Fall 2022 Sustainable Business Forum

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Featured Speakers
2. Pre-Read Recommended Materials
3. Agenda & Workbook Download
4. Event Health & Safety
5. CSB Corporate Sponsors

Featured speakers include:

Vishal Agrawal, Henry J. Blommer Family Endowed Chair in Sustainable Business and Professor of Operations Mgmt., Georgetown University

Vishal Agrawal is Henry J. Blommer Family Endowed Chair in Sustainable Business and Professor of Operations Mgmt. at Georgetown University. His research focus is sustainable operations, focusing on managerial challenges at the interface of business and the environment. His research interests and expertise extends across a variety of topics related to the role of businesses in addressing sustainability challenges such as circular economy, business model innovation, renewable energy, product development, supply chain sustainability and consumer behavior. His research has appeared in leading journals such as Management Science and M&SOM, and has received several awards. He is the Academic Director for several of the McDonough School of Business's initiatives and programs while also serving as Co-Director of the M.S. in Environment and Sustainability Management degree. His courses are related to sustainable business and operations at all levels.

Matthias Baumann, Adjunct Faculty, Pitt Executive MBA Program

Matthias Baumann serves as adjunct faculty for Pitt’s Executive MBA Program. He is a tenured executive with over 20 years of extensive international experience driving results and performance in the medical device and life science industry. He is passionate about forming and driving new business opportunities, creating new solutions by understanding common challenges, and creating actionable strategies and solutions to achieve the quadruple aim of healthcare directions.

CB Bhattacharya, Director at the Center for Sustainable Business

Dr. CB Bhattacharya is the H.J. Zoffer Chair in Sustainability and Ethics at the University of Pittsburgh. He is a world-renowned expert in business strategy innovation aimed at increasing both business and societal value. His book Small Actions Big Difference: Leveraging Corporate Sustainability to Drive Business and Societal Value is a guide that helps leaders accelerate their journey towards sustainable business models. With more than 49K+ citations to his name, he is recognized amongst the top 50 cited marketing scholars by Google Scholar. Dr. CB’s research focuses specifically on how companies can use underleveraged intangible assets such as corporate identity, sustainability, etc. to strengthen stakeholder relationships and drive value.

Martha Collins, Chief Technology Officer, HarbisonWalker

Martha Collins is the Chief Technology Officer at HarbisonWalker International. She brings 26 years of experience as an innovator in the chemical, oil, and gases industries. She has worked in both corporate and business-facing tech organizations to help business teams internally develop and acquire new products, platforms, and technologies. Her research and development efforts have led to the commercialization of more than 30 new products across diverse markets.

Ren DeCherney, Lead Built Environment, North America + Australasia, Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute

Ren DeCherney is a licensed interior designer who uses her first-hand experience of the complexities of the building industry to help designers and manufacturers translate their sustainability pledges into reality. Prior to joining the Institute as lead-built environment for NA and Australasia, she worked in Portland as a designer, as the Director of Industry Transparency at Source, and at the International Living Future Institute.

Scott Gola, Americas Sustainability Lead, Phillips

Scott Gola was formerly Americas Sustainability Lead at Philips. His responsibilities included chairing the Americas Sustainability Network, driving sustainability performance, building awareness and engagement, supporting management systems and compliance, integrating acquisitions, and tracking product stewardship developments, across manufacturing and R&D operations, in an integrated supply chain model in North, South and Central America.

Susan Lasecki-Coiro, Consulting Director of Sustainability Strategy at ERM

Susan Lasecki-Coiro is the Consulting Director of Sustainability Strategy at ERM. Delivering over 20 years of global commercial experience and success, utilizing in-depth expertise in change management, creating vision, setting strategy, and a clear understanding of business drivers to build best-in-class companies, teams, processes, & systems that translate into triple-bottom-line delivery.

