Agenda
2025 Agenda
October 29, 2025
Welcoming Remarks

Michael Zabaneh
VP, Sustainability
Retail Council of Canada
Join RCC’s VP of Sustainability, Michael Zabaneh, as he kicks off a new half-day workshop experience designed to inspire action and collaboration. Engage in conversation and connection with fellow participants as we begin a dynamic journey focused on innovation, impact, and shared responsibility
Welcoming Remarks
October 29, 2025
1:45 PM - 2:00 PM EST
Join RCC’s VP of Sustainability, Michael Zabaneh, as he kicks off a new half-day workshop experience designed to inspire action and collaboration. Engage in conversation and connection with fellow participants as we begin a dynamic journey focused on innovation, impact, and shared responsibility
Speaking:

Michael Zabaneh
VP, Sustainability
Retail Council of Canada
Driving Change With IKEA’s Electric-Only Home Deliveries

Elizabeth Wilson
Country Customer Fulfillment Manager
IKEA Canada
Join us to explore how IKEA Canada is accelerating the shift to zero-emission logistics with its bold commitment by 2028, greater than 90% of home deliveries in key markets will use electric vehicles or other zero-carbon alternatives. This session will examine IKEA’s rapid EV fleet expansion since 2017 and its broader ambition to become climate-positive by 2030

Driving Change With IKEA’s Electric-Only Home Deliveries
October 29, 2025
2:00 PM - 2:20 PM EST
Join us to explore how IKEA Canada is accelerating the shift to zero-emission logistics with its bold commitment by 2028, greater than 90% of home deliveries in key markets will use electric vehicles or other zero-carbon alternatives. This session will examine IKEA’s rapid EV fleet expansion since 2017 and its broader ambition to become climate-positive by 2030
Sponsored by:

Speaking:

Elizabeth Wilson
Country Customer Fulfillment Manager
IKEA Canada
Panel Conversation with Siemens
Details to be announced.

Panel Conversation with Siemens
October 29, 2025
2:25 PM - 3:05 PM EST
Details to be announced.
Sponsored by:

Federal Government Update
Details to be announced.
Federal Government Update
October 29, 2025
3:05 PM - 3:15 PM EST
Details to be announced.
Zero Emission Workshop
Join IKEA Canada and Power ON in an interactive workshop will dive into key enablers of zero-emission delivery, including fleet transition strategies, charging infrastructure for both residential and commercial needs, and available incentives and funding.


Zero Emission Workshop
October 29, 2025
3:50 PM - 4:50 PM EST
Join IKEA Canada and Power ON in an interactive workshop will dive into key enablers of zero-emission delivery, including fleet transition strategies, charging infrastructure for both residential and commercial needs, and available incentives and funding.
Sponsored by:


October 30, 2025
Welcoming Remarks
Main Session Hall

Michael Zabaneh
VP, Sustainability
Retail Council of Canada

Kim Furlong
President & CEO
Retail Council of Canada

Krista Scaldwell
President
Canadian Beverage Association

Michael Graydon
CEO
Food, Health & Consumer Products of Canada

Cliff Hacking
President and CEO
Electronic Products Recycling Association (EPRA)

Welcoming Remarks
October 30, 2025
8:30 AM - 8:45 AM EST
Main Session Hall
Sponsored by:

Speaking:

Michael Zabaneh
VP, Sustainability
Retail Council of Canada

Kim Furlong
President & CEO
Retail Council of Canada

Krista Scaldwell
President
Canadian Beverage Association

Michael Graydon
CEO
Food, Health & Consumer Products of Canada

Cliff Hacking
President and CEO
Electronic Products Recycling Association (EPRA)
Opening Keynote Session
Details to be announced
Opening Keynote Session
October 30, 2025
8:45 AM - 9:15 AM EST
Details to be announced
Why Nature is a Business Imperative

Lauren Adey
Vice President, Marketing & Retail
Cool Climate Club
Sponsor Spotlight
75% of gen Z’s are worried about the future and suffer from climate anxiety and 63% of retailers said that sustainability initiatives helped boost revenues. A sustainability strategy is no longer optional for retailers, it’s an expectation from customers, who are increasingly shopping with their values. Learn more about how Cool Climate Club – a nature-based solution to climate action – provides customizable, turnkey solutions for retailers to build and amplify their sustainability strategy, while engaging younger audiences through bold marketing opportunities.

