Foyer

Minister Khanjin, the Minister of Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) for Ontario, will open the networking breakfast at 7:45 am to kick off RCC’s Retail Sustainability Conference. Come early to enjoy the food, connect with old friends and colleagues and make new connections. Be sure to explore the diverse group of exhibitors offering state-of-the-art solutions.

Main Session Hall

Main Session Hall

In an evolving EPR landscape, industry led solutions are critical to addressing the urgent plastic waste challenge facing Canada. Galen Weston will share how that sort of system change underpins Loblaws commitment to make all control brand and in-store plastic packaging recyclable and reusable by 2025.

Main Session Hall

True leadership transcends mere profitability—it crafts a legacy. Explore the visionary strides key industry leaders are making towards net zero waste and emissions. Learn how top retailers and manufacturers are embracing Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) systems, managing product lifecycles, packaging, and navigating supply chain complexities. Join Geraldine Huse, President of P&G Canada, and George Soleas, President and CEO of LCBO as they offer invaluable insights from their journeys, spotlighting both triumphs and tribulations on their paths to sustainable change.

Main Session Hall

In an era of heightened scrutiny, the demand for clear, concise, and comprehensive Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) reporting is soaring. Join Michael Jantzi, a distinguished member of the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB), as he clarifies the evolving landscape of ESG standards. Gain a deeper understanding of frameworks, rating agencies, and the relentless push towards unparalleled data transparency and comparability.

Fast Five Sponsor Highlight

Main Session Hall

Every product holds an environmental story, often complex and hidden within its supply chain. In this session we outline Canada’s top selling products through the lens of Dayrize’s technology. Learn how the potent combination of technology and insight can guide retailers, their suppliers, and manufacturers towards mastering the challenge of Scope 3 emissions and steering the industry closer to net zero.

Main Session Hall

Achieving net zero emissions demands innovation. Explore how leading retailers in Canada are leveraging every means – from AI thermostats, sustainable building designs, and eco-friendly materials to decarbonize within Scope 1 and Scope 2. Learn about the role of certifications in authenticating sustainability efforts and how initiatives, such as carbon offset flights, are actively reducing carbon emissions. Uncover the building blocks of a greener retail future.

Fast Five Sponsor Highlight

Main Session Hall

Discover how incorporating battery-powered EV charging at various retail sites across Toronto has paved the way for substantial energy savings while serving the growing EV market. Learn about the seamless integration of this innovative technology in the grocery industry and how it unlocked EV charging and energy cost reduction opportunities for their customers.

Main Session Hall

Sustainability claims echo from factory floors to checkout lanes, yet how many resonate with consumers? Dig into the latest 2023 market insights with Joe Solly, Partner & National Consumer Sustainability & Climate Leader at Deloitte Canada. He’ll spotlight the significant divide between corporate claims and consumer perceptions, emphasizing the power of authentic business purpose in forging brand trust and what retailers need to consider.

Foyer

Enjoy networking and refreshments in the exhibit hall with fellow attendees and connect with exhibitors to learn more about how they are supporting the industry.

Orion A

Step into the world of sustainable packaging with an exclusive director’s cut preview of the upcoming documentary, Unwrapping. This film sheds light on the crucial role designers play in crafting holistic eco-design solutions, from production to consumption. After the screening, we explore the innovative methods retailers, agencies, and designers are utilizing to reduce the environmental impact of packaging.

Lyra

In the quest for a sustainable future, data plays a central role in connecting every aspect of the supply chain, spanning from resource extraction to the final stages of recycling. This panel delves into real-world data applications, current industry practices, and upcoming developments. Examining the full potential of data in optimizing product design and packaging upstream, leading to reduced waste and environmental impact. Additionally, we will illustrate the power of using downstream data to enhance decision-making on a policy level using practical examples that showcase how data is actively shaping industries.

Pegasus

Sam Kashani, Country Director for Too Good To Go Canada, and Mylene Campagne, Director- Environmental and Technical Risks for Metro, discuss why collaboration is the only effective, measurable way to fight food waste at a mass scale and why profitability doesn’t have to come at a price when it comes to food waste. Learn how Too Good To Go’s platform is working with retailers to make food waste management easier, creating opportunities to recover potential revenue loss, and reducing the waste contributing to GHG emissions.

