Sustainable Life Media Recognized by Governor Schwarzenegger and California EPA Secretary as Sustainable Brands '10 Opens in Monterey

MONTEREY, Calif., June 8 /PRNewswire/ -- Sustainable Brands 2010 (SB '10) -- In recognition of Sustainable Life Media's (SLM) contribution to helping make California and the world a cleaner, greener, healthier place, Secretary Linda Adams of the California Environmental Protection Agency honored SLM's President/CEO KoAnn Vikoren Skrzyniarz with Certificate of Appreciation at the company's annual Sustainable Brands 2010 (SB '10) conference on Monday, June 7.

"Our mission is to support, inspire and challenge companies to build better brands that will contribute to a healthy and abundant future for all. We are deeply grateful for this recognition from the state and welcome it as a testament to the continued leadership and environmental and social innovation coming out of our community," said Ms. Skrzyniarz.

The fourth annual conference opened with keynotes from Bill Marquard, author of "Succeeding in a Wal-Smart World," who spoke on getting more visibility in corporate board rooms by focusing on the power of And.  Dr. Robert Epstein, renowned creativity expert also spoke on the importance of building a culture of sustainability innovation if we are to solve the thorny problems that are bound to continue to come at us in the coming decades.  Earlier that day, Dr. Epstein led a workshop providing attendees tangible tools for unleashing innovation in their organizations. The opening session closed with Eric Park of Ziba Design and Marc Mathieu, former global brand executive from Coca-Cola, speaking to the opportunity of the community gathered to play a key role in helping create consumer pull for more sustainable consumption.

This year's conference has seen the emergence of key trends for 2010, including a stepped up effort by many to go beyond compliance in their environmental and CSR goal setting. A new study announced as a joint venture between SLM and Zumer.com chronicles where the top 10 companies across 10 industries sit as it relates to setting innovation oriented sustainability goals.  The accomplishment of many this year who have achieved zero waste was referenced as something that inspired Sustainable Life Media to work towards a zero waste conference. The continued breakdown of siloed approaches to sustainability was also referenced.  SLM corporate members are increasingly bringing senior members from across their organizations to build shared vision and alignment around opportunity and to explore how each part of the organization can collaborate to drive a more cohesive effort leading to better return on investment.  Lastly, the significant increase in the number and breadth of new mainstream-targeted, sustainably differentiated consumer brands and services, as well as business solutions geared helping existing brands improve the sustainability of their brands was noted.

Sustainable Brands 2010 attracts a community of change makers who embrace innovation and approach challenges as opportunities. Demonstrable out-of-the-box thinking – as showcased by products debuted in the Innovation Open -- has proven critical in constructing viable business models that value both profit AND responsibility.  Whether informing product design, addressing consumer needs or restructuring the waste cycle, SB'10 members are succeeding through the power of being bold and creative in the sustainable space.

About Sustainable Brands Conference

Widely reputed to be the most compelling sustainability conference of the year, Sustainable Brands 2010 will convene more than 800 brand leaders, top executives from the global brands leading sustainable innovation today, all types of designers participating in this global shift, and an unprecedented list of others. Speakers and sessions provide inspiration, techniques and best practices as economic realities, corporate responsibility and the environment come together to create a new strategic business imperative. Registration is open and seating is limited: http://www.sustainablebrands10.com

About Sustainable Life Media

Sustainable Life Media (SLM) is the leading producer of sustainable business conferences and educational events, with products and services designed for the sustainable business community including membership, targeted e-newsletters, online learning programs, community, and the flagship Sustainable Brands conference.  SLM delivers top news stories related to the who, what and how of environmental and social innovation, and helps community members connect with thought leaders, peers, partners and solutions providers who can help them quickly reach their goals. For more information, please visit: http://www.sustainablelifemedia.com/about. To subscribe to SLM Newsletters for free, please visit http://www.sustainablelifemedia.com/newsletters.

SOURCE Sustainable Life Media