Delivering Tangible Solutions For Real-World Issues

GSPN 2024 AGENDA

GSPN is a unique, two-day learning and networking event which brings together the most inspirational leaders and transformational suppliers in global sustainability to share cutting-edge insight, knowledge and experience. Our agenda is carefully curated to address the most relevant and emerging challenges in the sector.

GSPN 2024

29th February - 1st March, Hilton Deansgate, Manchester

Day 1
Day 2

29 February 2024

8:00 am - 8:40 am

Main Room

Registration

We’re inspired by the change we wish to see in the world — one where business, society and sustainability coexist. Join us for an agenda of action, navigating CSRD and the overhaul of sustainable design, supply chain, people & go...

We’re inspired by the change we wish to see in the world — one where business, society and sustainability coexist. Join us for an agenda of action, navigating CSRD and the overhaul of sustainable design, supply chain, people & governance
8:45 am - 8:55 am

Main Room

Chair's Opening Remarks

Laura Gelder-Robertson

Assessor
Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL)

Welcome to the Global Sustainability Partnership Network. We’ve never been in such a challenging landscape as we are now, and at times like this we need each other. What we want to do is share evidence-based practice to support each ot...

Welcome to the Global Sustainability Partnership Network. We’ve never been in such a challenging landscape as we are now, and at times like this we need each other. What we want to do is share evidence-based practice to support each other in the coming times. Across the two days, there is going to be something there for everybody.
8:55 am - 9:35 am

Main Room

Leadership Panel: Disruptive Sustainability: Challenging the Status Quo

Laura Gelder-Robertson

Assessor
Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL)

Martin Wayman

Group Director of Corporate Responsibility
FirstGroup

Andy Clarke

Head of Sustainability & Public Affairs UK & I
Bayer

Mark Jones

Chief Sustainability Officer
The Hut Group

David Middlemiss

Director Sustainability Taskforce
Competition and Markets Authority

As we crossed the threshold into 2024, an election year for over two billion people in 40 countries, a question echoed in the sustainability community: What are we going to do differently this year to turn things around?

Good str...

As we crossed the threshold into 2024, an election year for over two billion people in 40 countries, a question echoed in the sustainability community: What are we going to do differently this year to turn things around?

Good strategy should always start with asking the right questions for the ESG board, for today’s leaders the questions are vast, profound – and soluble.

• What does it take to become a truly sustainable business in 2024? How are you positioning your company purpose to create more value through shifts in perspective and practice?

• How do you navigate such a complex environment? What are the greatest opportunities and risks you’ve identified for your ESG Boards?

• What does the interoperability of CSRD and ISBB standards mean for sustainability practitioners? How are you approaching scaling and automating your efforts around data for CSRD reporting?

• As a regulator, what are the key areas businesses need further guidance?

• How do you grapple with your engagement strategy both internally and externally? What can you do on your own and what can’t you?

• One key takeaway you’d give people (on disruptive sustainability: challenging the status quo)…?
9:40 am - 10:10 am

Main Room

The Circular Economy: Strategies and models for sustainable business

Sebastian Munden

Chair
WRAP

Why aren’t more companies inventing new, more competitive, and resilient circular business models? How big is the circular economy? What have some companies done to disrupt the ‘business as usual’ approach? How will customer be...

Why aren’t more companies inventing new, more competitive, and resilient circular business models? How big is the circular economy? What have some companies done to disrupt the ‘business as usual’ approach? How will customer behaviour and significant market disruption from the circular economy drive companies to innovate? Some strategies and examples of success.
10:10 am - 10:30 am

Main Room

Project Carbon Harvest – Pioneering low carbon food, fuel and farming

Phillip Lukas

Chief Executive Officer
Future Biogas Ltd

What if we could decarbonise industrial gas demand without infrastructure investment or barriers to entry?

What if this solution could help decarbonise agriculture, was fully certifiable and additional, captures CO2 and strengthen...

What if we could decarbonise industrial gas demand without infrastructure investment or barriers to entry?

What if this solution could help decarbonise agriculture, was fully certifiable and additional, captures CO2 and strengthens energy security?