Foyer

Connect with your fellow attendees and chat with speakers over lunch in the exhibit hall or attend the lunch and learn session in the ballroom.

Lunch and Learn

Orion A

Decarbonizing retail operations is crucial with many retailers progressing on Scope 1 emissions by electrifying fleets and aligning supply chains to meet Scope 3 needs. This session will highlight the benefits of applying artificial intelligence to real estate assets to contribute to an organization’s sustainability targets and how leading Canadian retailers including Sleep Country and SAIL Outdoors are using AI today. 

Lyra

Ontario’s revamped recycling system offers producers a transparent lens into the journey of their materials, transitioning from consumer recycling to a valuable recovered resource. Join the conversation with some of Canada’s leading producers as they examine the advantages of tracking and acquiring their material portions. Discover how this sophisticated system not only guides producers towards sustainability milestones but also strengthens Canada’s circular economy ambitions.

Orion A

Whether online or in store, GS1 barcodes provide the trusted data foundation for retailers and brands. As a trusted strategic partner, GS1 is working to bring the industry together to share information on how leveraging global standards and one-to-many industry managed solutions can support common sustainability goals. Pam Horvatis of GS1 talks about why global standard harmonization is critical for accelerating a circular economy, reporting challenges and opportunities to drive plastics packaging system change and why data accuracy and the new GS1 two-dimensional barcode can help industry meet its goals and compliance requirements.

Pegasus

Public and private investment is critical to advancing sustainability goals. Join us for a discussion on how strategic, sustainable investments and financing in energy efficiency, renewables, electric vehicle infrastructure and recycling technologies are pivotal in expediting the road towards a net-zero future and fostering a circular economy. Discover how aligning investor interests with these monumental sustainability goals can help propel innovation and sustainable growth, shaping a more resilient world.

Foyer

Enjoy networking and refreshments in the exhibit hall with fellow attendees and connect with exhibitors to learn more about how they are supporting the industry.

Main Session Hall

Federal policy update from Environment and Climate Change Canada.

Main Session Hall

The challenges of Scope 3 reporting reveal the intricate nuances of supply chain transparency. While retailers and manufacturers don’t always hold the reins with their partners in these data-driven endeavors, teamwork and collaboration is transformative. In this session, Canada Post sheds light on the innovative ways they and their business partners are working together to align and achieve their ambitious goals.

Fast Five Sponsor Highlight

Main Session Hall

Lowering emissions is about reducing empty truck trips during both inbound and outbound product/pallet flows. Collaboration is key in finding the right opportunities in the supply chain to tackle these issues. Jeff Doman from CHEP Canada will highlight how retailers are trimming these unnecessary trips, streamlining operations and going greener.

Main Session Hall

In our tech-savvy, eco-conscious world, digitization of operations offers an opportunity to be more efficient, reduce impact and improve tracking and reporting of metrics. Nick Venditti with Google Cloud share how earth observation data is being used to better understand climate risks and provide insights to inform policies for adaptation strategies. Learn how these tools are enhancing energy efficiency, accelerating the circular economy, and how Google Cloud sustainability offerings are helping retailers reduce their carbon footprint.

Fast Five Sponsor Highlight

Main Session Hall

Recycle My Electronics programs support sustainability objectives for retailers, manufacturers and distributers within an ever evolving EPR landscape. Cliff Hacking, EPRA President & CEO, shares how they are supporting resource recovery of critical minerals, accessibility to recycling, diversion from landfill, plus safe, secure data destruction for residents, businesses, and the circular economy.

Main Session Hall

In an era where sustainability has taken center stage in corporate strategies, ESG experts from Canadian Tire, Maple Leaf Foods, and McDonald’s are at the forefront of change. Join them a candid discussion about their current efforts, key challenges and future perspectives regarding critical topics such as sustainable packaging and waste reduction, the evolving producer responsibility landscape and climate mitigation throughout their supply chains.

Main Session Hall

Dr. Fisk Johnson, Chairman and CEO of SC Johnson, dives into the problems of plastic waste, the frustrations of trying to create impactful change, and the steps needed to turn the tide.

Foyer

Stay for networking cocktail reception to debrief the day with your fellow attendees and speakers. Be sure to make some new connections and discover new business solutions provided by our exhibitors.