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Track One: Corporate Sustainable Strategies

The Corporate Sustainable Strategies track will explore the strategies that a variety of businesses are utilizing to make business more sustainable. The track will commence with a discussion among representatives from four consulting firms on how they are helping their clients to operate more sustainably. This will be followed by a panel addressing how companies are marketing their commitment to sustainability. The third panel will look at the area of socially responsible investing, in particular how this area has changed, the effectiveness of SRI in comparison to traditional investing and the future of SRI. This track will conclude with a exploring how companies have successfully pursued environmental goals that have ultimately contributed to strengthening their bottom line and competitive position.

Session 1A: Sustainability Consulting
Pendleton Room, 2nd floor
Friday, 9:15 am – 10:30 am

As industries and organizations becoming increasingly interested in adopting sustainable business practices, how has this affected consulting activities?  To explore this topic we’re considering the following questions:
 1)   What kinds of initial projects indicated a rise in demand for sustainability consulting, and what industries and/or type of client were demanding this approach?
2)   What kinds of projects are underway at the moment? Which functions/businesses are these projects servicing?  Has the scope of sustainability consulting changed since you implemented it?
3)   How do you foresee these projects developing in the future? Will sustainability consulting be more fully integrated or will these types of projects remain a niche market?

Moderator:
Thomas Gladwin, Max McGraw Professor of Sustainable Enterprise Professor

Confirmed Panelists:
Chris Park, Partner, Deloitte Consulting
Eric Olson, VP Advisory Services, Business for Social Responsibility
Sarah King, Senior Associate, Green Order
Jon Creyts, Partner and Leader of North American Climate Change Initiative, McKinsey & Company


Session 2A: Green Marketing
Pendleton Room, 2nd floor
Friday, 10:45 am – 12:00pm
                                                  
Many companies are jumping on the sustainability band-wagon and still more are capitalizing on the current popularity of “green” and incorporating sustainability into their PR and marketing campaigns. This panel will discuss how the environmental achievements of both values-driven and conventional firms can be marketed to generate competitive advantages.

Moderator:
Thomas Lyon, Dow Chemical Professor of Sustainable Science, Technology and Commerce

Confirmed Panelists:
Kate Brass,Marketing Program Manager, GE Energy-Americas
Andrew Essreg,Business Sustainability Consultant, Five Winds International
David Steuer, Vice President of Creative Services, Act Now
Greg Chandler,Director of Reputation Marketing, Wal-Mart                        


Session 3A: Socially Responsible Investing
Pendleton Room, 2nd floor
Friday, 1:30 pm – 2:45 pm

Individual investors have practiced Social Responsible Investing (SRI) on their own for many years. Initially perceived to only exclude companies, SRI now incorporates positive screens, and promotes advocacy efforts by shareholders. Investors can choose from a range of Responsible Funds and ideas that match their personal missions with investment dollars. This panel will discuss the following: how investors evaluate SRI options and its placement in their portfolios; the effectiveness of SRI as compared to other investments; the future potential of Social Responsible Investing; and how SRI can effect corporate change.

Confirmed Panelists:
Jeffrey T. S. MacDonagh, SRI Portfolio Manager, Domini Funds
Morgan Simon, Executive Director, Responsible Endowments Coalition
John Deosaran, Head of Environmental, Social and Governance Analytics, RiskMetrics
Nancy Reyes, Manager of Institutional Services, Parnassus Investments

Session 4A: Competitive Environmental Strategies
Pendleton Room, 2nd floor
Friday, 3:00 pm – 4:15 pm

Environmental pressures and problems can provide compelling opportunities as well as threats to companies who find their business affected by them. Such issues, including pollution, global warming, and waste disposal, are forcing companies to rethink their processes and products. Many of these companies have crafted a ‘greener’ core mission in response.  This panel will explore how companies have successfully pursued environmental goals that have ultimately contributed to strengthening their bottom line and competitive position.

Moderator:
Andrew Hoffman, Holcim (U.S.) Professor of Sustainable Enterprise

Confirmed Panelists:
Scott Noesen, Director for Sustainable Development, Dow Chemical Company
Janelle Kearsley, Director of Corporate Strategy/Sustainability, Wal-Mart
Raj Sapru, Manager, Advisory Service, Business for Social Responsibility
Michael Block, CEO of Kinetix