Project Carbon Harvest is generating unsubsidised biomethane and permanently geologically sequestering CO2 in partnership with forward-thinking organisations.

Net Zero is the Future – Biogas is our contribution.

Join us on the journey.
10:35 am - 10:55 am

Main Room

Dragons Den - Speed Presentations

Our signature ‘Dragons’ Den’ session provides each solution provider with an opportunity to deliver a short 60 second pitch, explaining why they are here and how their services can help tackle some of the sector’s ongoing challen...

Our signature ‘Dragons’ Den’ session provides each solution provider with an opportunity to deliver a short 60 second pitch, explaining why they are here and how their services can help tackle some of the sector’s ongoing challenges.
11:00 am - 12:15 pm

Main Room

Coffee Break and Business Meetings

15 minute meetings with suppliers who are offering solutions most relevant to your challenges. Please check the schedule on the back of your delegate pass for your meeting timings.
12:20 pm - 1:00 pm

Main Room

Panel Discussion: Operationalising Sustainability: Unlocking Revenue Streams

Laura Gelder-Robertson

Assessor
Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL)

Sinead Conway

Corporate Responsibility Programme Director
Burberry

Andrew Boyd

Chief Sustainability Officer
Perfetti Van Melle

David Shaw

Sustainability Director
Kraft Heinz

Carly Wallis

Senior Sustainability Lead, News and World Service
BBC

We are at the beginning of a rapid growth projection. This session deep dives into the opportunities offered by emerging strategies that deliver sustainable value, including the role of customer expectations, circular models, change mana...

We are at the beginning of a rapid growth projection. This session deep dives into the opportunities offered by emerging strategies that deliver sustainable value, including the role of customer expectations, circular models, change management strategies and new approaches that are integrating sustainability into the organisation’s wider purpose. We ask multiple sectors how they are going about this and how those will benefit from reduced operational costs, less reliance on scarce resources and fluctuating commodity cycles.

• Rethinking customer experiences, changing consumption habits, and reimagining ownership: exploring journeys from brands navigating circular solutions from repair to recycling, packaging & waste, electrifying fleets, buildings, re-use and beyond…

• Discussing the additional benefits of alternative revenue streams, and emerging strategies to operationalise sustainability, from customer loyalty to data.
1:00 pm - 1:30 pm

Main Room

Interactive Roundtables

Balancing Sustainability with Profit
This table will share and identify the key barriers to profitability trade-off decisions related to sustainability goals. With new reporting where will this translate into quan...

Balancing Sustainability with Profit
This table will share and identify the key barriers to profitability trade-off decisions related to sustainability goals. With new reporting where will this translate into quantifiable profitable results while still meeting the increasing demands of customers?

Building Resilience & Mitigating Risk
What progress and pitfalls are cross-sector companies currently experiencing, to reduce emissions while integrating these within core business strategies. Which opportunities are they unlocking on their journeys to next zero targets? If you are grappling with short and long-term strategies this table is for you.

Identifying Gaps in Reporting
Prioritising next steps given the significant volume in disclosure gaps that most companies are experiencing. What data do you have, what gaps do you have, what’s material — and can you determine all this at the same time?

Sustainable Data Methodologies
Shaping business strategy through data is paramount. This table discuss how they are leveraging industry technologies to collect data points from across their business to shape investment and strategy decisions.

Breaking the Siloes
Today, sustainability efforts are often siloed and set apart from business processes. In the future, sustainability will be integrated with process excellence and good business practices. We ask the table how they are making sustainability part of their operations.

Building a Sustainable Culture
There’s nothing quite like internal validation. When employees are highly engaged with your company’s green initiatives, it builds credibility and leads to higher productivity, creativity, and loyalty. This table share strategies for greater engagement.

