January 19, 2012
Framed by the 2012 State of Green Business report, the 2012 GreenBiz Forums bring together thought leaders and sustainability executives to define the trends, challenges and opportunities in sustainable business today. The Forums are the can't-miss event for sustainability professionals, and the reasons why are simple: You'll learn about the latest trends from thought-provoking speakers, make new connections with peers and suppliers, and bring back innovative, actionable ideas you can apply in your own organization. These one-day events engage stakeholders across industries, sectors, and regions to discuss how, and how well, companies are addressing sustainability in a comprehensive view of the state of green business today.
Register
Click here to register for the GreenBiz Forum. Visit our FAQ page for more information about pricing. Registration is subject to availability - please register early to guarantee your attendance!
SponsorContact Alan Robinson, VP of Sales and Business Development, at alan@greenbiz.com or (650) 209-5446 to learn more about sponsoring the GreenBiz Forum.
* Thursday, January 19 2012
| 7:45 AM - 8:30 AM | Breakfast and Registration |
| 8:30 AM - 8:45 AM | Welcome and Introductions |
| 8:45 AM - 9:30 AM | State of Green Business 2012Joel Makower and John Davies present the 2012 annual State of Green Business Report, reviewing key trends and indicators and the state of the profession today. Presented by: Joel Makower Chairman & Executive Editor, GreenBiz Group; John Davies VP, Senior Analyst, GreenBiz Group |
| 9:30 AM - 9:40 AM | One Great Idea: Can We Feed the World, Without Destroying the Planet?Can we feed the 9-billion-plus people anticipated to live on this planet in 2050 without destroying Earth’s life support systems? We can if we successfully pursue sustainable food production on five key fronts: halting farmland expansion in the tropics, closing yield gaps on underperforming lands, using agricultural inputs more strategically, shifting diets, and reducing food waste. Presented by: Jon Foley Director, Institute of the Environment, University of Minnesota |
| 9:40 AM - 9:50 AM | One Great Idea: Rethinking Corporate Energy StrategiesTari Emerson, Director of Energy and Capital Projects at Kohl's Department Stores will offer insight into the company's energy management strategy, addressing how the company has worked to improve energy efficiency and utilize renewable energy at its stores and other facilities. Presented by: Tari Emerson Director of Capital and Energy, Kohl's Department Stores |
| 9:50 AM - 10:20 AM | Keynote Interview: Neil McPhail in conversation with Joel MakowerPresented by: Neil McPhail SVP, New Business Customer Solutions Group, Best Buy In conversation with: Joel Makower Chairman & Executive Editor, GreenBiz Group |
| 10:20 AM - 10:50 AM | Networking Break |
| 10:50 AM - 11:00 AM | One Great Idea: Building a Sustainable Brand through Guerrilla MarketingHow do you build a brand around your environmental message? Theresa Marquez, Chief Mission Officer at Organic Valley will offer insight into the company's efforts to engage consumers by credibly communicating its sustainability message, looking at what's worked and what hasn't throughout the company's history. Presented by: Theresa Marquez Chief Mission Officer, Organic Valley |
| 11:00 AM - 11:10 AM | One Great Idea: Using Your Garbage to Enhance EarningsDonco diverts waste from landfills and creates new, usable products from secondary raw materials by connecting the suppliers who are discarding their materials to their customers who can recycle them -- everything from glass bottles to gummy bears. Learn about its innovative techniques to turn trash into treasure. Presented by: David Mendelson President, Donco |
| 11:10 AM - 11:20 AM | One Great Idea: Leading a Family Business into the Cleantech SpaceAfter running two legacy businesses in a 105-year-old family business and negotiating successful exits, Dan Lieberman, now President of Lieberman Investments took a fork in the road, leading a diversification into the world of Cleantech. Hear about why he made the change, what he learned along the way, and what lies ahead. Presented by: Dan Lieberman President, Lieberman Investments |
| 11:20 AM - 11:50 PM | Green Economy PanelThe success and spread of sustainability depends not only on the adoption and integration of strategies by companies, but also on the collaboration and alignment between business and government. This panel will address the status of the green economy in the region, and the role of government in sustainability, with a look at how it will define the state's future. Presented by: Paul Aasen Commissioner, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency; Michael Martin CEO & Founder, Effect Partners; Mark Ritchie Secretary of State, State of Minnesota In conversation with: Joel Makower Chairman & Executive Editor, GreenBiz Group |