Why Nature is a Business Imperative
October 30, 2025
9:15 AM - 9:20 AM EST
Sponsor Spotlight
75% of gen Z’s are worried about the future and suffer from climate anxiety and 63% of retailers said that sustainability initiatives helped boost revenues. A sustainability strategy is no longer optional for retailers, it’s an expectation from customers, who are increasingly shopping with their values. Learn more about how Cool Climate Club – a nature-based solution to climate action – provides customizable, turnkey solutions for retailers to build and amplify their sustainability strategy, while engaging younger audiences through bold marketing opportunities.
Sponsored by:

Speaking:

Lauren Adey
Vice President, Marketing & Retail
Cool Climate Club
Supply Chain Management Panel
Details to be announced.
Supply Chain Management Panel
October 30, 2025
9:20 AM - 9:50 AM EST
Details to be announced.
Three Trends to Watch: What Forward Thinking Retailers Need to Know About EPR

Adrian Vannahme
Chief Operating Officer
Reclay StewardEdge
Sponsor Spotlight
As extended producer responsibility (EPR) regulations accelerate worldwide, Canadian retailers face mounting complexity at home and abroad. Adrian Vanaham, COO of the Canadian division of Reclay StewardEdge, highlights the rising cost of getting compliance right, the patchwork pace of regulatory alignment, and the practical tools that may finally make it all manageable. Drawing from cross continental insight, Adrian will map these shifts through the lens of EPR maturity progression in Europe and North America—offering valuable context for what’s likely to emerge next. He’ll also explore how forward-thinking teams can stay ahead of regulatory pressure while keeping costs under control.

Three Trends to Watch: What Forward Thinking Retailers Need to Know About EPR
October 30, 2025
9:50 AM - 9:55 AM EST
Sponsor Spotlight
As extended producer responsibility (EPR) regulations accelerate worldwide, Canadian retailers face mounting complexity at home and abroad. Adrian Vanaham, COO of the Canadian division of Reclay StewardEdge, highlights the rising cost of getting compliance right, the patchwork pace of regulatory alignment, and the practical tools that may finally make it all manageable. Drawing from cross continental insight, Adrian will map these shifts through the lens of EPR maturity progression in Europe and North America—offering valuable context for what’s likely to emerge next. He’ll also explore how forward-thinking teams can stay ahead of regulatory pressure while keeping costs under control.
Sponsored by:

Speaking:

Adrian Vannahme
Chief Operating Officer
Reclay StewardEdge
How Refill and Reuse Are Reshaping Consumer Goods

Dr. Zahra Bhojani
Sustainability and Enterprise Plastics Lead
Loblaw Companies Limited
As the consumer goods industry moves toward more sustainable packaging solutions, refill and reuse models are gaining traction as viable alternatives to single-use formats. This panel discussion will spotlight the Consumer Goods Forum’s Refill/ Reuse Pilot Project, bringing together leaders from participating companies to share real-world insights, challenges, and early results.
Panelists will explore what it takes to implement scalable refill and reuse systems, how consumers are responding, and what’s needed to drive broader adoption across the value chain.
More panelists to be announced
How Refill and Reuse Are Reshaping Consumer Goods
October 30, 2025
9:55 AM - 10:30 AM EST
As the consumer goods industry moves toward more sustainable packaging solutions, refill and reuse models are gaining traction as viable alternatives to single-use formats. This panel discussion will spotlight the Consumer Goods Forum’s Refill/ Reuse Pilot Project, bringing together leaders from participating companies to share real-world insights, challenges, and early results.
Panelists will explore what it takes to implement scalable refill and reuse systems, how consumers are responding, and what’s needed to drive broader adoption across the value chain.
More panelists to be announced
Speaking:

Dr. Zahra Bhojani
Sustainability and Enterprise Plastics Lead
Loblaw Companies Limited
From Risk to Resilience: Sustainability as a Retail Strategy
Canadian retailers are operating in a time of profound transformation—facing climate-related risks, evolving consumer expectations, regulatory pressures, and supply chain volatility. In this context, sustainability is no longer optional; it’s a strategic lever for resilience, operational excellence, and long-term growth. This session will explore how leading retailers are integrating sustainability practices and proven solutions into core business strategies to mitigate risk, unlock efficiencies, and drive measurable impact. This panel discussion will focus on retail transformation and how sustainability is a catalyst for profitability and competitive advantage within organizations and across value chains.
Panelists to be announced

From Risk to Resilience: Sustainability as a Retail Strategy
October 30, 2025
10:45 AM - 11:15 AM EST
Canadian retailers are operating in a time of profound transformation—facing climate-related risks, evolving consumer expectations, regulatory pressures, and supply chain volatility. In this context, sustainability is no longer optional; it’s a strategic lever for resilience, operational excellence, and long-term growth. This session will explore how leading retailers are integrating sustainability practices and proven solutions into core business strategies to mitigate risk, unlock efficiencies, and drive measurable impact. This panel discussion will focus on retail transformation and how sustainability is a catalyst for profitability and competitive advantage within organizations and across value chains.
Panelists to be announced
Sponsored by:

PFAS, Forced Labor, EPR & EUDR: What’s Next in Regulatory Risk for Retailers?