Adopting Technologies
There may be a silver lining to an economic downturn, an uptick in innovation. This table discuss the ways they are adopting innovation across the organisation, identifying which technologies are worth the investment and why

Engaging Suppliers
Put simply collaboration works. This table discuss how they are building sustainable sectors and value networks, prototyping innovations, and new systems, sharing their journeys for scale up using both existing and new activities for more impact
1:30 pm - 2:10 pm

Main Room

Networking Lunch

An opportunity to connect with your peers and suppliers to talk over the learnings from the event. Lunch is served buffet style and a range of options are available to cater for different dietary requirements.
2:10 pm - 2:50 pm

Main Room

Panel Discussion: Putting the S in ESG

Zoe Le Grand

Managing Director
Forum for the Future

Dr Selin Calik

Climate Change Scientist and Green Energy Observer // Founder & CEO
UNFCCC // Women in Smart Energy

Emmanuele Ogbonna

Assessor
Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership

Justin Placide

Head of Net Zero Governance, Briefing and Fiscal Events
Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy (BEIS)

Lucy Healy

Responsible Supply Chain & Governance
Balfour Beatty

For far too long ‘social impact’ or the ‘S’ in ESG has felt discretionary. Or worse- about brands adopting a social cause to burnish their reputation. The justice agenda demands more. It asks hard questions about equality, human ...

For far too long ‘social impact’ or the ‘S’ in ESG has felt discretionary. Or worse- about brands adopting a social cause to burnish their reputation. The justice agenda demands more. It asks hard questions about equality, human rights, employment, unionisation and who benefits from supply chain labour. It is undoubtedly harder to run a fun comms campaign about these matters, but increasingly necessary to stay relevant. What will be the drivers of sustainability in 2024 and how can you ensure to integrate the S, without losing sight of the E?

Talking points:

• What does the S mean and how are we implementing it in 2024?

• What are the ethical questions and ethical implications we need to be asking ourselves when it comes to human rights, supply chain labour and the impact of climate change in developing countries?

• How can we combine energy with ESG, incorporating efforts with the middle east?

• Why is the role of health and decarbonising healthcare at the heart of climate action?
2:55 pm - 3:15 pm

Main Room

Beyond the Baseline: How to Scale Accretive Energy Improvements Across a Building Portfolio

Manish Sharma

Vice President Chief Product Officer
Honeywell

Vikram Bhardwaj

Business Development Leader - UK/ Europe
Honeywell

• Have you looked at baselining your building portfolios energy use? Do you know where to start?
• Do you know how you would scale energy improvements across your portfolio to fit within your budgets?
• Do you look at f...

• Have you looked at baselining your building portfolios energy use? Do you know where to start?
• Do you know how you would scale energy improvements across your portfolio to fit within your budgets?
• Do you look at funding such improvements through OpEx or CapEx?
• What energy conservation improvements are the biggest priorities for your organization?
• What’s the potential biggest challenge?
• Is the varying age of the buildings in your portfolio a factor when considering scaling improvements?
3:20 pm - 3:40 pm

Main Room

Nature-Positive: Transforming a business model for profit and planet

Oliver Carpenter

Director of Environmental Risk Analytics
Risilience

Nature-positive is the latest movement to reshape the corporate landscape. Major businesses, including the likes of Salesforce, GSK, Holcim, and Unilever, are setting out their plans to contribute to a nature-positive world.

But ...

Nature-positive is the latest movement to reshape the corporate landscape. Major businesses, including the likes of Salesforce, GSK, Holcim, and Unilever, are setting out their plans to contribute to a nature-positive world.

But many firms are only just beginning to grapple with climate risks and transition plans, so how can they also address the many complexities of nature? How do companies respond to the likes of CSRD while avoiding greenwashing and maintaining profitability? Can companies afford not to act on nature?

This session seeks to uncover how companies can assess the nexus of climate and nature, gear up for regulatory reporting, and make the business case for radical action to reach nature positive this decade.
3:45 pm - 5:00 pm

Main Room

Coffee Break and Business Meetings

15 minute meetings with suppliers who are offering solutions most relevant to your challenges. Please check the schedule on the back of your delegate pass for your meeting timings.
5:05 pm - 5:25 pm

Main Room

How to Fail Fast and Win in Sustainability

Will Ennett

Head of Sustainability & ESG
TalkTalk

In this interactive session, we will reflect on challenges faced by environment and sustainability professionals in trying to change their organisations and embed sustainable thinking. We will hear from the audience on their stories and ...