| 11:50 AM - 12:05 PM | Keynote Interview: Cody Horn in conversation with Joel MakowerPresented by: Cody Horn Actor, Activist In conversation with: Joel Makower Chairman & Executive Editor, GreenBiz Group |
| 12:10 PM - 1:30 PM | Food for Thought Lunches |
WORKSHOPS I |
| 1:30 PM - 2:30 PM | Advance Preview: Findings from Ernst & Young and GreenBiz Group Survey on Sustainability ReportingBe the first to hear the findings of a new survey by Ernst & Young and GreenBiz Group on the latest trends in sustainability reporting in a time of economic uncertainty. Hear what C-suite executives at Fortune 1000 companies have to say about return on investment for sustainability projects, the shift in key stakeholders driving sustainability initiatives, what ratings and rankings matter most, GRI reporting, and the role of CFOs in sustainability efforts. Join an interactive discussion on how these findings may impact your sustainability strategy and initiatives. Presented by: David Marquardt Partner, Ernst & Young; Stew Brase Associate Director, Ernst & Young; Brian Gilbert Executive Director, Ernst & Young; Chip Johnson Senior Manager, Ernst & Young |
| 1:30 PM - 2:30 PM | Optimizing Office Recycling and Reducing WasteBusinesses today realize that smart purchasing practices, use and disposal of their office supplies can go a long way toward fulfilling a company’s sustainability goals. In this workshop, representatives from paper manufacturer Boise Inc. will briefly explore the sustainability impacts of office paper, from manufacture to disposal/recycle, and how the choices you make affect all pillars of sustainability. We will then take a deeper dive into how to reduce overall office waste and provide tools and resources that workshop attendees can immediately put into action. Presented by: Kate McGlynn Product Environmental Steward, Boise Paper |
| 1:30 PM - 2:30 PM | Marketing Sustainability to Achieve Competitive AdvantageMeasuring, managing, and mitigating are integral in reaching sustainability goals. How do you take your approach to the next level? This session will explore how to frame sustainability effort’s ROI internally and externally and how to use effective marketing techniques to achieve competitive advantage in the marketplace. Presented by: Michael Martin CEO & Founder, Effect Partners |
| 1:30 PM - 2:30 PM | Inside the Newsweek Green RankingsLearn from the key research provider that produced the rankings for Newsweek and how they used a combination of quantitative and qualitative data to assess the environmental performance of the world’s largest companies. This session will explore the criteria included in the rankings; the methodology behind the scores; how the rankings can be used for benchmarking performance; and how companies can proactively move to improve their green ranking. Presented by: James Salo Senior Vice President, North America, Trucost |
| 2:30 PM - 2:45 PM | Break |
WORKSHOPS II |
| 2:45 PM - 3:45 PM | Liquid Assets – A Matter of Business Value and RiskIn an increasingly water-stressed world, potential constraints on a company’s access to water pose a real and growing business risk, as well as an opportunity for those that are prepared. Learn how an effective water stewardship strategy may help corporate leaders: strengthen their business continuity planning efforts; foster innovation; and protect and promote long-term enterprise value. Presented by: Will Sarni Director, Deloitte |
| 2:45 PM - 3:45 PM | What Makes a Material Environmentally "Better?"A review of metrics and methods for incorporating the environmental performance of materials into product development and design. Presented by: Michael Brown Owner, Brown and Wilmanns Environmental, LLC |
| 2:45 PM - 3:45 PM | Engaging Consumers in Sustainability: the Good, the Bad and the Up and ComingA popular refrain from CSR executives is "we need our consumers to join in making change". In this interactive session, eBay Green director Amy Skoczlas Cole will lead the group in taking a hard look at the current state of consumer engagement, highlighting emerging best practices and pitfalls to avoid. We will examine the role that social media is playing in shifting from a communications to engagement mindset, and explore practical actions company leaders can take today to engage more effectively with their consumer base. Presented by: Amy Skoczlas Cole Director, eBay Green + Sustainability, eBay |
