The CGF Sustainable Retail Summit Heads to Montréal

On October 2-3, The Consumer Goods Forum hosts the global FMCG industry in Montréal for its second Sustainable Retail Summit at the Centre Mont Royal. The Sustainable Retail Summit, which began in Paris last year, offers a unique opportunity for CEOs, FMCG experts and high level government representatives to come together to discuss ideas and share solutions to today's leading industry challenges. This year the event focuses on forced labor, food loss and waste and consumer health and wellbeing, and will be opened by McCain President & CEO Dirk Van de Put.

The two-day event features special presentations and panel discussions that will tackle the three key megatrends impacting the industry. The event also offers live examples showcasing how these challenges are being tackled by some of the world's most innovative organizations, including best practice activity and actionable workshop sessions. Senior FMCG executives will sit alongside NGOs and government representatives to discuss collective approaches that work.

The Consumer Goods Forum unites a host of international companies for the event, including Ahold Delhaize, Burt's Bees, Campbell Soup, Danone, Grupo Bimbo, Kellogg's, Marks and Spencer, METRO, Nestlé S.A., Sainsbury's, PepsiCo, Tesco, The Coca-Cola Company, Unilever and Walmart. Meanwhile, several Canadian companies will be joining their international peers as they look to showcase how the consumer goods industry in Canada is delivering on its responsibilities to protect consumers and the planet. Local speakers include:

• Darrell Jones, President, Save-On-Foods
• Shelley Martin, President & CEO, Nestlé Canada
• Michael Pilato, GM, The Clorox Company of Canada Ltd.
• François Tasmowski, Senior Director, Global Corporate Sustainability and Responsibility, McCain Foods Limited
• Marie-Claude Bacon, Director, Corporate Affairs, Metro Inc.
• Alain Brandon, Senior Director, Corporate Social Responsibility and Government Relations, Loblaws;
• Scott Tudor, Director, National Procurement, Sobeys Inc.; and
• David Wilkes, Senior Vice president, Retail Council of Canada

These leading industry figures will also be joined by experts representing the government and public sectors, including:

• Shawn MacDonald, CEO, Verité
• Dr. Jennie Ward-Robinson, President & CEO, PAHO Foundation
• Lawrence Bowdish, PhD, Director, Research and Food Security, U.S. Chamber of Commerce
• Sam D. Kass, Chef, Nutrition Policy Consultant - former White House Chef & first U.S. Senior White House Food Policy Adviser
• Craig Hanson, Global Director of Food, Forests & Water, World Resources Institute
• Richard Swannell, Development Director, Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP)
• David Camp, Programme Coordinator, Stronger Together
• David Bennell, Director, Food and Capital Markets, Ceres; and
• David Schilling, Senior Program Director - Human Rights & Resources, Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility (ICCR)

Dirk Van de Put, President & CEO, McCain Foods, said, "For many companies, it's harder than ever to know how to implement strategies and actions that will meet changing consumer demands and your long-term business goals. The Sustainable Retail Summit is the perfect platform to bring together a global industry to address topics that are impacting every consumer goods company around the world. And, as a CGF Board member, it's great that the CGF is providing opportunities to help share best practices and drive implementation of positive business actions. Attendees of the Sustainable Retail Summit should come away from Montréal with concrete examples of how they can apply the changes necessary within their own companies. The Sustainable Retail Summit also provides us the opportunity to network with like-minded individuals who want to see change for the better."

Darrell Jones, President, Save-On-Foods, said, "There is no denying the role the consumer goods industry plays in helping secure the future of our planet and its people, however no one company can do this alone. The complex nature of issues such as consumer health, food loss and waste and labor force practices mean that collaboration through events such as this are integral to tackling the issues that matter most. The Sustainable Retail Summit has quickly become a key component of the CGF's year-long effort to inspire action and support members in the implementation of actions that drive efficiency and secure consumer trust."

Shelley Martin, President & CEO, Nestlé Canada, said, "There has never been a more pressing time for the consumer goods industry to drive positive change in its products. Not only is there a hard business case for driving this change, but as the purchasing behavior of shoppers evolves to wanting more authentic, sustainable and traceable products, business needs to adapt to this change. The Sustainable Retail Summit offers the chance to share best practices and have honest discussions about how to overcome these challenges, and we are delighted the CGF has chosen Montréal as the location for this global convening."

Dr. Jennie Ward-Robinson, President & CEO, PAHO Foundation, said, "CGF's Sustainable Retail Summit embodies the potential global impact that can be harnessed when engaged key stakeholders across the public, private, and government sectors, collaborate on driving sustainable health and development outcomes. I look forward to this next step in the critical strategic partnership between PAHO Foundation and CGF, which will bring together our shared ideas and commitment to better health. This summit is now the annual event where leaders across the FMCG industry can leverage the needed technical, intellectual, and financial resources to propel innovative solutions, allowing consumers across the Americas and beyond to lead healthier and more productive lives."

Visit the Sustainable Retail Summit website to view the latest program and to secure your registration.

The event is open to both members and non-members of The Consumer Goods Forum.

About The Consumer Goods Forum

The Consumer Goods Forum ("CGF") is a global, parity-based industry network that is driven by its members to encourage the global adoption of practices and standards that serves the consumer goods industry worldwide. It brings together the CEOs and senior management of some 400 retailers, manufacturers, service providers, and other stakeholders across 70 countries, and it reflects the diversity of the industry in geography, size, product category and format. Its member companies have combined sales of EUR 3.5 trillion and directly employ nearly 10 million people, with a further 90 million related jobs estimated along the value chain. It is governed by its Board of Directors, which comprises more than 50 manufacturer and retailer CEOs. For more information, please visit: www.theconsumergoodsforum.com.

Notes to Editors:

• Journalists are welcome to join the event. Registrations are free to all registered journalists; however, spaces are limited. To request a free media registration, please contacts CGF Communications Director Lee Green: [email protected].
• The CGF is also looking for a select number of media partners, whose logos will be displayed on key print and digital Sustainable Retail Summit publications. Request a media partnership by contacting Lee Green.

SOURCE The Consumer Goods Forum