In this interactive session, we will reflect on challenges faced by environment and sustainability professionals in trying to change their organisations and embed sustainable thinking. We will hear from the audience on their stories and tips on how to successfully influence people and teams to create a sustainable organisation.

Moves to the open discussion:

Key other questions to discuss in the table:

• Where are some of the unforeseen risks and how are you responding to them?

• Can you give a good anecdote or story of a time you failed to, influence someone in an organisation, resulting in a more sustainable outcome?
5:25 pm - 5:45 pm

Main Room

Special Guest Speaker & Closing Presentation: Never Waste a Crisis: Leveraging Creativity and Innovation for Sustainable Transformation

Eddy Altman

Physicist Climate Scientist and Guest Speaker
Creative Conscience

In today’s world, environmental and social crises are at the forefront, posing significant challenges to businesses globally. However, amidst these challenges lies an opportunity for transformation. By integrating sustainability in...

In today’s world, environmental and social crises are at the forefront, posing significant challenges to businesses globally. However, amidst these challenges lies an opportunity for transformation. By integrating sustainability into business practices, companies can mitigate their impact and unlock new avenues for growth. Through inspiring case studies and empowering stories like Eddy’s, we see how creativity and innovation can drive positive change. Collaboration and partnerships are essential in tackling sustainability challenges collectively. As advocates for purpose-driven creative thinking, we urge individuals and organizations to embrace innovation and work towards a more sustainable future. Together, let’s harness the power of creativity to address today’s pressing issues and create a better world for generations to come.
5:45 pm - 7:30 pm

Main Room

Hotel Check-in/Down Time
7:30 pm - 10:00 pm

Main Room

Drinks Reception & Networking Dinner
2:55 pm - 3:15 pm

Breakout Room 1

Stay ahead of your emissions and climate impact

Andrew Peterson

Product Manager
EcoOnline

EcoOnline’s sustainability management software gives you a deeper understanding of your measuring, reporting, and monitoring requirements. Make informed decisions to help reduce your organisation’s carbon footprint with access to acc...

EcoOnline’s sustainability management software gives you a deeper understanding of your measuring, reporting, and monitoring requirements. Make informed decisions to help reduce your organisation’s carbon footprint with access to accurate auditable data. From today’s to future compliance legislation, our sustainability software can help you stay ahead of your emissions and climate impact.
• Tools to support reporting across all 3 ESG pillars, centred around robust, repeatable and auditable carbon reporting.
• A partner for the present and the future to support reporting for emerging frameworks such as CSRD.
• A breadth of services and expertise to protect people and the planet.
3:20 pm - 3:40 pm

Breakout Room 1

Making Net Zero Transition Plans Work

Tim Crozier-Cole

Associate Director, Head of Aim for Zero Corporates
Verco

Having a robust net zero Transition Plan is on the to-do list for many companies over the coming years. How do we make sure that they are not seen as another compliance requirement and deliver real business benefit? This session will p...

Having a robust net zero Transition Plan is on the to-do list for many companies over the coming years. How do we make sure that they are not seen as another compliance requirement and deliver real business benefit? This session will provide a briefing on Transition Plans and tips on how to use them to accelerate progress across the ESG agenda.
2:55 pm - 3:15 pm

Breakout Room 2

The other side of the coin: climate risk and resilience

Andrew Forsyth

Head of Climate Resilience and Sustainability (UK)
Zurich Resilience Solutions

An opportunity to learn how climate change driven extreme weather events are impacting organisations and how those ‘in the know’ are combining data and climate risk assessments to make their assets resilient.
3:20 pm - 3:40 pm

Breakout Room 2

Empowering Businesses with Sustainable Energy Solutions

Michael Firth

Senior Customer Solutions Manager
ESB Energy Business Solutions

ESB Energy’s presentation focuses on empowering businesses in the UK with tailored energy solutions for sustainability and decarbonisation. We introduce our collaborative approach to understanding client needs and integrating sustainab...