| 3:45 PM - 4:15 PM | Networking Break |
| 4:15 PM - 5:00 PM | GreenBiz GurusSmall-group consultative sessions led by experts and thought leaders. |
| 5:00 PM - 5:15 PM | Closing Remarks |
| 5:15 PM - 6:30 PM | Evening Reception |
* Monday, January 30 2012
| 9:30 AM - 9:45 AM | One Great Idea: Visualizing DataIT and cloud computing are enabling society to have a new level of understanding about the resource and systems which we depend on through the collection, analysis and sharing of critical data. How do you turn this data into actionable information and solutions? Microsoft describes how it is working to accelerate a highly integrated, energy-smart landscape that maximizes efficiency and transforms our understanding of the world. Presented by: Rob Bernard Chief Environmental Strategist, Microsoft |
 Commissioner, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency Aasen was appointed commissioner of the MPCA by Gov. Mark Dayton in 2011. Prior to this, he had been with the Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy, serving as its advocacy director since 2007. Read more… |
 VP, Aveda Earth and Community Care, Aveda Corporation As Vice President, Earth & Community Care for Aveda, Bennett is responsible for leading the company’s environmental and community outreach. Dr. Bennett guides the company and its affiliated network of salons and retail outlets in taking the Aveda mission to new levels of success globally. Read more… |
 Associate Director, Ernst & Young Brase serves on the Climate Change and Sustainability team for Ernst & Young LLP’s Mid West Sub-Area. Read more… |
  Owner, Brown and Wilmanns Environmental, LLC Dr. Brown has worked in environmental and energy management for over 25 years leading efforts to establish cutting-edge programs in industry and government. Read more… |
  VP, Senior Analyst, GreenBiz Group Davies heads up research efforts for GreenBiz Group and leads the GreenBiz Executive Network, a member-based, peer-to-peer learning forum for sustainability professionals. Read more… |
 Director of Capital and Energy, Kohl's Department Stores Emerson is the Director of Capital Projects and Energy for Kohl’s Department Stores. She manages the capital projects team, utilities and energy efficiency for all of Kohl’s 1,127 stores, located in 49 states. Read more… |
 Director, Institute of the Environment, University of Minnesota Foley is the director of the Institute on the Environment (IonE) at the University of the Minnesota, where he is a professor and McKnight Presidential Chair in the Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior. He also leads the IonE’s Global Landscapes Initiative. Read more… |
 Executive Director, Ernst & Young Gilbert, Executive Director in Ernst &Young LLP’s Climate Change and Sustainability practice has more than 25 years of experience in assessing environmental and sustainability matters. Read more… |
 Director of Enterprise Development, US Green Building Council As Director of Enterprise Development for the U.S. Green Building Council, Graves coordinates the development and promotion of USGBC’s green building programs at the enterprise scale: Volume LEED certification for New and Existing Buildings as well as the Portfolio and Campus programs. Read more… |
 Actor, Activist, Horn is an actor and activist. She has held recurring roles on "Rescue Me" and "The Office", and has recently completed filming of David Ayer's END OF WATCH and Steven Soderbergh's MAGIC MIKE. Read more… |
 Sr. Director Product Stewardship, WW Environment, Health & Safety, Johnson & Johnson Iannuzzi is a Senior Director in the Worldwide Environment, Health & Safety department at Johnson & Johnson where he directs the global Product Stewardship, Design for Environment and Green Marketing programs. Read more… |
 Senior Manager, Ernst & Young Johnson serves in the Midwest Climate Change and Sustainability Sub-Area and has more than 20 years of experience in environmental and sustainability matters. Read more… |
 President, Lieberman Investments Lieberman is co-owner of Lieberman Companies Inc., a 103-year old family business that operates and distributes coin-operated machines and ATMs. Read more… |
 Vice President, Chief Sustainability Officer, General Mills Lynch was appointed vice president, chief sustainability officer in 2010. In this role, he leads the company’s environmental sustainability efforts globally. Read more… |
