RETAIL COUNCIL OF CANADA
RETAIL SUSTAINABILITY CONFERENCE
October 16, 2024
NEW LOCATION
Toronto Congress Centre - South Building
Sustainable Solutions for Canadian Retailers & Manufacturers
In 2023 RCC’s Retail Sustainability Conference brought together over 600 retailers, manufacturers, suppliers, technology providers, and policy visionaries to explore actionable paths to zero plastic waste, net zero emissions, decarbonization, and more.
RCC Retail Sustainability 2024 returns on October 16, 2024, in Toronto. Don’t miss retail’s must-attend sustainability event!
Sustainability Committee
The Retail Sustainability Conference agenda and speaker lineup is shaped and curated by influential leaders in the Canadian retail sustainability sector.
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Michelle Saunders
VP, Sustainability
FHCP
Speaking at:
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Teanne von der Porten
Executive Director, ESG and Sustainability Advisory Services
KPMG
Speaking at:
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Neil Menezes
Packaging Sustainability Policy Manager
General Mills
Speaking at:
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Eli Browne
Head of Sustainability
CHEP/Brambles
Speaking at:
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Kent Wootton
Manager Circular Material Innovations Product Stewardship
Canadian Tire
Speaking at:
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Molly Fremes
Senior Consultant, Circular Material Innovations
Canadian Tire
Speaking at:
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Mylene Champagne
Director, Environment and Technical Risks
Metro
Speaking at:
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Gulnara Gabidullina
Director, Global Product Stewardship
P&G
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Erich Schmidt
Director, Communications and Public Affairs
Canadian Beverage Association
Speaking at:
What Our Attendees Say
Who Attends?
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2023 Speakers
The Retail Sustainability Conference Agenda is made up of influential leaders, visionaries, and passionate professionals that will discuss the most critical topics in the sustainability landscape.
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Jason Wills
Client Partner, North America
Aura
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Brookes Shean
Director of Site Acquisition
FLO EV Charging
Brookes Shean is FLO’s Director of Site Acquisition across Canada and the United States, leading a team to secure site host partners for FLO’s owned DC Fast Charging network. He has more than 20 years of experience in sales and product management in the fields of new technologies and digital environments for startup organizations. Brookes has always been on the lookout for cutting-edge innovation, having worked with cloud-based products and services as well as fibre optics and now all things EV Charging. As an avid driver, Brookes converted to electric mobility 6 years ago and has contributed to support the deployments of the over 90,000 FLO EV charging stations deployed throughout Canada and the United States for FLO.
Speaking at:
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Wes Johnsen
Director, Net Zero
Bruce Power
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Wes Johnsen
Director, Net Zero
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Wes Johnsen is the Director, Net Zero at Bruce Power, a role primarily focused on exploring commercial business opportunities that leverage the carbon free advantages of nuclear to enable complementary technologies to help Ontario transition to decarbonized energy systems across all sectors of the economy. Key areas of interest include Bruce Power’s own Clean Energy Credits, energy storage, low-carbon hydrogen, and clean synthetic fuels. Previous to this, he led Bruce Power’s Power Trading organization, which included all commodity trading activities and the dispatch of the nuclear fleet to the grid. He has proudly worked in the nuclear industry for over a decade and is extremely passionate about the environment. He recognizes the importance of successfully navigating the Energy Transition to decarbonize the world, while maintaining an affordable, reliable and secure energy system.
Wes has been active and participated in the majority of the North American deregulated power markets across the course of his 20-year career, bringing a unique skillset specializing in commercial roles guiding companies through complex commodity markets. Along with Bruce Power, he has worked across the sector, gaining diverse experiences with Capital Power, TransAlta, Suncor and Tidal Energy Marketing (Enbridge).
Wes holds a Master of Business Administration from Queen’s University, a Bachelor of Commerce Degree in Finance from the University of Calgary and is also a CFA charterholder.
Speaking at:
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Sam Wankowski
Chief Merchandising Officer
Walmart Canada
In his current role, Sam is responsible for driving Walmart Canada’s food, general merchandise, health and wellness and apparel businesses, helping customers meet their everyday needs at everyday low prices.
Prior to his current role, Sam served as Chief Operations Officer responsible for the performance of more than 400 stores from coast-to-coast serving more than 1.5 million customers daily.
Sam has been with Walmart for more than 20 years and started his career through the Asda Graduate Program in the UK. He joined the Canadian business in 2008 and then took on an expatriate assignment with Walmart International in 2011 where he led Strategy for the EMEA region. Upon his return to Walmart Canada, Sam assumed leadership of the General Merchandise team before moving into Operations in 2016 to lead the Western division. In 2019, Sam assumed the role of Senior Vice President of Central Operations.
He currently sits on the board of advisors to LIMA Canada, an organization focused on growing the licensing industry in Canada.
Sam holds a Bachelor of Arts in Business and Quality Management from the Nottingham Business School.
Speaking at:
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Jeff Bezzo
Executive Director – Plastics Sustainability PMO
SC Johnson
Jeff Bezzo was appointed Executive Director – Plastics Sustainability Project Management Office in September 2023, reporting to Fisk.
In this role, Jeff helps build SCJ’s Strategy 2030 plastic goals and objectives that will drive strategic focus across activities including new product development to encourage refilling and reuse, packaging design to increase recyclability and recycled content, legislative advocacy, and building consumer awareness and behavior change through communications and partnerships. He works across the BUs and numerous functions including RD&E, Procurement, Global Marketing, regional Marketing Commercialization, Government Relations, and Global Corporate Affairs, Communications and Sustainability.
Jeff is a strategic leader with 25 years of SCJ finance experience and a track record of building teams and working cross-functionally to deliver strong results. He has served as Executive Director – SC Johnson and CFO – Lifestyle Brands since October 2020. He also represents SCJ as a Board Member of the Circular Action Alliance, a U.S.-based non-profit Producer Responsibility Organization established to support the successful implementation of Extended Producer Responsibility laws for paper and packaging.
Educated at McMaster University in Canada with a Bachelor of Commerce degree, Jeff subsequently earned a CPA, CMA also in Canada. He is a daily runner, has completed three ultra-distance races to date, and is an avid lover of the outdoors. Jeff spends his free time outside his home adjacent to the Kettle Moraine State Forest and Ice Age National Scenic Trail in Wisconsin. He holds dual citizenship in the United States and Canada.
Speaking at:
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Alain Brandon
Vice President of Sustainability, Social Impact & Government Relation
Loblaw Companies Limited
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Alain Brandon
Vice President of Sustainability, Social Impact & Government Relation
Alain is a corporate affairs professional currently serving as Vice President – Sustainability, Social Impact and Government Relations for Loblaw Companies Limited.
In his role Alain oversees the sustainability and community investment efforts for Loblaw and the communities it serves from coast to coast,
Prior to joining Loblaw, Alain held senior political roles at the provincial and federal levels in both government and opposition.
Alain is currently the Vice Chair of Circular Materials and has served on many boards and councils including Multi-Material B.C. (Recycle BC), National Farmed Animal Health and Wellness Council, and the Loblaw Scholarship Fund.
Alain is a Western University alum where he studied Political Science and History. He is a proud native of North Bay, ON. He and his wife live in Toronto with their three children.
Speaking at:
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As The Voice of Retail™ in Canada since 1963, Retail Council of Canada (RCC) represents over 45,000 independent, regional, national mass and specialty retail businesses and online merchants in general merchandise, drug and grocery.