Rick Lias, Owner of Lias Consulting, LLC

Rick Lias is the Owner of Lias Consulting, LLC. They specialize in helping PA consumers and organizations cut their fuel expenses in half by performing certified, EPA-compliant CNG conversions on new or nearly new vehicles. They have become well-known and trusted innovators in the CNG installation field, specializing in problem-solving and product performance enhancement.

Arielle Massillon, Program Manager, Sustainability & ESG, DICK's Sporting Goods

Arielle Massillon is the Program Manager of Sustainability & ESG at DICK's Sporting Goods. She is an innovative sustainability professional, eager to leverage her interpersonal skills and result-oriented mindset to drive impact. Formerly, she worked at Booz Allen Hamilton as a Senior Consultant and Environmental Specialist. Arielle earned her bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science from Villanova University and her MS in Global Technology and Development from Arizona State University.

Claire McCarthy, Manager of Net Zero Initiatives at the We Mean Business Coalition

Claire McCarthy is the Manager of Net Zero initiatives at the We Mean Business Coalition. She is responsible for the coordination and delivery of key net-zero initiatives within the Coalition, including programs that drive companies to commit to bold climate action and that accelerate corporate supply chain decarbonization.

Rachel Palopoli, Director of Circular Economy, Tarkett

Rachel Palopoli is the Director of Circular Economy at Tarkett. Formerly, she was Vice President of Sales and Operations at Planet Recycling, Inc followed by a position as Executive VP at Aquafil. She is a Goal-oriented EVP and Sustainability Director driving effective business and sustainability solutions through strategic planning and efficiencies that deliver on costs, revenue, and expansion growth targets.

Peter Perrault, Director and Head of Circular Economy, Enel North America

Peter Perrault is the Director and Head of Circular Economy at Enel North America. He is an Envision Sustainability Professional and a Sustainability Management Certified Professional. He was the 1st President of the Board of Directors for the Sustainability Management Association. With nearly 20 years of experience, his background has focused on evaluation, analysis, and implementation of Environmental Management Information Systems and sustainability performance, compliance and reporting software solutions. His other areas of focus include supply chain commodity and product traceability (in conjunction with the United Nations Global Compact), corporate sustainability strategy and business process optimization, reclaimed water use in industrial applications, energy-efficient data centers, and GHG emissions accounting and reporting

Dhruv Raina, Analytics and Performance of NA ESG Measurements, Accenture

Dhruv Raina specializes in the Analytics and Performance of NA ESG Measurements at Accenture. Formerly Dhruv worked for Tarkett as the Director of Product Sustainability. Prior to joining Tarkett, Dhruv led the product sustainability efforts for Owens Corning where he was instrumental in aligning sustainability efforts to the growth of the business. He was also responsible to set in place a Net Positive roadmap for the company.

Justine Russo, Director of Sustainability and Business Intelligence, PITT OHIO

Justine Russo is the Director of Sustainability and Business Intelligence for PITT OHIO, where she leads award-winning sustainability programs. This includes heading the cross-functional Steering Committee, implementing the company’s carbon calculator, and reporting on actionable sustainability metrics. In 2017, she joined the Board of Directors of Sustainable Pittsburgh. As part of her role at PITT OHIO, Justine also develops data-driven solutions, delivering analysis and tools that leverage information from throughout the organization, with a concentration on customer, marketing, and sales analytics.

Dr. David Sanchez, Associate Director, Mascaro Center for Sustainable Innovation

David Sanchez is the Associate Director of the Mascaro Center for Sustainable Innovation. He is responsible for building research and scholarly initiatives around Sustainable Water, Sustainable Food, Sustainable Innovation, and Global Engagement. Dr. Sanchez is also responsible for managing and directing MCSI’s Faculty, Education, and Community Engagement programs, which include the John C. Mascaro Faculty program, the Len Peters Faculty Fellows, the Community Education Fellows, the Master’s in Sustainable Engineering, the university-wide undergraduate certificate in sustainability and the Student Sustainable Innovation Fund. He also oversees the undergraduate and graduate sustainability curriculum and our K-12 programming.

