ESG & CSR Board at NASRS'25

The North American Sustainability and Responsibility Summit

March 12-14, 2025 | Denver, CO

Hosted by Executive Platforms and the ESG & CSR Board

Meeting Agenda

12:30pm - 4:30pm

Peer Practitioner Forum (invite only)

12:30 pm

Registration and Refreshments

1:20 pm

Welcome and Introductions

1:30 pm

Practitioner-Led Workshops – Stream 1: AI and ESG: Getting Left Out or Getting Burned, How Do We Avoid Both?

Kaidi Johnson

Vice President of Legal and ESG

Motorola Solutions

What role, as ESG leaders, do we play to ensure our companies are aware and prepared for the negative impact AI adoption could have on our emissions? And what about AI for ESG work – is the risk of faulty data or bias worth it given the cost and time savings AI may offer around data gathering and reporting? No one wants to look like they are fighting against the future, but the ethical and environmental concerns with AI are very real. Join Kaidi Johnson, Vice President of Legal and ESG at Motorola Solutions, to talk through what questions we’re asking and points we’re ready to push about AI inside our companies.

1:30 pm

Practitioner-Led Workshops – Stream 2: Scope 3: How Do We Make It Less of a Headache?

Christine Daugherty

Head of Sustainability

Conagra Brands

Between challenges with data management, tool stack, suppliers, and now regulatory-readiness and auditors, too, scope 3 feels like the issue that just keeps on giving. So, how do we make it less of a headache? Join us for a leaders-only honest conversation about how we’re prioritizing changes to team structure, data sources, governance, and tools to lessen the burden on us and our teams when it comes to scope 3.

2:00 pm

Break

2:05 pm

Practitioner-Led Workshops – Stream 1: Tackling the Sustainability Leader's Evolving Role

Karen Garnett

Head of ESG & Reporting

Charles Schwab

Join an off-the-record discussion on the changing role of corporate sustainability leaders. We’ll talk through the new demands and skill sets this position requires and how to build new competencies, get our teams to lean in, and turn leadership into an advocate (instead of a roadblock) as our position evolves.

2:05 pm

Practitioner-Led Workshops – Stream 2: Building Out Your ESG Tech Stack Without Toppling

Katya Hantel

VP, Global Head of Environment, Social & Governance (ESG)

Smith + Nephew

More scrutiny on our sustainability reporting means more data to track, more tie-outs to worry about, and more rounds of review to sweat; spreadsheets just won’t cut it any more. Join us for a conversation on how we’re building the business case for new solutions, planning the selection and implementation of complex platforms, and who needs to be at the table – and chipping in – for this stressful process.

2:35 pm

Break

2:40 pm

Practitioner-Led Workshops – Stream 1: Driving Impact While Building the Brand: How Do You Find the Balance?

Paul Pellizzari

VP Global Social Responsibility

Hard Rock

ESG leaders get into this job to drive real impact, but building sustainability into our brand’s reputation is a priority for many companies and is a key driver for moving the real work forward. Today’s communications context is complex, with greenwashing risks and greenhushing trends all around us. So, how do we find the balance between doing the work and talking about it? Join Paul Pellizzari, VP Global Social Responsibility at Hard Rock International to discuss making the most of these competing demands as an ESG and environmental sustainability leader.

2:40 pm

Practitioner-Led Workshops – Stream 2: Balancing Growth, Investment, and Sustainability

Eunice Heath

Chief Sustainability Officer

CRH

Capital expenditures are always going to flow to the biggest bang for a company’s buck – how do we make the case that sustainability can deliver long-term returns? Join Eunice Heath, Chief Sustainability Officer at CRH – the leading provider of building materials solutions – for a discussion on how companies can unlock the full potential of sustainability and innovation as key drivers of value-creation and growth.

3:10 pm

Networking (Snack) Break

3:25 pm

Peer Advisory Roundtables

Example Topics

ESG team structures
Climate goal roadmapping
Supplier engagement strategies
ESG regulatory readiness

3:55 pm

Break

4:00 pm

Peer Advisory Roundtables

Example Topics

ESG executive education
Water sustainability strategies
Enterprise risk management and ESG: Coming together without clashing
CSRD preparation

6:45 pm

Board Member Dinner

3:00pm

3:30pm - 4:20pm

Panel: Building a Sustainable Future: Innovations and Best Practices for ESG Leaders in 2025 and Beyond!

