Agenda
Interested in speaking at the Summit?
It’s a fantastic opportunity to share your expertise and engage with your peers.
Whether you’re a seasoned presenter or this is your first time on stage, we’d love to work with you to share your story.
Wednesday, September 10
9:45 AM
Registration, Networking, and Refreshments
10:30 AM
Welcome and Introduction
10:45 AM
Peer-Led Vendor* Clinic
ESG and CSR vendors: What are we using, what works, and what doesn’t?
*We are a vendor-free community, so these “vendor clinics” are a special opportunity to dig-in, ask tough questions, and get candid feedback — not a sales pitch.
Open, peer-led discussions where you can find workarounds and share successes (and frustrations) with the ESG & CSR tool integral to your program’s success. If you aren’t a customer but are considering an investment in a particular vendor, you can get an honest assessment from other brands who use the tool. In this clinic, we’ll focus on:
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11:15 AM
Break
11:20 AM
Panel
Leading ESG & CSR in a polarized, politicized environment
Both traditional corporate responsibility and environmental sustainability functions have faced new stresses as regulations, expectations, and risks shift rapidly with the political environment. How are we adjusting and keeping our work safe for the future? Join a panel of veteran ESG & CSR Board members in a private, off-the-record discussion about best practices and biggest concerns for the future.
11:50 AM
Lunch Discussion
1:00 PM
Break
1:10 PM
Case StudyGlobal ESG regulations: Minding the gapNew ESG regulations from around the world are coming down the pipe every month or two, it seems. How are we supposed to keep track of what we’re expected to comply with, and actually get systems built to deliver on those demands? Listen to how one team got the right people around the table and processes in place to get a handle on this volatile regulatory landscape. |
Case StudyMoving disaster response from reactive to resilientHow do you move from writing checks and running special donation matches whenever a disaster surprises your team to investing in the long-term health of disaster-struck communities? Hear how one team identified partners, secured resources from leadership, and rebuilt their strategy for lasting impact. |
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1:40 PM
Break
1:55 PM
Case StudyBuilding a rater/ranker strategy that doesn’t waste your timeSome of the marquee sustainability raters and rankers have arguably become more trouble than they are worth. How are we deciding where to invest time and which to cut loose? Join this talk to hear how one team made that decision and the risks they faced. |
Case StudyMaking your month of service countYour season of service only comes once a year, so making it a success has a huge impact on your goals and strategy. Learn how one of our members used an already at-capacity team and limited resources to deliver a successful month of service that mobilized thousands of colleagues around the world. |
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2:25 PM
Break
2:40 PM
Case StudyMeeting customer ESG demands without crashing your teamIf we don’t quickly satisfy customer demands for sustainability commitments and ESG data, we threaten our company’s bottom line. But these demands can also be too much for our team to meet. Learn from a fellow senior sustainability practitioner about how they are navigating a volume of customer requests that often look impossible. |
Case StudyImpact models and theories of changeOur leaders want data to show how our community investments are really making a difference – but how do you give them something that demonstrates programmatic impacts and gains you buy-in? Hear how one team of CSR leaders evolved their strategy to do just that. |
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3:10 PM
Networking Break
3:40 PM
Case StudyEmbedding ESG strategies into your finance functionsAs long as ESG is considered just a chore or a cost center or a compliance issue, it will never transform our businesses. Join us to hear from a senior sustainability decision maker how they collaborated with finance, enterprise risk, and other key business functions to make ESG core to their corporate strategy. |
Case StudyCommitting to diverse communities in every environmentCompanies made big promises to marginalized communities in recent years, but now the pressure is on to reverse some of those investments. Hear from one company that’s staying the course about how they are weighing risks and rewards and protecting their work for the long run. |
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4:10 PM
Break
4:25 PM
Case StudyMaking circularity a climate strategyWe all know that reducing, reusing, and recycling are right for the environment, but how have we translated our climate commitments into circularity investments? Hear how one company has made that shift for less carbon and new product creativity. |
Case StudyEngaging hourly employees with real impactHelping front-line employees to volunteer is always a tough task, and so many of the easy options feel like busy work. Hear how one team found solutions to engage these workers in ways that partners really notice. |
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4:55 PM
Adjourn
5:00 PM
Drinks Reception and Member Dinner
Following our afternoon of conversations and case studies, we’ll all go out for a fantastic dinner together. It’s a perfect opportunity to connect with your fellow members before a big day of brainstorming, discussion, and collaboration.