 Chairman & Executive Editor, GreenBiz Group Makower is a well-respected voice on business, the environment, and the bottom line. As a writer and strategist on corporate sustainability practices and clean technology, he has helped a wide range of companies align environmental goals with business strategy. Read more… |
 Partner, Ernst & Young Marquardt is a Partner with Ernst & Young’s Assurance Services practice in Chicago where he leads engagement teams and works extensively with Ernst & Young's foreign affiliates. David also leads our Climate Change and Sustainability Services practice for clients in the Midwest. Read more… |
 Chief Mission Officer, Organic Valley Marquez has been involved in food and farming since the mid 1970s. Wearing a variety of hats throughout the past 35 years, her current job is Chief Mission Officer for the largest organic farmer cooperative in the United States, CROPP Cooperative, and its brands Organic Valley and Organic Prairie. Read more… |
 CEO & Founder, Effect Partners Martin guides organizations and businesses in increasing their revenues by creatively addressing social change issues. Read more… |
 Product Environmental Steward, Boise Paper McGlynn is the primary point of contact for product environmental matters for Boise Inc. She has companywide responsibility for ensuring the integrity of the company’s environmental marketing claims and responding to customer inquiries regarding such claims. McGlynn has a B.A. in Chemistry, a M.S. Read more… |
 SVP, New Business Customer Solutions Group, Best Buy McPhail brings more than 20 years of professional retail experience to his role as Senior Vice President and General Manager of New Business Solutions for Best Buy Co., Inc., a multinational retailer of technology and entertainment products and services. Read more… |
 President, Donco Mendelson has been instrumental in expanding Donco's focus beyond traditional scrap paper by developing markets for a wide variety of secondary raw materials including agricultural byproducts, multi-material laminations, among other twenty-first century waste streams. Read more… |
 Senior Director, Environmental Sustainability, Best Buy Raudys is the senior director of environmental sustainability for Best Buy Co., Inc., a multinational retailer of technology and entertainment products and services. Read more… |
 Secretary of State, State of Minnesota As Minnesota Secretary of State, Ritchie partners with township, city, and county officials to organize elections on behalf of Minnesota’s 3.7 million eligible voters. Read more… |
 Senior Vice President, North America, Trucost Salo is the senior member responsible for Trucost's Research efforts in North America and coordinates Trucost's North American operations, and Trucost's Advisory Panel. Read more… |
 Director, Deloitte Sarni has more than 30 years of experience providing sustainability and environmental consulting services to private and public-sector enterprises. Read more… |
 Director, eBay Green + Sustainability, eBay At eBay, Skoczlas Cole leads all the different aspects of the company’s environmental strategy. What excites her most is tapping into the collective power of the 89 million people who use eBay to make a real difference in world. Read more… |
Meet Our GreenBiz Gurus!
GreenBiz Guru sessions are small-group consultative sessions led by experts and thought leaders. Participants will have the opportunity to ask questions and engage with speakers and their fellow Forum attendees on topics of interest. The Guru sessions take place at 4:15 - 5:00 pm, and participation is first come first serve.
Chuck BennettCradle to Cradle Strategies |
Tari EmersonCorporate Energy Management |
Richard GravesGreen Building Investment Strategies for all Enterprises |
Al IannuzziDeveloping and Marketing Greener Products |
Bob IsraelOpportunities for Green Chemistry |
Jerry LynchEmbedding Sustainable Strategies in Your Business |
Leo RaudysEmployee Engagement |
Will SarniCorporate Water Strategies |
Premier Sponsors
 | Best Buy Co., Inc. (NYSE: BBY) is a leading multi-channel global retailer and developer of technology products and services. Every day our employees - 180,000 strong - are committed to helping deliver the technology solutions that enable easy access to people, knowledge, ideas and fun. We are keenly aware of our role and impact on the world, and we are committed to developing and implementing business strategies that bring sustainable technology solutions to our consumers and communities. For information about Best Buy, visit www.bby.com and to shop at Best Buy, visit www.bestbuy.com.
