Kickstart your day with focused connections and shared purpose.
Join a small group of peers for a fast, high‑impact morning session designed to help you clarify your priorities and meet others tackling similar challenges. Connect on your key challenge so you can benchmark goals, exchange early insights, and build relationships you’ll return to throughout the event.
• Hear directly from C-suite leaders on how sustainability is evolving from added value to a core business driver powered by evidence-based value creation
• Discover how focusing on financial reality and competitive gains, and not media narratives, can strengthen business confidence
• Hear how C-suite leaders are leveraging sustainability as an operational foundation to build business resilience
Kathy Rostkowski, Chief Sustainability Officer, McCormick
Ivan Frishberg, Chief Sustainability Officer, Amalgamated Bank
Jean Garris Hand, Vice President & Global Head - Sustainability, Hilton
Moderator: Mindy Lubber, CEO, Ceres
•Learn how Gilead Sciences, through its FOCUS program, integrates funding and cross‑sector partnerships into its corporate responsibility strategy to help strengthen regional health systems and address public health.
•Hear from a local Gilead FOCUS partner about how public‑private collaboration is an approach that can contribute to long‑term impact for patients through sustainable public health infrastructure.
•Take away practical lessons on measuring social impact, disseminating proven models across health systems, and embedding health prosperity into responsible business and corporate sustainability frameworks.
Rashad Burgess, Vice President Corporate Responsibility, Gilead Sciences
• Benchmark the current US regulatory landscape against international sustainability frameworks to identify strategic positioning opportunities and competitive advantages
• Refine corporate approaches and eliminate compliance blind spots by leveraging insider regulator perspectives on sustainability implementation
• Prepare for inevitable regulatory convergence by identifying early signals of policy realignment and stakeholder-driven market pressures
Elizabeth Seeger, Board Member, IFRS
Ryan Lynch, Practice Director, BSI
Moderator: Steven Rothstein, Ceres
Reuters Editors Briefing: Sneak Peek: The Reuters Climate Monitor, featuring Ben Welsh, Data Journalist, Reuters Graphics
See how the Reuters data journalism team is preparing a new initiative to track climate change at the speed of news.
This interview is by a Reuters journalist under the Reuters Trust Principles https://www.thomsonreuters.com/en/about-us/trust-principles
• Fortify the past decade’s momentum for sustainability initiatives by providing the board with substantiated evidence of business benefits
• Hear examples of how to utilize language that engages senior management, for them to back sustainability projects and become advocates
• Understand how to frame sustainability progress and impact in a clear, transparent and apolitical way, using measurable business outcomes as evidence
Charles Fogg, Chief Sustainability Officer, Primo Brands
Jeannette Ferran Astorga, Executive Vice President, Corporate Affairs and Chief Sustainability Officer, Zoetis
Paloma Lopez, Chief sustainability and Cheif Communications Officer, Bel Group
Moderator: William Sisson, Executive Director, Americas, WBCSD
In this hands-on session, you'll pressure test your current pilots, practice reframing business cases for skeptical stakeholders, and build a rollout playbook that survives budget tightening and increased board scrutiny.
• Explore how you can reposition current sustainability investments to prove value and preserve pilot funding despite federal funding shifts and tightening budgets
• Discuss with peers how to build and integrate monitoring systems that identify scalability barriers before they derail expansion
• Prepare your pitch to secure board buy-in for large-scale deployment using metrics that frame outcomes as material, tangible and aligned with organizational priorities
Brendon Steele, Vice President, Future500
Attendees will share strategies for aligning sustainability goals with cost, performance, and efficiency demands in today’s economic climate. Attendees will gain insight into how companies prioritize initiatives, secure executive buy in, and drive sustainability efforts to support business objectives rather than compete with them.
The discussion will provide practical, experience-based approaches to tackling common operational roadblocks, including complex supply chains, fragmented data and systems, technology implementation challenges, and workforce readiness. Panelists will share how organizations move from pilot programs to scalable solutions by embedding sustainability into existing processes, improving cross functional collaboration, and engaging suppliers effectively.
Attendees will hear directly from peers who have successfully scaled sustainability initiatives across their organizations.
Through real world examples, panelists and participants will highlight what worked, what didn’t, and the critical lessons learned along the way. The panelist will share valuable insight into common pitfalls to avoid, such as over engineering solutions or underestimating change management, while learning leading practices for driving adoption, maintaining momentum, and delivering sustained impact at scale.
Alexis Voeltnor, Senior Sustainability Consultant, UL Solutions
Mark Rossolo, Head of Sales, UL Solutions
Kirk Caron, Managing Director, KPMG
• Learn how sustainability actions can showcase efficiency gains and operational movements that deliver measurable financial returns
• Identify commercial opportunities embedded in sustainability innovation that can generate competitive advantage and future revenue opportunities
• Understand how to embed environmental action into investor value by presenting sustainability performance through the lens of resilient growth trajectories
Matthew Yamatin, Sustainability Program Director, Thermo Fisher Scientific
Candace Rodriguez, Head of Sustainability, Home Depot
Emma Cox, Chief Commercial Officer, Climeco
Moderator: Amanda Gardiner, Executive Director, United Nations Global Compact, Network USA
In this one-hour townhall hear from sustainability regulation experts as they delve into the latest updates in Europe and the US, and how they can effect your business.
