Sustainable Retail Summit

There is an urgent need to tackle the environmental problems associated with plastic waste, especially as 95% of plastic packaging is created for single use and packaging produced by our industry is on the rise globally. The United Nations Environmental Programme estimates that of the 8.3 billion tonnes of plastics produced since the 1950s, about 60 percent has ended up in a landfill or the natural environment. The 8-12 million tonnes of plastic litter that ends up in the ocean every year is one of the most visible and alarming signs of this problem. We need collaborative action, and the CGF is in a prime position to drive positive change on the plastic waste challenge and toward a circular economy.

Moving from a linear to a circular economy requires a different approach to plastic usage, from production, consumption and reuse, to recycling and disposal. This new approach will require collaboration, knowledge and experience sharing, and creating partnerships with different sectors and organisations that, under different circumstances, might not normally have come together to act. Join our panelists to learn more!

Main Stage

The CGF’s Collaboration for Healthier Lives Coalition is about making it easier for people around the world to adopt healthier lives for themselves and their families. It’s about making healthier decisions easier and habitual for people in every community around the world. It is a global movement led by manufacturers, retailers, public health authorities and local communities, delivering local movements in communities worldwide.

With concrete, practical examples of CHL’s core pilots from across the globe, this session will highlight the importance of nudging people towards healthier behaviours and support the goal of positively impacting change to help people live healthier lives. Focus will also be given to the current global reality and challenges surrounding health and consumer choice, where the cost of living, affordability and current inflation are having significant impacts.

Main Stage

• Focusing and communicating on both people and planet within a company’s operations is becoming more and more important, especially when it comes to good business practice, increasing pressure from consumers and increasing legislative requirements, such as mandatory due diligence laws and on-the-ground realities of the ecosystems where raw commodities are sourced.

• In this session, focus will be given to the interlinkages and integration of environmental and social sustainability to achieve change and systemic solutions on human rights issues in the context of the CGF’s theory of change to reach forest and people positive. The focus of the CGF’s Human Rights Coalition – Working to End Forced Labour is paramount to this. Forced labour is one of the most profitable global crimes and one of the most salient challenges facing the world today.

• Moreover, companies need to look beyond their individual supply chains to protect and restore forest environments in the landscapes where key commodities are sourced. The people who live and work in these landscapes must be included and prioritized. With this approach, Coalition members are collectively supporting actions on-the-ground to drive positive outcomes for climate, people, and nature.

Main Stage

Exhibition Area

In this workshop, led by Angelo Vermeulen – Space Systems Researcher, Biologist and Artist – delegates will design new concepts for regenerative ecosystems to be used both on Earth and in deep space. The challenge is to design novel ecosystems by creatively combining different organisms and crops, taking into account their specific metabolic needs. The goal is to create a circular concept and close as many of the waste loops as possible. This co-creation workshop is specifically targeted at a broad audience and no prior knowledge is required.

A short introduction into existing regenerative ecosystems and alternative farming techniques will be provided to get started and delegates will then work in groups. At the end of the workshop, selected teams will be invited to give a short presentation about their proposal, with feedback from both Angelo and the other participants.

Main Plenary Hall

Join Lola Young, Baroness Young of Hornsey OBE, to learn about current legislation addressing modern forms of slavery in supply chains in the UK and around the world. Focus will be given to mandatory Human Rights and Environmental Due Diligence, where business is backing change and tackle a pivotal question in today’s context – what does being a responsible business mean?

Main Stage

In his talk, Angelo will take you to outer space, and show you how this unique vantage point provides us with radical solutions and an enriching perspective on our challenges on Earth. Angelo will share his experience of participating in a NASA food study during a 4-month isolation experiment on the Mauna Loa volcano in Hawaii, and what it taught him about the cultural and psychological significance of food. He will talk about his concept of ‘molecular sustainability’ and how bioregenerative ecosystems could not just be a solution for astronauts, but also for our future on Earth. The so-called ‘overview effect’ is a shift in awareness that astronauts experience when looking down at our fragile planet from space. Angelo had a similar experience during his NASA mission, and will make a case for vigorously practicing a holistic view on the world.

Main Stage

Exhibition Area