Making Sustainability Sustainable: laying the foundations for future success

DLA Piper
160 Aldersgate
London
EC1A 4HT

This event is a full-day experience bringing together high-level professionals consisting of DLA Piper partners, General Counsel and C-Suite business executives, Chief Legal Officers, Chief Sustainability Officers and Heads of Risk and Compliance from across the Consumer Goods, Food and Retail sector (CGFR).

We’re at a pivotal moment for sustainability.

The past decade has seen a substantial increase in regulation focused on climate, nature and social issues. Mandatory sustainability reporting requirements are coming into force around the world. New laws targeting supply chain sustainability are also on the rise. As a result, in-scope CGFR companies are increasingly compelled to understand their direct and indirect environmental and social impacts in greater detail than ever before.

To understand how CGFR companies are responding to this new era of sustainability, DLA Piper commissioned research among 600 senior business leaders in the sector. Our research uncovers the long-term commercial risks emerging from short-term pressure to act on sustainability. Informed by these perspectives, this report highlights opportunities to strengthen business – not just compliance – and offers practical insight to help companies build a strategic response to sustainability.

Join us for a day of insightful discussions and debate as we explore sustainable practices and strategies for future success. Understand how CGFR companies are approaching the new era of sustainability and explore opportunities to strengthen business – not just compliance.

When you attend, you will:

• discover what your industry peers think the biggest sustainability challenges are – now and in the future
• understand how they’re preparing to meet growing sustainability regulation and scrutiny 
• see how short-term actions are creating future risks so that you can get ahead
• have access comprehensive data on what CGFR organisations are doing to comply in three critical areas:
• reporting data and information.
• legal and compliance infrastructure.
• supply chain transparency.
• get practical tips on steps for building a strategic response:
• driving the right sustainability strategy, narrative and values from the board down.
• be in a better position to enhance data accessibility, quality and capabilities across your company and its supply chains.

09:30 – 10:00   Breakfast and networking

10:00 – 10:10   Invite guest to take seats

10:10 – 10:20   Welcome and introduction of key findings

10:20 – 11:10   Panel 1: Increased sustainability risk is putting businesses under pressure

• New regulation and growing scrutiny
• New legal obligations
• Growing stakeholder scrutiny
• Emerging compliance gaps

11:10 – 11:25   Panel 1 Q&A

11:25 – 11:35   Break

11:40 – 12:20   Panel 2: Closer engagement with supply chains to mitigate sustainability risk

12:20 – 12:30   Panel 2 Q&A

12:30 – 13:15   Lunch

13:20 – 14:00   Panel 3: Reconfiguring operations to reduce the compliance burden

14:00 – 14:15   Panel 3 Q&A

14:15 – 14:30   Break

14:30 – 15:10   Panel 4: Scaling up on price and scaling back on range

15:10 – 15:15   Panel 4 Q&A

15:15 – 15:25   Break and move to breakout sessions

15:30 – 16:15   Breakout sessions:

• Session 1: Embedding sustainability from the top down
• Session 2: Driving visibility through data
• Session 3: Mitigating litigation risk through stakeholder engagement

16:20 – 16:30   Break

16:35 – 17:00   Plenary: Key takeaways from each breakout

17:00 – 17:30   Panel 5: Practical actions to strengthen your business, not just comply

17:30 – 17:40   Panel 5 Q&A

17:40 – 17:45   Round up and thank you

17:45 onwards   Drinks and canapés