ESB Energy’s presentation focuses on empowering businesses in the UK with tailored energy solutions for sustainability and decarbonisation. We introduce our collaborative approach to understanding client needs and integrating sustainability into business strategies. Our energy solutions portfolio includes accessible funding options, innovative programs, and customisable solutions for large energy users. Throughout the presentation, we highlight the benefits of partnering with ESB Energy, supported by real-world case studies. We encourage businesses to explore partnership opportunities for a brighter, sustainable future.

01 March 2024

8:50 am - 9:00 am

Main Room

Welcome Back - Chair's Opening Remarks

Benet Northcote

Trustee
The Green Alliance

Welcome to the Global Sustainability Partnership Network. We’ve never been in such a challenging landscape as we are now, and at times like this we need each other. What we want to do is share evidence-based practice to support each ot...

Welcome to the Global Sustainability Partnership Network. We’ve never been in such a challenging landscape as we are now, and at times like this we need each other. What we want to do is share evidence-based practice to support each other in the coming times. Across the two days, there is going to be something there for everybody.
9:00 am - 9:40 am

Main Room

Is a Sustainable, Profitable Supply Chain within Reach?

Benet Northcote

Trustee
The Green Alliance

Amanda Wood

Director of Sustainability - Supply Chain & Social // Chair
BAE Systems // CIPS Aerospace & Defence Procurement Group (ADPG)

Adam Dorontic

Sustainability Director
Gymshark

Joseph Muscat

Environmental Stewardship & Innovation Senior Director
Haleon

James Pitcher

Group Head of Sustainability
Bunzl

Supply chains matter. The plumbing of global commerce has rarely been a topic of much discussion in newsrooms or boardrooms, but the past two years have pushed the subject to the top of the agenda. This new era presents significant chall...

Supply chains matter. The plumbing of global commerce has rarely been a topic of much discussion in newsrooms or boardrooms, but the past two years have pushed the subject to the top of the agenda. This new era presents significant challenges for supply chains including everything from logistics, resourcing, manufacturing, and packaging, alongside grappling with shifts in customer behaviour, the surge in e-commerce, shifts in global trade agreements, and a growing demand for sustainability.

With supply chains in the global spotlight, this session seeks to explore the new priorities and wider collaboration required to create a supply chain that is fit for the future.
9:45 am - 10:05 am

Main Room

Fireside Chat: Embedding Circularity: Making the Impossible, Possible

Benet Northcote

Trustee
The Green Alliance

Duncan Flack

Chairman and Founder
CiPPA

From 2016 onwards, Duncan became bored and frustrated of sitting in endless “talking shops” around the problems presented by blister packs year after year, listening to how difficult and challenging they were to ecycle, and how nothi...

From 2016 onwards, Duncan became bored and frustrated of sitting in endless “talking shops” around the problems presented by blister packs year after year, listening to how difficult and challenging they were to ecycle, and how nothing was being done about it, and how the industry really should address the issue.

In 2021 after running down many blind alleys, and bumping into endless brick walls, he eventually managed to help to set up the UKs first blister recycling facility in the North of England, and then in 2023 picked up a nascent project. We hear an inspiring personal journey of how he launched the CiPPA Initiative, which has already developed interest throughout Big Pharma organisations, Global OTC brands and key figures in the NHS.

We ask him about some of the practical steps required to embed circularity, examples of strategies for reducing, collecting reprocessing, and promoting circularity, and what lessons can be learned and applied to other sectors from pharmaceutical packaging?
10:10 am - 10:30 am

Main Room

Sustainable IT: A Proven Path to Scope 3 Reduction

Steve Haskew

Director of Sustainability & Client Engagement
Circular Computing

Climate change hinges on supply chain progress, a goal that Circular Computing actively champions. Decarbonising end user computing by a third of a tonne of CO2eq per user, contributes to the fight against the global warming. As the mar...

Climate change hinges on supply chain progress, a goal that Circular Computing actively champions. Decarbonising end user computing by a third of a tonne of CO2eq per user, contributes to the fight against the global warming. As the market leader in laptop remanufacturing, we’re pioneering the transition to a circular economy.
By incorporating our remanufactured laptops into a Sustainable Procurement policy, businesses can tackle their computing carbon footprints. We offer BSI-verified solutions, as the world’s only provider of this kind, enabling a seamless transition from linear models. Embrace the circular economy – it’s simpler than you think and starts with exploration.
10:35 am - 10:55 am

Main Room

What is the National Education Park and how is it educating children?

