recognizes that health and wellness are driven by social, economic, and environmental factors. Taking a holistic approach starts with understanding the social determinants of health i.e., the conditions in the places where people live, learn, work, and play and which affect a wide range of health and quality-of life-risks and outcomes. What role can companies play in impacting these conditions and advancing health equity, particularly in the workplace? This session will delve into a broad range of business practices that impact health outcomes, from pay practices and benefits to job security to the physical work environment, introduce the multi-stakeholder-developed Culture of Health for Business Framework for companies to use in developing forward-thinking strategies, and highlight critical issues for companies to manage as they prepare for a post-COVID-19 workplace.

How can we actively uplift BIPOC sustainability professionals, driving our field toward greater diversity, equity, and inclusion? 

Join GreenBiz 21 roundtables to connect with like-minded participants for interactive virtual discussions around a big question or hot topic. Select your topic of interest to join a group discussion hosted by experts. Bring your own challenges, questions and ideas to these interactive discussions. Cameras on!

From responding to the deluge of “rating and ranking” surveys, to setting increasingly aggressive and wide-ranging goals and targets, the expectations placed on sustainability leaders have always been high — especially when compared to departmental budgets. Then COVID-19 happened. And a racial justice reckoning. And climate-induced wildfires. And a wildly polarizing election. Over the past year, many sustainability leaders — particularly those with terms like "Health and Safety" or “Diversity and Inclusion” incorporated into their titles — have taken on an entire new job’s worth of responsibilities. Meanwhile, many are attempting to balance remote work with staying healthy, managing childcare, and all the other responsibilities of a “new normal.” The result has been a slew of early retirements, career pivots, extended leaves of absence, and resignations from sustainability experts across sectors. The risks to companies from these departures are enormous – institutional memory and relationships are lost. Team morale erodes. New program champions have to be cultivated. Issue expertise has to be outsourced or re-hired. In this session, we’ll ask the question — are we losing our movement's greatest leaders by asking too much of them? And if so, what can be done about “sustaina-burnout”? Participants will be invited to engage in a dynamic discussion, sharing experiences, best practices, and new ideas for improving workplace mental health, work-life balance, and employee well-being within the sustainability community.

Join GreenBiz 21 roundtables to connect with like-minded participants for interactive virtual discussions around a big question or hot topic. Select your topic of interest to join a group discussion hosted by experts. Bring your own challenges, questions and ideas to these interactive discussions. Cameras on!

Stop by our booth for a session on how to embed the SDGs with resources and accelerators from the UN’s corporate sustainability initiative.

2019 saw many leading businesses take a renewed focus on the purpose of the corporation with the updated statement from the Business Roundtable and launch of the Principles for Purposeful Business. In 2020, the WEF focused on stakeholder capitalism and the COVID-19 pandemic has demanded a ‘great reset’ as business considers how it must evolve and respond to the societal challenges that the year has posed. What is the role of the board in understanding, managing, and responding to a crisis such as this? How can board members be better informed and equipped to ensure business resilience? How can the board ensure that it is taking account of all stakeholder views and using this to inform decision making and generate value for all stakeholders aligned with the purpose of the corporation, whilst still managing ESG-related risk and opportunity? This session will seek to answer some of these questions and provide attendees with an opportunity to hear from legal and corporate experts who will share their experiences on engaging with the board as they begin to reflect on how modernizing their approach to governance will support more successful and sustainable business.

The pandemic has shown organizations across all industries that we must be prepared for the unexpected. Water is a critical supply chain component and disruptions to water supply can lead to higher costs, operational risks, reputational damage and regulatory uncertainty. Threats to water quality, security and safety will only increase as our world grapples with the impacts of climate change. How can we ensure that everyone has access to clean, affordable water, in support of UN Sustainable Development Goal 6? And how can you protect your operations against future disruptions caused by water scarcity? The solution: being a responsible water steward who works with all stakeholders in a given watershed. This session will provide tools and strategies from Fortune 500 companies to help you assess the risks that water scarcity poses to your operations and enable you to create a more sustainable water management plan to ensure resilient and reliable operations now and in the future.

The consumer communication landscape is awash with apps, labels and websites to help consumers understand the sustainability of the products they are buying. How do companies sort through the options, and how do consumers avoid greenwashing? Join a panel of consumer-facing media platforms to discuss the landscape of consumer communication and where we go from here.

Renewable energy procurements are looking beyond a company's Scope 2 emissions. Clean energy deals are increasingly taking into account more holistic considerations, prioritizing diversity, equity, and inclusion principles, and considering Scope 1 and 3 emissions. This session features panelists sharing how they're thinking beyond the megawatt to support broader social and sustainability goals.

Optimize your renewable energy journey, create transparency, and drive insights by leveraging our Digital Platform – Edison Energy Insights.

Plan to be inspired by the transformative supply chain sustainability and social impact initiatives created at origin by Alter Eco, Numi Organic Tea, and Barrie House Coffee Roasters. You’ll learn about their creative programs designed to empower producer communities by delivering vital clean water access, farming techniques resilient to climate change, crop durability partnerships, and foundational Fair Trade benefits. Each organization will share their approach to driving supply chain resilience by spearheading these programs on the ground. Finally, panelists will provide key insights on valuable lessons learned along the way and recommendations on how to engage your own internal partners in the sustainability journey.

Successful leaders do not sit back and wait for new, completely formed leaders to arrive. They consciously recognize people with leadership potential and find ways to cultivate that promise. Through storytelling and interactive discussions in breakout sessions, the panel will foster an important dialog about the lifelong impact of mentoring. Participants will develop a deeper understanding of the values of leadership through mentoring and its lifelong impact and benefits, as well as tips on how to get started or deepen a mentorship practice you already have. Join this session to learn how to be a multiplier and amplifier, and leave a legacy beyond yourself.

The Alliance to End Plastic Waste is a nonprofit organization whose vision is to end plastic waste in the environment. With 11 million tonnes of plastic waste leaking into the environment on an annual basis, there is urgency to find ways to deal with this crippling environmental issue soon. Since 2018, the Alliance has brought together over 50 companies from across the plastic value chain to find solutions to address this crisis. Amongst the Alliance’s investment themes are Design for Circularity, which looks into ways companies can better design their products to ensure a more circular lifespan, and Advanced Recovery and Recycling, which leverages technology to unlock value from waste plastic so that it can be brought back into the economy across a multitude of applications. Join this roundtable to better discover how businesses can contribute to a circular future and help end plastic waste in the environment.

Join GreenBiz 21 roundtables to connect with like-minded participants for interactive virtual discussions around a big question or hot topic. Select your topic of interest to join a group discussion hosted by experts. Bring your own challenges, questions and ideas to these interactive discussions. Cameras on!

Why and how is planting and caring for trees in cities a pathway to creating more resilient communities? There is more momentum than ever before for planting trees in urban areas of the United States. The emphasis is on socioeconomically disadvantaged urban neighborhoods, as that often is where trees are sparse. But there are not enough people who know how to properly plant and care for trees. American Forests helps people from these neighborhoods enter and stay in careers in urban forestry. Doing so is one way to create Tree Equity, which, simply put, is about ensuring all people benefit from what trees offer to the world. During this roundtable, we’ll discuss the important role companies and nonprofits play in creating Tree Equity and how they and communities mutually benefit from such partnerships.

Join GreenBiz 21 roundtables to connect with like-minded participants for interactive virtual discussions around a big question or hot topic. Select your topic of interest to join a group discussion hosted by experts. Bring your own challenges, questions and ideas to these interactive discussions. Cameras on!