Sustainable Brands, Vancouver: Speakers Not To Miss

Sustainable Brands annual conference is a must attend gathering for executives and marketing professionals interested in building purposeful brands. This year, Sustainable Brands Vancouver brings together some of the  world’s most innovative thought leaders and business professionals to share insights and strengthen community. Entrepreneurs and sustainability experts present the latest findings and industry trends on how today’s leading companies are leveraging their core business for purpose-driven initiatives that win consumer goodwill and build a better world. There are so many interesting speakers, it can be difficult deciding who you want to see. We First put together this list that  focuses on individuals that see progress through the lense of purpose.

Here are speaker highlights at Sustainable Brands Vancouver that you don’t want to miss:

Rosann Williams: Rosann is head of Starbucks, Canada, and an exemplary purpose-driven leader. She is constantly working to progress Starbucks’ mission “to inspire and nurture the human spirit”. Through internal team building to consumer satisfaction, Williams is guided by purpose and uses it to build a better company.  Don’t miss Rosanne’s plenary session on Starbucks’ Win-Win Employee Engagement Commitments.

Tamara Baker: Tamara is a corporate sustainability powerhouse, serving as the Chief Sustainability Officer and Vice President of Environmental Affairs for UPS. She overseas UPS’s global sustainability data. Baker also monitors key performance indicators relating to climate and the environment. Additionally, she leads UPS’s Environmental compliance initiatives, including waste management and transportation. Anyone interested in the nuts and bolts of weaving sustainability throughout complicated supply chains and logistics processes should attend Tamara session.

Simon Mainwaring: We First Branding’s very own Simon Mainwaring will be speaking on how brands build movements. In today’s business environment, corporations are competing on purpose. To distinguish your brand as a purpose-driven leader, you must go beyond internal CSR efforts and inspire all stakeholders to help you achieve your social impact goals. Simon’s session is a must for C-suite executives and marketing professionals looking to carve out a competitive advantage through social movements.

Eric Hespenheide: Eric serves as the Global Reporting Initiative’s Chairman of the Board, focusing on data driven sustainability and corporate social responsibility solutions. Building on his career of assurance, financial and non-financial reporting, Eric has a wealth of knowledge on how to take your CSR vision and turn it into reality. As the old saying goes, “you change what you can’t measure.” Whether you are currently monitoring and measuring CSR KPI’s or interested in getting started, Eric’s session will present key insights integral to every brand’s sustainability transformation.

Gina Tesla: Gina serves as IBM’s VP of Corporate Citizenship, where she oversees the company’s international initiatives to weave technology and into emerging markets. She plays an integral management role in IBM’s Corporate Service Corps, which provides a platform for over 3,000 IBM employees to apply their expertise to solving critical development issue the world over. Gina Tesla’s session will provide insights on how to leverage your brand’s core business and employee engagement to have the greatest social impact.

Sarah Dearman: As Coca Cola’s Sustainable Packaging Manager, Sarah works to incorporate sustainability throughout the companies numerous packages. She also helps communicate sustainability initiatives to internal and external stakeholders.  Dearman’s session is a must for brands looking to learn from Coca Cola’s challenges and success implementing sustainability throughout its global packaging supply chain.

Alex Thompson: As a REI’s VP of Brand Stewardship & Impact, Alex’s insights have shaped REI’s purpose-driven creative campaigns. The #OptOutSide campaign gained international acclaim and positioned the company as a social impact pioneer in the digital age. Alex continues to leverage the brand for social and environmental impact through its marketing and outreach efforts. Check out Thompson’s session to learn from an industry leader driving communications with the compass of purpose.

Mary Wroten: As Ford Motor Company’s Associate Director of Global Sustainability, Mary leads corporate social responsibility initiatives throughout Ford’s supply chain. Specifically, Wroten ensures the company adheres by principles of environmental sustainability human rights and conflict minerals. She also helps weave Ford’s purposeful direction throughout corporate culture. Check out Mary’s session to learn more about how to engrain purpose not only into marketing initiatives but throughout product and manufacturing.

Kate White: Kate is a behavioral science professor at the University of British Columbia with a focus on consumer insights and and socially conscious consumption. Kate specializes in data driven insights that highlight behavioral change levers. Check out White’s session to learn the latest on purpose-driven consumer insights.

These thought provoking innovators are just a few of the outstanding speakers presenting at Sustainable Brands Vancouver from June 4th to June 7th. To see the full list of speakers and learn more about the event, visit the event page here. See you in Vancouver!