The programme features a range of not-to-be-missed presentations by some of the world’s most influential business leaders, including Tesco CEO Dave Lewis, Sainsbury’s CEO Mike Coupe and Thierry Cotillard, CEO, Intermarché. Issues to be tackled include food waste; forced labour and healthier communities

PARIS, 28th September 2016 – The Consumer Goods Forum (CGF) has announced that in one months’ time it will commence its first Sustainable Retail Summit, taking place in Paris from 27 – 28 October 2016. Following the success of the CGF’s Global Summit in Cape Town in June this year, the Sustainable Retail Summit will bring together top sustainability professionals and world-class experts representing civil society organisations, along with 40 CEOs and high level executives from across the globe. These leaders will focus discussion on three so called “mega trends”- topical issues reaching across international borders including food waste, forced labour and healthy communities.

FMCG industry leaders focus in on CSR issues

With sustainability issues at the forefront of many governments, business and NGO agendas, the Sustainable Retail Summit will see top executives and international speakers come together in a series of round table discussions and workshops. Delegates will benefit from networking opportunities with executives, government representatives, international organisations, inspirational health & sustainability leaders and other stakeholders.

Among the speakers set to deliver exclusive insights at the Sustainable Retail Summit include:

  • Guido Barilla, Chairman, Barilla & Barilla Center for Food and Nutrition Foundation
  • Mike Barry, Director of Sustainable Business, Marks & Spencer
  • Greg Beddoe, Chairman, Global VP of R&D Mars
  • Christine J.Cioffe, Senior VP, Strategy, Global R&D and Sustainability, Pepsico
  • Petra Klassen Wigger, Scientific Advisor/Corporate Nutrition, Nestle S.A., Switzerland
  • Dante Pesce, Member of the UN Working Group on Business & Human Rights & CEO, Vincular
  • Rachel Wilshaw, Ethical Trade Manager, Private Sector team, Oxfam GB
  • Kevin Hyland, UK’s first Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner, Enactus, The Graapz Project

Following on from the mega trends debates on day one, day two will focus on live examples showcasing how these mega trends are being tackled by some of the world’s most innovative organisations, including best practice activity and actionable workshop sessions. Senior FMCG executives alongside NGOs will discuss their approaches to today’s challenges: from PepsiCo’s portfolio transformation to Sainsbury’s ambitious initiative to tackle household food waste across the UK, to practical advice on tackling forced labour beyond audits.

The closing plenary session will feature high level and diverse speakers including the UK’s first independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner, Kevin Hyland, and an exciting project from Parisian university students designed to bring a solution to the problem of food waste in France.

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About The Consumer Goods Forum

The Consumer Goods Forum (“CGF”) is a global, parity-based industry network that is driven by its members to encourage the global adoption of practices and standards that serves the consumer goods industry worldwide. It brings together the CEOs and senior management of some 400 retailers, manufacturers, service providers, and other stakeholders across 70 countries, and it reflects the diversity of the industry in geography, size, product category and format. Its member companies have combined sales of EUR 3.5 trillion and directly employ nearly 10 million people, with a further 90 million related jobs estimated along the value chain. It is governed by its Board of Directors, which comprises 50 manufacturer and retailer CEOs.

For more information, please visit: www.theconsumergoodsforum.com.