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 - 8:50 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
8:50 am - 9:00 am

Main Room

Chair's Opening Remarks

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

Leadership Panel: A Brave New World: Delivering Sustainability at Scale

Dana Haidan

Chief Sustainability Officer
Virgin Media O2

Against the backdrop of a cost-of-living crisis and the disruption of ecommerce engulfing the global economy. Winning the battle against green fatigue, achieving a triple bottom line to serve people planet and profit is no easy feat… <...

Against the backdrop of a cost-of-living crisis and the disruption of ecommerce engulfing the global economy. Winning the battle against green fatigue, achieving a triple bottom line to serve people planet and profit is no easy feat…

We ask how sustainability leadership are proactively reshaping their businesses for the better to survive and thrive during the economic downturn, shining a light on the role of their products, services and operations for a both social, sustainable impact while creating measurable value. In a turbulent world, how is purpose being understood, what are you doing to make it more than a marketing line and something that translates into strategy and business value?

• How are you positioning your company purpose to create more value through shifts in perspective and practice?

• How are you equipping people in your organisation for change and increasing demands?

• What hasn’t worked and why?

• What do ESRS & ISBB standards mean for sustainability practitioners and what can they do?

• How can organisations amplify the impact and effectiveness of their resources in a multivendor environment?
9:40 am - 10:00 am

Main Room

Sponsor Session: Technology for Positive Change

With seeds of new business formed in difficult times, we meet an organisation who emerged during tough times, exploring how innovation and collaboration supercharged their strategy.
10:10 am - 10:40 am

Main Room

Dragons Den - Speed Presentations

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

Our signature ‘Dragons’ Den’ session provides each solution provider with an opportunity to deliver a 60 second pitch, explaining why they are here and how their services can help tackle some of the sector’s ongoing challenges.
10:45 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 - 12:35 pm

Main Room

Debate: What do we Mean by Sustainable, Inclusive Growth?

Justin Placide

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

Chelsea Wallace

Global Head, Reputational and Sustainability Risk
Standard Chartered

Adam Dorontic

Sustainability Director
Gymshark

Emma Butchart

Strategic Risk Manager
SSE Energy Customer Solutions

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

High economic growth is a central goal of many nations and economies. However, some schola...

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

High economic growth is a central goal of many nations and economies. However, some scholars and policymakers are questioning how sustainable and desirable relentless growth is. In a business context, what do we mean by sustainable, inclusive growth, does economic growth cost too much or is it the path to global prosperity? We explore leadership ideas associated with these words…

• How do we support societies that are dependent on extractive industries in transition to a sustainable future?

• What trade-offs do we accept between business growth and our societal foundations?

• How do we encourage business to recognise the need for change in the status quo?

• Given the sensitive nature of some of these topics, how do we avoid them being politically charged and thereby losing progress?
12:40 pm - 1:10 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
This table discuss the ways they are streamlining data collection and reporting efforts, how they have identified tech reporting tools, which are worth the investment and why?

Engaging Collaboration
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.
1:15 pm - 2:45 pm

Main Room

Networking Lunch
2:45 pm - 3:05 pm

Main Room

Building Organisational Capabilities

Joseph Muscat

Environmental Stewardship & Innovation Senior Director
Haleon

We find ourselves in the age of urgency. Companies long ago caught on to the value of sustainability at a basic level, but the wheels need to turn faster. Much faster.

In this session we proactively Identify gaps and adopt approp...

We find ourselves in the age of urgency. Companies long ago caught on to the value of sustainability at a basic level, but the wheels need to turn faster. Much faster.

In this session we proactively Identify gaps and adopt appropriate educational initiatives for upskilling and sourcing the missing capabilities. Which innovative ways are being used to scale the new capabilities. Sharing and disseminating knowledge and best practices.
3:05 pm - 3:25 pm

Main Room

Gold Sponsor Workshops
3:30 pm - 3:50 pm

Main Room

Gold Sponsor Workshops
3:00 pm - 4:20 pm

Main Room

Global Trade: How Does our Work Fit into that Context?

