2025 CONFERENCE
The 2025 conference theme, Growth and Stewardship was chosen to dive deeper into a core tension at the intersection of business and the environment. Many businesses today premise their core operating models off of non-renewable resource extraction that causes environmental degradation and permanent harm. The desire for continued growth accelerates this damage and is commonly viewed as antithetical to building a sustainable ecosystem that thrives within our planetary boundaries. The panels and discussions today will aim to discuss this inherent tension while identifying practices and approaches that decouple economic growth from environmental damage.
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8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. |
Speaker breakfast |
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8:30 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. |
Check-in and coffee for participants |
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9:00 a.m. - 9:20 a.m. |
Introduction & Keynote |
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9:20 a.m. - 10:10 a.m. |
Panel 1: |
| 10:10 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. |
Panel 2: Beyond Carbon: Planetary Stewardship |
| 11:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. | Networking & Coffee Break |
| 11:30 a.m. - 12:10 p.m. |
Panel 3: Growing in a Net-Zero Future |
| 12:20 p.m. - 12:30 p.m. | Closing Remarks |
| 12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. | Lunch |
| 1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. | Coffee Chats & Networking |
| 4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. | Happy Hour - East Rock Brewing Company |
| Time | Session |
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Paulette Frank
Paulette Frank is the Chief Sustainability Officer at Johnson & Johnson, the world's largest and most diversified healthcare products company. She is responsible for defining J&J's strategic direction to accelerate positive environmental impact across the company's operations, products, and value chain and for supporting solutions at the intersection of human and environmental health. She also oversees the company's workplace safety programs and the company's enterprise-wide approach to respecting human rights. Under her leadership, J&J launched the company's current climate goals, which include transitioning to 100% renewable electricity and reducing carbon emissions in its global operations while also partnering with suppliers to address upstream carbon emissions. She also initiated partnerships to support community health clinics and healthcare providers working at the intersection of climate change and health equity. Ms. Frank earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from Duke University and her Master of Environmental Studies degree from the Yale School of the Environment.

PANEL 1
Senior Manager, Sustainability and Philanthropy
Aspen One
Associate Director
Guidehouse
Founder and Executive Director
Topo Finance
PANEL 2
Nature & Biodiversity Consultant
PwC
Global Sustainable Sourcing Lead
Nestlé
Founder
Five Acre Farms
PANEL 3
Co-Founder & CEO
Renewal Mill
Managing Director, Head of Climate Center of Excellence
Nuveen
Associate Director of Trade Ally Management
Energy Solutions