- Learn where the EU stands with the update of its regulation as the omnibus goes ahead, timelines on when they will apply and who they will affect
- Discover the details of the latest reporting standards including ESRS
- See what US enterprises are ahead of the curve with their voluntary reporting, and regulatory conflicts between the US and EU and how to deal with them
Ferdinand M. Fromholzer, Partner, Gibson Dunn
Lauren M. Assaf-Holmes, Of Counsel, Gibson Dunn
This workshop will explore the financial case for sustainability with a depth and candour that is only possible in a small, senior peer group. This will be an active, discussion driven working session, offering space for leaders to compare approaches, pressure-test assumptions, and exchange insights at the strategic level.
For more information on our Reuters Events CSO circle Series please contact Katie Kilner at KatieRigby.Kilner@thomsonreuters.com
• Learn how to inspire smarter, risk-aware decisions by communicating sustainability as a value driver, not a compliance task
• Embed sustainability into other teams’ goals with clear messaging that shares accountability
• Understand how to identify and activate internal champions by aligning sustainability needs with existing skillsets and roles across functions
Kara Fulcher, Director, Sustainability Strategy, Michelin
Aman Singh, Director Sustainability Communications, Kenvue
Jessica Appelgren, Senior Vice President, Communications and Marketing, Palmetto
Nandika Madgavkar, Chief Growth Officer, CECP
• Discover the renewable energy commitments from data center partners, and how they are working to align with corporate climate goals
• Hear from providers as to how they are mitigating the environmental impact of AI through grid-scale renewable procurement
• Discover how data centers are collaborating with corporates to drive accountability across their technology supply chain
Subho Mukerjee, VP sustainability, Nokia
Moderator: Steven Clarke, Senior Director of Climate and Energy, Ceres
In an increasingly volatile, uncertain, and complex world, how do we successfully engage the Board of Directors as a driver of sustainability? And how does the CSO – particularly women CSOs – leverage their leadership experience to secure coveted roles as Board members for companies? This Workshop will provide guidance to speak the Board’s language; make the sustainability business case; build bridges and make allies of the board and C-Suite; and enhance one’s own leadership status to secure Board positions.
Ann Lee-Jeffs, Founder, Sustainability Women in the World
Faith Taylor, SVP Global Sustainability and Citizenship Officer, Kyndryl
Moderator: Steve Rochlin, CEO, IMPACT ROI
A team of Reuters correspondents discusses their coverage of escalating climate litigation, recent Supreme Court decisions, and the regulatory risks shaping corporate and government action. The conversation highlights emerging ESG trends, shifts in proxy‑voting dynamics, and expanding disclosure mandates, while examining Reuters sustainability and energy reporting—from campus greenwashing to grid bottlenecks and the failures of “clean coal” policy. Together, they reveal where rhetoric and reality continue to diverge.
Reuters U.S. Sustainable Business Correspondent Ross Kerber
Reuters Legal Correspondent Nate Raymond
Reuters Energy Correspondent Timothy J. McLaughlin
Moderator: Reuters Shareholder Activism Correspondent Svea Herbst-Bayliss
This panel is hosted by Reuters journalists under the Reuters Trust Principles.
Following the opening day of Responsible Business USA 2026, we are delighted to invite a small group of senior leaders to a intimate off the record dinner.
This informal evening will bring together C-suite executives, legal leaders and regulatory experts for open conversation on the realities of sustainable business today, from governance and accountability to navigating regulatory complexity and risk in an increasingly volatile environment.
Join our trailblazing women in sustainability breakfast series at Responsible Business USA, an energising, supportive space designed to help you build confidence, expand your network, and gain the tools you need to accelerate your impact in the sustainability industry.
The breakfast will feature a panel discussion followed by breakout sessions where you can connect with inspiring female leaders, exchange real‑world experiences, and uncover actionable strategies to advance both your own career and the progression of women within the sustainability space.
Pam Alabaster, Adjunct Professor, Columbia University
Janice Lao, Vice President, Regulatory, Sustainability & Governance, Helen of Troy
Ann Lee-Jeffs, Founder, SW2
Moderator: Emily Janoch, Associate Vice President, Evidence and Learning, CARE
Sustainability reporting is at an inflection point—regulatory pressures, data complexity, and stakeholder scrutiny are increasingly stretching traditional, manual ways of working.
In this working session, you will learn how to:
• Strengthen sustainability processes, including reporting, and improve data quality by applying AI approaches informed by peer examples
• Build your team’s readiness by learning from successful deployments and the foundations—data, governance, and process—that support scalable adoption
• Reduce implementation risk and improve time-to-value by exploring emerging AI solutions
You’ll leave with practical next steps and a clearer line of sight between sustainability data and operations, while maintaining trust.