Emmanuele Ogbonna

Senior Sustainability Manager // Assessor
HS2 // Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership

Kenneth Amaeshi

Sustainable Finance High Level Expert Group
European Commission

Amanda Wood

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

James Pitcher

Group Head of Sustainability
Bunzl

It’s a question made even more important by a rising awareness of the various issues in global trade, from hidden child labour to the destruction of rainforests and a potential resources war. The need for sustainability in global trade...

It’s a question made even more important by a rising awareness of the various issues in global trade, from hidden child labour to the destruction of rainforests and a potential resources war. The need for sustainability in global trade and international cooperation has never been more urgent and has the potential to be a force for good.

Armed with some significant incentives, trade finance providers are well positioned to help businesses achieve good ESG standards in their supply chains. But what does this mean for you and your suppliers and how will it impact you in the next 5, 10 years and beyond?
4:20 pm - 4:45 pm

Main Room

Sponsor Presentation: Gap Reporting: How do you Measure up?

The overhaul and redesign of internal systems and processes is a complex and daunting undertaking. In this session we learn how to identify gaps in your disclosure, process and where to prioritise resources to improve efficiency and over...

The overhaul and redesign of internal systems and processes is a complex and daunting undertaking. In this session we learn how to identify gaps in your disclosure, process and where to prioritise resources to improve efficiency and overall output.
4:45 pm - 4:55 pm

Main Room

Chair's Closing Remarks
4:55 pm - 7:45 pm

Main Room

Hotel Check-in/Free Time
7:45 pm - 10:00 pm

Main Room

Drinks Reception & Networking Dinner
2:45 pm - 3:05 pm

Breakout Room 1

Strategy Workshop: Mission Zero: What would you do?

Will Ennett

Head of Sustainability & ESG
TalkTalk

Let’s all imagine we are on the threshold of a geopolitical catastrophe, somewhere not beyond the current state. A few wrong moves and all this posturing and provocation could ignite into something far worse. It is up to the sustainabi...

Let’s all imagine we are on the threshold of a geopolitical catastrophe, somewhere not beyond the current state. A few wrong moves and all this posturing and provocation could ignite into something far worse. It is up to the sustainability leaders assembled at GSPN to try to war-game us back from the brink. Will from TalkTalk shall flesh out a scenario for testing resilience strategies, decision making and planning. How do you make the best of a bad set of options? How do you navigate a space that isn’t black and white, where the view of the decision-maker is blurred?

01 March 2024

9:00 am - 9:10 am

Main Room

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.
9:10 am - 9:50 am

Main Room

Panel Discussion: Mobilising Public & Private Sectors

Richard Ellis

Director of Sustainability
Peabody

David Kemp

Director of Sustainability
Turner & Townsend

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?
9:55 am - 10:15 am

Main Room

Panel Discussion: Global Trade: Sustainability Silos Stifling Progress?

Sustainability can no longer be addressed in a silo with ownership limited to an organisation’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) team. Organisations must take a holistic approach to sustainability across every aspect of operations...

Sustainability can no longer be addressed in a silo with ownership limited to an organisation’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) team. Organisations must take a holistic approach to sustainability across every aspect of operations, we ask what the key steps are to achieve this.

• How can you operationalise sustainability across multiple departments, where have you made progress and what have the implications been?

• Where have sustainability insights been harnessed to streamline your efforts and have you identified?

• What are the practical steps leadership can take to break the siloes and foster more collaboration?
10:15 am - 10:35 am

Main Room

Gold Sponsor Workshop

Transport
10:40 am - 11:00 am

Main Room

Gold Sponsor Workshops
11:00 am - 11:45 am

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.
11:50 am - 12:15 pm

Main Room

Open Forum: Ask me Anything

In an open forum style format, a leading sustainable authority will answer your questions and considerations for effective and accurate strategies. Starting with examples of engagement strategies are they are focusing on to access the ri...