Eric Donato
Enterprise Account Executive
Source Intelligence
Sponsor Spotlight
The retail regulatory landscape is evolving fast—and getting riskier. From PFAS bans in North America to EPR packaging laws and the new EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), global retailers are facing rising scrutiny around product materials, labor practices, and sourcing origins. Get a rapid rundown of the most urgent compliance shifts and learn how automation, AI and supplier data tools can help you scale market access requirements, reduce negative brand risk exposure, and avoid costly disruptions.

PFAS, Forced Labor, EPR & EUDR: What’s Next in Regulatory Risk for Retailers?
October 30, 2025
11:15 AM - 11:20 AM EST
Sponsor Spotlight
The retail regulatory landscape is evolving fast—and getting riskier. From PFAS bans in North America to EPR packaging laws and the new EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), global retailers are facing rising scrutiny around product materials, labor practices, and sourcing origins. Get a rapid rundown of the most urgent compliance shifts and learn how automation, AI and supplier data tools can help you scale market access requirements, reduce negative brand risk exposure, and avoid costly disruptions.
Sponsored by:

Speaking:

Eric Donato
Enterprise Account Executive
Source Intelligence
The Future of AI in Sustainability
Details to be announced
The Future of AI in Sustainability
October 30, 2025
11:20 AM - 11:40 AM EST
Details to be announced
Retrofitting Right: Collaboration, Planning, and Execution for Sustainable Retail
This panel session will explore the power of a holistic, systems-based approach to sustainable retrofits—going beyond product-specific upgrades to drive meaningful, long-term impact. Rather than spotlighting individual technologies, the discussion will showcase integrated strategies that maximize energy efficiency, cost savings, and decarbonization.
Attendees will gain insights from industry experts who will share real-world best practices, emphasizing collaboration, coordinated planning, and accountability across project phases.

Ashley Jones
Business Development Officer
SOFIAC

Wil Bell
Building Solutions & Decarbonization Lead
Modern Niagara

Retrofitting Right: Collaboration, Planning, and Execution for Sustainable Retail
October 30, 2025
12:10 PM - 12:55 PM EST
This panel session will explore the power of a holistic, systems-based approach to sustainable retrofits—going beyond product-specific upgrades to drive meaningful, long-term impact. Rather than spotlighting individual technologies, the discussion will showcase integrated strategies that maximize energy efficiency, cost savings, and decarbonization.
Attendees will gain insights from industry experts who will share real-world best practices, emphasizing collaboration, coordinated planning, and accountability across project phases.
Sponsored by:

Speaking:

Ashley Jones
Business Development Officer
SOFIAC

Wil Bell
Building Solutions & Decarbonization Lead
Modern Niagara
Legislation and Regulations Are Here. Is Your Packaging Ready?

Curt Cozart
Chief Operating Officer
Association of Plastics Recyclers
The Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) is announcing a brand new tool that you will want in your toolkit. Join us for a demonstration and learn how this tool will help you review plastic packaging, align with legislative requirements, and complete annual reporting. The new tool is a companion to the APR Design® Guide, the widely recognized source of truth for designing plastics packaging for recyclability today. Get your company and suppliers ready for the big changes that lie ahead.

Legislation and Regulations Are Here. Is Your Packaging Ready?
October 30, 2025
1:15 PM - 1:35 PM EST
The Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) is announcing a brand new tool that you will want in your toolkit. Join us for a demonstration and learn how this tool will help you review plastic packaging, align with legislative requirements, and complete annual reporting. The new tool is a companion to the APR Design® Guide, the widely recognized source of truth for designing plastics packaging for recyclability today. Get your company and suppliers ready for the big changes that lie ahead.
Sponsored by:

Speaking:

Curt Cozart
Chief Operating Officer
Association of Plastics Recyclers
The State of Recycling Across Canada
Details to be announced.
The State of Recycling Across Canada
October 30, 2025
3:35 PM - 4:05 PM EST
Details to be announced.
Circular Materials

Allen Langdon
CEO
Circular Materials
Sponsor Spotlight
Details to be announced.

Circular Materials
October 30, 2025
4:05 PM - 4:10 PM EST
Sponsor Spotlight
Details to be announced.
Sponsored by:

Speaking:

Allen Langdon
CEO
Circular Materials
Main Stage Session
Details to be announced.
Main Stage Session
October 30, 2025
4:15 PM - 4:35 PM EST
Details to be announced.
Closing Keynote
Details to be announced.
Closing Keynote
October 30, 2025
4:35 PM - 5:15 PM EST
Details to be announced.
Interested in having a presence and sharing your retail story at the Retail Sustainability Conference 2025?
Contact RCC Sponsorship at rccsponsorship@retailcouncil.org for more information.