Juanita Shepherd FRGS

Policy Lead, National Education Nature Park
Sustainability & Climate Change Unit Strategic Policy Directorate

Joe Billington

Deputy Director for Sustainability and Climate Change Unit
Department for Education

Education is one of the key tools we have in the fight against climate change. In this session we hear about the award scheme from the Department for Education.
11:00 am - 12:00 pm

Main Room

Coffee Break and Business Meetings

15 minute meetings with suppliers who are offering solutions most relevant to your challenges. Please check the schedule on the back of your delegate pass for your meeting timings.
12:05 pm - 12:45 pm

Main Room

Mobilising Public & Private Sectors

Benet Northcote

Trustee
The Green Alliance

Richard Ellis

Director of Sustainability
Peabody

David Kemp

Director of Sustainability
Turner & Townsend

Sarah Greenwood

Assistant Director, Sustainability & Design
Homes England

Rita Dimitri

Head of Sustainability
Wates Group

Achieving a sustainable, equitable and inclusive economy requires not only strong strategies but also rigorous oversight to ensure progress is made at every level. How can we guarantee accountability and mobilise leaders across both publ...

Achieving a sustainable, equitable and inclusive economy requires not only strong strategies but also rigorous oversight to ensure progress is made at every level. How can we guarantee accountability and mobilise leaders across both public and private sectors to work together towards these objectives unanimously and determinedly? We explore this within the context of housing and identify the opportunities that can be applied to other sectors within the circular economy.
12:50 pm - 1:10 pm

Main Room

Fireside Chat: Working with Finance & Legal for Sustainable Change

Benet Northcote

Trustee
The Green Alliance

Kenneth Amaeshi

Professor of Sustainable Finance and Governance
European University Institute

John Burton

Environmental and Sustainability, Advice, Performance and Reporting Lead
Civil Aviation Authority

As sustainability and finance continue to work more closely, we ask how finance professionals define quality non-financial data, producing reports shareholders can trust, and how more broadly, sustainability leadership and financial inst...

As sustainability and finance continue to work more closely, we ask how finance professionals define quality non-financial data, producing reports shareholders can trust, and how more broadly, sustainability leadership and financial institutions can work together to accelerate the transition.
1:15 pm - 1:35 pm

Main Room

The Changemaker Mindset

Martin Koehring

Global Director of Impact
Forum for the Future

Sustainable Transformation: the mindset of how to do everything differently.
1:35 pm - 1:40 pm

Main Room

Chair's Closing Remarks
1:40 pm - 2:15 pm

Main Room

Networking Lunch
10:10 am - 10:30 am

Breakout Room 1

Sustainability and ESG : Emerging Risks and Technology Solutions.

Peter Walsh

ESH Market Strategy and Partnership
Benchmark Gensuite

This presentation will explore emerging sustainability and ESG legislation, and how this is impacting risk management for corporations. Managers need to process unprecedented volumes of data, identify and mitigate risk, and communicate e...

This presentation will explore emerging sustainability and ESG legislation, and how this is impacting risk management for corporations. Managers need to process unprecedented volumes of data, identify and mitigate risk, and communicate effectively to the executive level and external stakeholders. Delinquency carries significant penalties. How can technology support current sustainability and ESG programs, and how can AI be used to automate complex workflows across enterprise systems?
10:35 am - 10:55 am

Breakout Room 1

What's in Store for 2024 for Resources and Waste?

Leigh Broadhurst

Environment & Sustainable Development Lead, Recycling and Recovery
SUEZ

2024 will see us face a combination of policy shifts, stricter regulations and innovative approaches presenting a landscape of challenges and opportunities. We hear from SUEZ about the how this evolution is re-shaping how we manage resou...

2024 will see us face a combination of policy shifts, stricter regulations and innovative approaches presenting a landscape of challenges and opportunities. We hear from SUEZ about the how this evolution is re-shaping how we manage resources and waste.