In an open forum style format, a leading sustainable authority will answer your questions and considerations for effective and accurate strategies. Starting with examples of engagement strategies are they are focusing on to access the right data points and how they have successfully engaged employees and customers along the way.
12:20 pm - 1:00 pm

Main Room

Fireside chat: Working with Finance for Sustainable Change

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.
1:05 pm - 1:25 pm

Main Room

Closing Presentation: The Changemaker Mindset

Zoe Le Grand

UK & EU Director // CEO
Forum for the Future // Oasis Community Learning

As we crossed the threshold into 2024, a question echoed in the sustainability community: What are we going to do differently this year to turn things around? We need to make a critical mindset shift to build capacity for justice and reg...

As we crossed the threshold into 2024, a question echoed in the sustainability community: What are we going to do differently this year to turn things around? We need to make a critical mindset shift to build capacity for justice and regeneration.
1:25 pm - 1:30 pm

Main Room

Chair's Closing Remarks
1:30 pm - 2:00 pm

Main Room

Networking Lunch
10:15 am - 10:35 am

Breakout Room 1

Gold Sponsor Workshop

Packaging/Plastics

Day 1
Day 2

Delivering Tangible Solutions For Real-World Issues

Delivering Tangible Solutions For Real-World Issues

GSPN 2024 AGENDA

GSPN 202429th February - 1st March, Hilton Deansgate, Manchester

29 February 2024

8:00 am - 8:50 am

Main Room

Registration

8:50 am - 9:00 am

Main Room

Chair's Opening Remarks

9:00 am - 9:40 am

Main Room

Leadership Panel: A Brave New World: Delivering Sustainability at Scale

Dana Haidan

Chief Sustainability Officer Virgin Media O2

9:40 am - 10:00 am

Main Room

Sponsor Session: Technology for Positive Change

10:10 am - 10:40 am

Main Room

Dragons Den - Speed Presentations

10:45 am - 12:00 pm

Main Room

Coffee Break and Business Meetings

12:05 pm - 12:35 pm

Main Room

Debate: What do we Mean by Sustainable, Inclusive Growth?

Justin Placide

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

Chelsea Wallace

Global Head, Reputational and Sustainability Risk Standard Chartered

Adam Dorontic

Sustainability Director Gymshark

Emma Butchart

Strategic Risk Manager SSE Energy Customer Solutions

12:40 pm - 1:10 pm

Main Room

Interactive Roundtables

1:15 pm - 2:45 pm

Main Room

Networking Lunch

2:45 pm - 3:05 pm

Main Room

Building Organisational Capabilities

Joseph Muscat

Environmental Stewardship & Innovation Senior Director Haleon

3:05 pm - 3:25 pm

Main Room

Gold Sponsor Workshops

3:30 pm - 3:50 pm

Main Room

Gold Sponsor Workshops

3:00 pm - 4:20 pm

Main Room

Global Trade: How Does our Work Fit into that Context?

Emmanuele Ogbonna

Senior Sustainability Manager // Assessor HS2 // Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership

Kenneth Amaeshi

Sustainable Finance High Level Expert Group European Commission

Amanda Wood

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

James Pitcher

Group Head of Sustainability Bunzl

4:20 pm - 4:45 pm

Main Room

Sponsor Presentation: Gap Reporting: How do you Measure up?

4:45 pm - 4:55 pm

Main Room

Chair's Closing Remarks

4:55 pm - 7:45 pm

Main Room

Hotel Check-in/Free Time

7:45 pm - 10:00 pm

Main Room

Drinks Reception & Networking Dinner

2:45 pm - 3:05 pm

Breakout Room 1

Strategy Workshop: Mission Zero: What would you do?

Will Ennett

Head of Sustainability & ESG TalkTalk

GSPN 2024

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

Chief Sustainability Officer
Virgin Media O2

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

Global Head, Reputational and Sustainability Risk
Standard Chartered

Sustainability Director
Gymshark

Strategic Risk Manager
SSE Energy Customer Solutions

Environmental Stewardship & Innovation Senior Director
Haleon

Senior Sustainability Manager // Assessor
HS2 // Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership

Sustainable Finance High Level Expert Group
European Commission

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

Group Head of Sustainability
Bunzl

Head of Sustainability & ESG
TalkTalk

Trustee
The Green Alliance

Director of Sustainability
Peabody

Director of Sustainability
Turner & Townsend

UK & EU Director // CEO
Forum for the Future // Oasis Community Learning

GSPN 2024

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