Katie Schindall, Vice President of Decarbonization Strategy and Transformation, Schneider Electric

Katie Schindall is the Vice President of Decarbonization Strategy and Transformation at Schneider Electric. She is an experienced cross-functional leader with a proven track record of working collaboratively to envision, design, and implement pragmatic, holistic strategies to advance sustainability across the value chain and product lifecycle in global organizations.

Helene York, Global Supply Chain Innovator + Strategic Advisor, The Food Business School

Helene York serves as adjunct faculty at The Food Business. Now a private consultant after 2 decades as a supply chain innovator with global and national experience for Bon Appetit Management Company, Compass Group at Google, and Guckenheimer Enterprises, Helene has made a career of questioning business as usual, partnering with chefs, and building trust among suppliers and distributors to move in new directions.

Grant Vandenbussche, Chief Category Officer, Fifth Season

Grant Vandenbussche is Chief Category Officer at Fifth Season, a robotics and indoor farming pioneer based in Pittsburgh. Grant holds a BA in Supply Chain Management from Michigan State University and an MBA from the Tepper School of Business at Carnegie Mellon University. Grant previously held a variety of international operations and strategy roles at General Mills, where he discovered his passion for high-tech sustainable food systems. Grant’s Midwest journey has taken him from Detroit, up to Minneapolis, and now to Pittsburgh.

Andrew Winston, Author, Speaker, Adviser and Driver of Change

Andrew Winston is a globally-recognized expert on megatrends and how to build companies that thrive by serving the world. Named to Thinkers50 list of the top management thinkers in the world, he is the author of the bestsellers Green to Gold, The Big Pivot, and most recently, Net Positive: How Courageous Companies Thrive by Giving More than They Take (co-authored with renowned CEO Paul Polman). Net Positive was one of the Financial Times’ Best Business Books of the Year. Andrew received degrees in economics, business, and environmental management from Princeton, Columbia, and Yale.

 Pre-Work Recommended Materials (strongly encouraged)

We recognize that many of you will not have sufficient time to read extensively in advance of the meeting. As such, we have carefully selected material to help you prepare for our discussions, keeping in mind the need to balance substantive contribution, readability, and technical expertise. You are strongly encouraged to review these documents in advance. 

RETHINKING SUSTAINABILITY IN LIGHT OF THE EU’S NEW CIRCULAR ECONOMY POLICY

by Atalay Atasu, Vishal Agrawal, Michael Rinaldi, Rob Herb, and Sezer Ulku

Co-Written by Academic Keynote speaker Vishal Agrawal, this Harvard Business Review article outlines 3 approaches to circular economy strategies. (Recommended pages, 1-6)

NATURE INSPIRED SUPPLY CHAIN SOLUTIONS: DEFINITIONS, ANALOGIES, AND FUTURE RESEARCH DIRECTIONS

by Nazli Turken, Vincent Cannataro, Avinash Geda, & Ashutosh Dixit

This paper from the International Journal of Production Reserach suggests nature as a source of prospective solutions to resilient and circular supply chain challenge. (Recommended pages, 5-7, Section 3)

WAGING PEACE THROUGH COMMERCE BY DESIGN

by William McDonough and Partners

This e-book is a primer on the Cradle to Cradle principles for circular design and we are thrilled that our industry panel this year will include Ren DeCherney from the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute. (Recommending pages: 3-7, 9-10, 15-16, includes graphic representations of many of the ideas)

Agenda

DAY 0 - TUESDAY, OCTOBER 18TH

​8:00-9:00 AM – CSB Solution Saloon [Remote]: Your C-Suite’s candid intimate time with:

Andrew Winston, Author, Speaker, Adviser and Driver of Change, Winston Eco-Strategies
CB Bhattacharya, CSB Director & H.J. Zoffer Chair in Sustainability & Ethics