Melanie Chow Li

Vice President, Mission & Sustainability

Danone

Brad Lich

Executive Vice President & Chief Commercial Officer

Eastman

Josh Raglin

Chief Sustainability Officer

Norfolk Southern Corporation

Peter Votruba-Drzal

Vice President Global Sustainability

PPG

George A. Moubayed

SVP, Chief Sustainability & Strategy Officer

Caterpillar

Session Details

Discussing how companies are adopting circular economy models to minimize waste, maximize resource efficiency, and promote product lifecycle sustainability
Explore strategies and technologies businesses are using to achieve carbon neutrality, including renewable energy investments, carbon offset projects, and energy efficiency improvements
Sharing best practices in creating sustainable supply chains, from ethical sourcing and reducing environmental impact to enhancing transparency and collaboration with suppliers
Examine the latest advancements in sustainable packaging solutions, focusing on reducing plastic waste, using biodegradable materials, and designing for recyclability
Understand the importance of corporate social responsibility and how businesses are engaging with local communities to drive social and environmental change, including education and outreach programs

4:25pm - 5:15pm

Panel: Strategies for Effective Climate Leadership

Ann Tracy

Chief Sustainability Officer

Colgate-Palmolive

Emilio Tenuta

SVP, Chief Sustainability Officer

Ecolab

Stewart Lindsay

Chief Sustainability Officer

The Campbell’s Company

Sue Allchurch

Chief of Outreach and Engagement

United Nations Global Compact

Session Details

Moving from the ‘what’ to the ‘how’ with decarbonization goals
Discussing steps to make net-zero happen across all industries and sectors
Sharing strategies for engaging leadership and building a net-zero culture
How to align your sustainability strategies with the core business purpose
Outlining the power of collaboration and leveraging partnerships to drive ESG goals

5:20pm - 5:55pm

Beyond Compliance: Harmonizing Proliferating Reporting Requirements

Murat Sönmez

CEO and Co-Founder

Pulsora

John Golightly

Vice President Sustainability | Climate | Global EHS

ASM

Session Details

Organizations face an unprecedented surge in disclosure demands from every direction. Whether it’s responding to new government regulations or completing supplier scorecards, businesses must navigate an intricate web of overlapping frameworks—each with unique metrics and timelines.

This session explores practical strategies for navigating this evolving landscape of standards and stakeholder demands while optimizing limited resources. Learn how leading companies are identifying interoperability between standards, streamlining their reporting processes, and leveraging tools and systems to reduce duplication. Join us to discover actionable approaches for transforming a fragmented reporting landscape into a cohesive, efficient program that delivers value beyond mere compliance.

6:00pm

6:30pm

6:45pm

7:30am - 8:15am

8:15am - 8:20am

Opening Remarks and Important Announcements

8:20am - 8:30am

Chair’s Welcome Address

Kristen Siemen

Former, Vice President and Chief Sustainability Officer

General Motors

8:30am - 9:05am

Driving Sustainable Retail

Jerome Del Porto

Head of Corporate Sustainability

Walmart

Session Details

Learning about Walmart’s initiatives to source products responsibly, including sustainable agriculture, seafood, and forest products
Unveiling Walmart’s efforts to divert 100% of its waste from landfills in key markets by 2025 through recycling, reusing, and donating unsold goods
Understanding Walmart’s science-based targets to reduce emissions in its operations and supply chain, aiming for a zero-emission future
Discovering how Walmart collaborates with communities, suppliers, and other stakeholders to drive sustainability practices and promote environmental stewardship

9:05am - 9:40am

How AI and Accelerated Computing Are Driving Energy Efficiency

Josh Parker

Head of Sustainability

NVIDIA

Session Details

Discover how NVIDIA’s twin engines, AI and accelerated computing, are revolutionizing energy efficiency across industries
Learning from case studies showcasing significant reductions in energy consumption and processing times
Understanding how transitioning from CPU-only operations to GPU-accelerated systems can save over 40 terawatt-hours of energy annually
Exploring diverse applications in healthcare, manufacturing, and research, including digital twins and AI-powered drug discovery, enhancing both efficiency and sustainability
Hear about NVIDIA’s initiatives like Earth-2 for climate science, liquid-cooling technology for data centers, and continuous advancements in GPU energy efficiency

9:45am - 10:20am

How CSOs Can Drive Impact Amid Political Uncertainty

Mandi McReynolds

Chief Sustainability Officer

Workiva

Session Details

Join Mandi McReynolds, Chief Sustainability Officer at Workiva, as she moderates a high-energy panel with top sustainability executives. In this compelling session, leaders will dive into the evolving role of the CSO in navigating today’s political and economic uncertainty, while remaining bullish on growth and impact. They’ll explore how sustainability data and innovation can not only safeguard business risks but also unlock business value—creating lasting impact.