Thursday, September 11
8:00 AM
Breakfast Discussions
The conversations over coffee and eggs at this event are often more lively than any other conference’s happy hour. You’ll want to be here bright and early (and on time).
8:50 AM
Opening Remarks
9:00 AM
WorkshopBenchmarking on ESG team structures and rolesWho does what on your team and how might that change in the years to come? Sync with other leaders building ESG and sustainability teams at major companies to talk about what works and what hasn’t. |
WorkshopBenchmarking on CSR team structures and rolesWho does what on your team and how might that change in the years to come? Sync with other leaders building CSR and engagement teams at major companies to talk about what works and what hasn’t. |
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9:30 AM
Break
9:45 AM
WorkshopRevamping sustainability and ESG governanceCoordinating ESG reporting and delivering on sustainability goals across a massive company requires thoughtful governance. What structures and systems are helping, and what have wasted our time? Talk it out with others who have built governance and seen success. |
WorkshopOptimizing your grantmaking and giving processesWho knew that giving away money could be so difficult? Join your fellow corporate philanthropy practitioners as we talk about the processes, systems, and best practices that help us maximize impact without stressing out our teams. |
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10:15 AM
Break
10:30 AM
WorkshopWhat’s next for Scope 3 reporting?Only a few short years ago only the most advanced companies were disclosing Scope 3 GHG emissions – now almost everybody has to. Is there more to come, and how are we preparing our companies for that work? Join this discussion with your fellow decision makers at major companies to talk it out. |
WorkshopMoving our impact goals from outputs to outcomesWe all dream of showing big real-world benefits from our giving down to the dollar, but most of us are stuck capturing the same output numbers we’ve been reporting for years. How do we make that shift from outputs to outcomes without crushing our own bottom lines? Join a confidential, off the record conversation with other major corporate philanthropy leaders to share what we’re trying. |
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11:00 AM
Break
11:15 AM
WorkshopCan AI make ESG easier?AI is rapidly changing almost every job, but its applications for ESG work remain at an early stage. What are we trying, what’s making a difference, and what has turned out to be mostly hype? Share it all with a confidential group of leaders doing the work just like you. |
WorkshopTrusting and empowering community partnersThe cutting edge of community engagement looks like shifting power dynamics between funders and nonprofits to help communities build new capacities and opportunities. How do corporate philanthropists do this in an authentic way? Talk together with other leaders making the same decisions to see who is leading the change and how you can bring it to your company as well. |
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11:45 PM
Themed Lunch Discussions
During lunch, the tables will be divided into industries so leaders can pick where they want to sit and connect with others who are leading ESG and CSR in the same space:
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12:45 PM
Break
12:55 PM
Peer Advisory Roundtables
EXAMPLE TOPICS:
- ESG team structures
- Climate goal road mapping
- Supplier engagement strategies
- ESG regulatory readiness
1:30 PM
Peer Advisory Roundtables
EXAMPLE TOPICS:
- ESG executive education
- Water sustainability strategies
- Enterprise risk management and ESG: Coming together without clashing
- CSRD preparation
2:00 PM
Break
2:15 PM
Peer Advisory Roundtables
EXAMPLE TOPICS:
- Maintaining buy-in and momentum for social impact during economic uncertainty
- Innovating your social impact measurement
- Navigating a changing regulatory landscape as a global company
- Volunteer ambassador programs
2:45 PM
Adjourn
Please note: This agenda is subject to change based on speaker availability and scheduling.