DAY 1 - WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 19TH

• 11:30-12:00 PM – Registration and Networking Lunch
• 12:00-12:30 PM – Priming: Group Introductions, Opening Remarks & Presentation
  • CB Bhattacharya, CSB Director & H.J. Zoffer Chair in Sustainability & Ethics
• 12:30-1:30 PM – Industry Keynote Fireside – Beyond Reporting: Operationalize Your Sustainable Supply Chain Goals
  • Susan Lasecki-Coiro, Consulting Director Sustainability Strategy, ERM
  • Moderated by Arielle Massillon, Program Manager, Sustainability & ESG, DICK'S Sporting Goods
• 1:30-1:45 PM – Break / Networking / Working Huddle
• 1:45-2:45 PM – Breakout Sessions: Taking Stock of Existing Initiatives: Establishing a Baseline
• 2:45-3:00 PM – Break / Networking / Working Huddle
• 3:00-4:00 PM – Panel: Leading the Race to Zero Emissions Supply Chains your Company Needs by 2030
  • Claire McCarthy, Manager, Net Zero, We Mean Business Coalition
  • Ren DeCherney, Lead Built Environment NA + Austrailasia, Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute
  • Rachel Palopoli, Director Circular Economy, Tarkett
  • Katie Schindall, VP Decarbonization Strategy and Transformation, Schneider Electric
  • Moderated by Justine Russo, Dir. Sustainability & Business Intelligence, PITT OHIO
• 4:00-5:00 PM – Panel: Through the Suppliers Lens and People in the Thick of It
• 5:00-8:00 PM – Cocktails and Colloquium

DAY 2 - THURSDAY, OCTOBER 20TH 

• 7:30-8:00 AM – Coffee and Conversation
• 8:00-9:00 AM – Workshop Discussions of Hot Topics in Supply Chains [SEQUENTIAL]
  • “Developing Supply Chains”: Helene York, Adjunct Faculty, The Food Business School
  • Moderated by Matthias Bauman, Visiting Lecturer, Katz Executive MBA Program
  • “Zero Waste is Possible”: Scott Golla, former Americas Sustainability Lead, Philips
• 9:00-9:50 AM – Academic Keynote Address – Company Barriers and Breakthroughs to Circular Supply Chains
  • Vishal Agrawal, BSI Director & Henry J. Blommer Family Endowed Chair in Sustainable Business, Georgetown
  • Moderated by Dhruv Raina, North America ESG Measurement, Analytics & Performance, Accenture
• 9:50-10:00 AM – Break / Networking / Working Huddle
• 10:00-11:00 AM – Breakout Sessions: "Collaborating towards a Circular Economy”
  • Facilitated by Peter Perrault, Director and Head of Circular Economy, Enel North America
• 11:00-11:40 AM – Key Takeaways and Actions Come Monday
  • Moderated by David Sanchez, Associate Director at the Mascaro Center for Sustainable Innovation
• 11:40-12:00 PM – Survey and Feedback
• OPTIONAL: 2:00-7:00 PM – 3 Years of CSB, Anniversary Celebration with Reception to Follow

DAY 3 - OPTIONAL - FRIDAY, OCTOBER 21ST

• 1:00-3:00 – Follow On, Sustainable Business Field Trip to Hazelwood Green

Event Health & Safety

In order to facilitate an inclusive event for all attendees, we are requiring that all attendees be fully vaccinated to attend in person activities. Boosters are not required but strongly recommended. 

While we are looking forward to gathering as a community, we encourage you to participate in the way that is most accessible to you. We will be providing remote access to the event should you be feeling ill or test positive for COVID-19 prior to the SBF. Testing prior to attendance is not required but strongly encouraged.

University policy dictates that masks are required in all university buildings if community levels are high. If community levels are medium or low in Allegheny County, we strongly encourage masking for all SBF activities but it is not required. We will have masks and hand santitizer available for attendees. Masking is also encouraged for travel.

Our Wednesday evening Cocktails and Colloquium will be at a covered, outdoor venue to maximize airflow and health safety.

If you have any additional access requirements, please reach out to kristen.p.ahern@pitt.edu to discuss accommodations.