Objectives and Discussion:

Regardless of who’s in power around the world, how to lead through sustainable growth strategies.
Building Value beyond Compliance: How CSOs can foster a culture of resilience, aligning sustainability goals with short and long-term business objectives, while engaging stakeholders and influencing change
Innovation as a Growth Catalyst: Leveraging new technologies to AI for creative solutions to drive both business impact and environmental responsibility.

Get ready for a forward-thinking conversation packed with real-world strategies, innovation, and insights from the front lines of sustainability leadership!

9:45am - 10:20am

Transforming Sustainability Disclosures: Unlocking Efficiency with Next-Gen AI

Amanda Petzinger

VP, Sustainability, Stewardship, Supply Chain & ESG Solutions

Benchmark Gensuite

Sally Van Cleve

Leader, Sustainability & ESG Digital Solutions

Benchmark Gensuite

Session Details

In today’s business landscape, organizations are facing an increasing number of sustainability disclosure requests from various stakeholders, including regulators, investors, and the public. Responding to these requests in a timely, accurate, and compliant manner can be a significant challenge. This session will explore how next-generation Artificial Intelligence (AI) can be leveraged to revolutionize the sustainability disclosure response process. Attendees will learn about the latest AI-powered solutions that can automate data collection, analysis, and report generation, enabling organizations to streamline their sustainability disclosure workflows, improve transparency, and enhance their environmental, social, and governance reporting. This session will equip participants with the knowledge and tools to harness the power of AI and transform their sustainability disclosure practices.

9:45am - 10:20am

From Greenwashing to Green Leading: How Traceability Secures Sustainability

Florent Bouguin

Chief Technology Officer, Executive VP

OPTEL Group

Session Details

Sustainability is essential due to increasing regulations and consumer demands. This session presents a real-world case study demonstrating how traceability enabled compliance and provided a competitive advantage. Learn how a company improved supply chain visibility, reduced carbon emissions, and lowered costs through enhanced transparency.

10:25am - 12:05pm

Pre-Arranged One-to-One Meetings

10:30 am – 10:50 am: Meeting Slot 1/Networking

10:55 am – 11:15 am: Meeting Slot 2/Networking

11:20 am – 11:40 am: Meeting Slot 3/Networking

11:45 am – 12:05 pm: Meeting Slot 4/Networking

These mutually agreed-upon conversations are arranged and facilitated by Executive Platforms staff to ensure attendees have valuable discussions about their top-of-mind questions, challenges, and opportunities.

12:10pm - 12:45pm

The Next Billion Sustainable Choices: How Payments Can Power the Circular Economy

Ellen Jackowski

Executive Vice President, Chief Sustainability Officer

Mastercard

Session Details

As the urgency for sustainable consumption grows, businesses and consumers need both incentives and seamless solutions to make circular choices the default. This keynote explores how payments technology can enable more sustainable business models, from product-as-a-service to resale and repair ecosystems, while also informing and inspiring consumers to make lower-impact decisions. By embedding sustainability into everyday transactions, we unlock new value creation opportunities and accelerate the transition to a more circular, regenerative economy

12:10pm - 12:45pm

Net Zero & The Path to Energy Goals

Roger Martella

Group Vice President; Chief Sustainability Officer; Global Head of Engagement, Government Affairs, & Policy

GE Vernova

Session Details

Exploring innovative technologies and strategies that can help accelerate the deployment of renewable energy sources and reduce our reliance on fossil fuels in achieving net-zero emissions
Discussing some of the biggest barriers that industries face in achieving their net-zero energy goals, and exploring how they can be effectively overcome
Taking a deep dive into the role energy conservation and energy efficiency play, and how can individuals and businesses be incentivized to adopt these practices
Taking a look ahead at what opportunities exist for job creation and economic growth in the renewable energy sector, and how can we ensure a just transition for workers in fossil fuel industries?

12:45pm - 1:45pm

Explore this year’s themed lunch discussions led by industry leaders, where executives engage in focused conversations over a meal, discussing topics they’re passionate about alongside their peers.

Managing and Operationalizing Global Sustainability Commitments in an Ever-Changing Regulatory Environment

Heather Pishalski

Executive Director, Sustainability

American Axle & Manufacturing

Supply Chain Sustainability: Innovative Approaches to Cutting GHG Emissions

John Golightly

Vice President Sustainability | Climate | Global EHS

ASM

How to Reduce Emissions & De-Fossilize Now with Integrity

Jessica Monserrate

Head of Sustainability Agricultural Solutions, NA

BASF

The Role of Empowering Communities and Reducing Wealth Gaps Through Sustainable Development

Kaitlin Sprong

VP, Director of ESG Strategy

Citizens Bank

Why Integrating Climate Risk Into Your Sustainability Strategy Can No Longer be Overlooked

Jessica Francisco

Chief Sustainability Officer

Cushman & Wakefield