PwC
• Learn how integrated sustainability frameworks can enhance productivity efforts and operational engagement while delivering measurable financial returns
• Identify commercial opportunities embedded in sustainable innovation that can generate competitive advantage and future growth opportunities
• Understand the evolving role sustainability can play in Enterprise Risk Management, proactive issues management and public sector advocacy to protect value and a company's license to grow
Monique Oxender, Chief Corporate Affairs & Sustainability Officer, Keurig Dr Pepper
Jennifer Kim, CSO, Henry Schein
Hugh Welsh, President, dsm
SLR Consulting
Moderator: Nat Keohane, President, Center for Climate and Energy Solutions
• Eliminate reporting conflicts and data inconsistencies by establishing clear ownership protocols across finance, legal, and operations teams through structured governance models
• Optimize sustainability reporting workflows and reduce audit cycles through governance techniques that build efficiency and quality assurance at the source
• Strengthen organizational credibility and stakeholder confidence by implementing operational ownership models that drive accountability, accuracy and long-term data integrity
Courtney Nash, Director, Sustainability & Social Impact (SSI) Portfolio Governance and Execution, Bristol Myers Squibb
Janice Lao, VP Sustainability, Regulatory & Governance, Helen of Troy
Virginia Li, Executive Director - Sustainability and ESG, Nexteer Automotive
• Explore how new technologies can help you streamline data collection processes and incorporate sustainability data into your daily operations
• Discover tools that can automate and integrate sustainability reporting into existing data collection workflows for all departments
• Take away examples on how best to engage and incentivize other departments to contribute towards data collection to improve the sustainability team’s accessibility
Alex Hausman, Director Sustainability Reporting, Google
Susanne Mathis-Alig, VP ESG Reporting / Head Impact Investing, Mondelez International
Corinne Hanson, VP Sustainability, Green Places
Moderator: Kindra Mohr, Associate Director, BSR
• Explore the implications of new legislation for your business and learn how to effectively communicate the value of financing circularity initiatives to the board
• Leave with a clearer understanding of how to leverage policy shifts and data insights, to build a more resilient and innovative resource strategy
• Discuss what actionable strategies can be made to forge essential cross-sector and supply chain collaborations, equipping you to overcome implementation barriers and scale circular initiatives across complex corporate ecosystems
Jason Bergquist, CEO, RecycleMe
In this interactive session, you’ll move beyond theory to explore how insetting and offsetting can be applied to your decarbonization strategy. Through expert insights and peer discussions you will gain clarity on market trends and practical solutions you can implement.
• Understand the difference and benefits of insetting vs offsetting and which approach makes sense for your decarbonization strategy
• Navigate the evolving landscape of Scope 3 decarbonization by learning to identify and implement high-quality solutions
• Discuss common pain points, share experiences, and build actionable solutions for implementing these practices effectively
Adam Klauber, Chief Sustainability Officer, World Energy
Kathy Wight, Vice President - Net Zero Services, World Energy
featuring Ben Welsh, Data Journalist, Reuters Graphics
This interview is by a Reuters journalist under the Reuters Trust Principles
• Explore how sustainability reports are being tailored for diverse audiences, from investors and regulators to customers
• Gain proven communication strategies to align disclosures with stakeholder priorities and build trust
• Discover practical frameworks and examples from leading sustainability communication experts to make your reporting more impactful
Hollie Grant, Director, Global Sustainability Global Corporate Affairs, Takeda Pharmaceutical
Devin Giles, Head of Global Sustainability & ESG, Wayfair
Pratik Raval, Chief Sustainability Officer & SVP, Fifth Third Bank
Moderator: Erik Wholgemouth, CEO, Fortune500
Join C2ES for a private lunch for a preview of the findings from its latest Climate Attitudes Survey which assessed public understanding of and expectations for corporate climate action. Over a hosted lunch, participants will connect with peers and hear from leading industry experts on how companies can earn trust and communicate progress with clarity, credibility, and confidence.
Nicholle Manners, Senior Vice President, maslansky + partners
Verena Radulovic, Vice President for Business Engagement, Center for Climate and Energy Solutions (C2ES)
• Discover how to move beyond basic recycling to redesign products and supply chains, enabling truly systemic circularity that drives deeper resource efficiency and cost savings
• Hear from leaders on how they conquer implementation hurdles; gain strategies to overcome obstacles and pave a smooth path to circularity
• Learn what’s needed to move beyond pilot projects: harmonized standards, feedstock certainty, and verified flows that support industrial demand and cross-border trade
Helen Sahi, Chief Sustainability Officer, BIC
Deanna Bratter, Chief Sustainability Officer, Crocs
Kaila Bryzgalski, Portfolio Manager, Product Sustainability Marketing, Steelcase
Moderator: Danielle Holly, Executive Lead, North America, The Ellen McArthur Foundation
