Improving Data Transparency within the Packaging Value Chain

Kimi Walker leads a team that manages product safety and compliance, responsible sourcing, and environmental stewardship across the Canadian Tire family of companies.  In addition, she drives circular economy initiatives by sharing internal and external best practices, finding collaborative partners and celebrating our many successes.

Kimi also actively participates as a Board Member of the Canadian Electrical Stewardship Association, as a Board Member of the Trade Facilitation Organization, and as Treasurer of Nirapon, an organization to drive a culture of worker safety in Bangladesh.

Kimi joined Canadian Tire Corporation in 1994 as a Financial Analyst and has contributed to a number of different functions within Canadian Tire, including Retail Finance, Retail Strategy, Financial Systems, Business Intelligence, Sourcing, Product Quality and Reverse Flow.  Prior to coming to Canadian Tire, Kimi taught English for two towns in Ehime, Japan and earlier had been a Marketing Services Analyst for Petro-Canada Retail.

Kimi has an MBA in International Business from McMaster University and a Honours Bachelor of Business Administration from Wilfrid Laurier University.

Neil Menezes is the Packaging Sustainability Policy Manager with General Mills. He is supporting the
company to achieve its packaging goal of designing 100% recyclable or reusable packaging by 2030
through effective policies and programs. Prior to joining General Mills, he worked for over 10 years as a
consultant in the recycling and waste management industry. He has worked closely with a broad range
of stakeholders including brand owners, municipalities, producer responsibility organizations (PROs),
associations, and government agencies in Canada, the US, Europe and South America.

Additionally, Neil has been extensively involved in extended producer responsibility (EPR) programs in
Canada. He was involved in the data collection and verifying of municipal cost and tonnage data for
Ontario, Manitoba and Saskatchewan. Neil has also been involved in developing and updating recovery
and financial fee models for multiple PROs. He also has on-the-ground experience having conducted
various inbound and MRF audits to better understand how packaging flows through recycling systems.

Cher is one of Canada’s leaders in food industry sustainability. As CEO of Anthesis Provision, Cher works directly with food companies to transform their business culture and operations.
Cher is a passionate advocate for a healthy lifestyle that is deeply connected to the natural environment. The food system became an obvious source of study and focus for her professional career, as food is the nexus between environment and health. What Cher stands for, is a world in which food and beverage products support both people and the planet. She has dedicated her career to working with businesses to get clear on why they exist, what their purpose is beyond profit, and to provide them with the support needed to execute this strategy, so that the real ‘magic’ can happen.
Before founding Provision Coalition Inc., now Anthesis Provision, Cher’s career has included time with the Guelph Food Technology Centre (now NSF International) where she established and directed the Sustainability Consulting Business Unit, and executive positions in environmental economics and policy with the Canadian agri-food think tank, the George Morris Centre. Cher holds a Bachelor and Master’s degree in Environmental Economics and Policy and is certified in both project and change management. Cher has also been awarded the Canadian Grocer Generation Next award for her leadership, innovation and excellence in sustainability within the food and beverage industry.

Pam Horvatis has been a strategic leader is the Grocery and Foodservice industries for over 30 years, including senior roles at Mondelēz International, Kraft Foods, Cadbury Adams Canada, Revlon and Unilever Canada, Pam has been in her current role as Senior Vice President, Industry Relation at GS1 Canada for seven years.

Through this important industry role, Pam has been the facilitator for GS1 Canada’s Grocery and Foodservice Boards, and has been instrumental in leading increased collaboration, harmonization and alignment on improved business processes enabled by GS1 supply chain standards.

Pam has been an instrumental force in driving the adoption of industry-directed business solutions for organizations of all size across these industries. This work has resulted in significant benefits for all industry stakeholders, including increased product data quality, more efficient sharing of accurate and complete data between trading partners, fewer workarounds and reduced operational costs.

Pam has been the GS1 Canada representative for the Canada Plastics Pact since it was formed. She is passionate about the benefits of GS1 standards in supporting sustainability strategies and has been essential in facilitating discussion and leading action on social and environmental opportunities such as food safety, circular economy, health and well-being and wider sustainability initiatives.

As a strong supporter and mentor to women in the workplace, Pam is a role model for the Women in Leadership program at GS1 Canada. Among other distinctions, Pam was recently recognized as a 2023 Star Woman in Grocery award winner by Canadian Grocer magazine for her contribution to changing the food retail landscape over the course of her career, and for the positive impact she continues to make on GS1 Canada and the industry as a whole.