Read more… |
 | Autodesk is a leader in 3D design, engineering and entertainment software. Customers across the manufacturing, architecture, building, construction, and media and entertainment industries use Autodesk software to design, visualize and simulate their ideas. Autodesk’s vision is to help millions of architects, designers and engineers worldwide radically transform the built world by making sustainable design easy and accessible. With 80 percent of a product’s environmental impact determined by decisions in the design phase, Autodesk software has an important role to play.
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 | Deloitte refers to one or more of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited, a UK private company limited by guarantee, and its network of member firms, each of which is a legally separate and independent entity. Please see www.deloitte.com/about for a detailed description of the legal structure of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited and its member firms. Please see www.deloitte.com/us/about for a detailed description of the legal structure of Deloitte LLP and its subsidiaries. Certain services may not be available to attest clients under the rules and regulations of public accounting.
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Supporting Sponsors
 | At Adobe, we are inspired by purpose-driven creativity. Through our technologies, software, and business practices, every day we enable millions of people across the globe to participate in the world around them. We believe that great things happen when you empower the community to create change.
Read more… |
 | At Boise Inc., our commitment to deliver lasting value means we go beyond what's expected for investors, customers, and the environment. We are a leading manufacturer of paper and packaging products and believe that good business and good sustainability practices go hand in hand. We focus on not only environmental sustainability, but social and economic as well through our processes, products and programs such as CHOICES, Project UP and our partnership in Box Tops for Education.
Read more… |
 | Ernst & Young is a global leader in assurance, tax, transaction and advisory services. Worldwide, our 152,000 people are united by our shared values and an unwavering commitment to quality. We make a difference by helping our people, our clients and our wider communities achieve their potential.
Ernst & Young refers to the global organization of member firms of Ernst & Young Global Limited, each of which is a separate legal entity. Ernst & Young Global Limited, a UK company limited by guarantee, does not provide services to clients.
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 | At Microsoft, we are committed to software and technology innovations that help people and organizations around the world improve the environment. Our goal is to reduce the impact of our operations and products, and to demonstrate responsible environmental leadership.
Read more… |
Contributing Sponsors
 | Whether you design them, manage them or work in them, Steelcase can help you create sustainable, high performance work environments anywhere in the world. By approaching sustainability holistically, Steelcase aspires to create enduring value for people, planet and global economies -- fully leveraging our assets, our relationships, and our resources. Visit www.steelcase.com/sustainability to learn more. Read more… |
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Venue InformationBest Buy Conference Center For a map and directions, please click here. |
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Hotel InformationThe Radisson Hotel |
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I register for the GreenBiz Forum?Click here to register for the GreenBiz Forum. Registration pricing is $695. Registration is subject to availability - please register early to guarantee your attendance!
I can only stay for part of the forum. Can I transfer my issued registration to someone else for the rest?
No, one registration may not be shared by multiple people.
Is there a group discount?
Yes! GreenBiz offers a 25% discount to all eligible groups of 3 or more (members must be from the same company, or parent company). Group registration to the GreenBiz Forum is strongly encouraged, and invitees have the option of adding team members during registration. Once you've added all team members and are ready to checkout, the discount will be automatically deducted from your total conference fees.
Are there opportunities to volunteer at the event?
Yes, we are now accepting volunteer applications from undergraduate and graduate students. Click here for more information about volunteering and to fill out an application.
What is the refund policy for the forum?
Registrations for the forum are non-refundable. However, if you register but are then unable to attend, we are happy to apply the amount you paid to a future GreenBiz event or product, or you can transfer your registration to a colleague. Please email ellie@greenbiz.com if you need to cancel or transfer your registration.
