Sustainability creates value when it is embedded across the business, not siloed in functions or added on after the fact. This session breaks down what it takes to embed sustainability into decision-making, culture, and leadership. Not as an initiative, but as a driver of brand strength, talent development, growth, and competitive advantage.

• Why sustainability stalls in mature companies and how to break inertia
• How to activate culture and human capital to drive momentum
• What leading brands use sustainability to create value and stand out
• Real-time audience insight: what’s driving your program, what’s blocking it, and why that matters

Employees want to be part of their company’s purpose — 89 percent say it matters to their job satisfaction, and global participation in volunteering and impact programs has grown 57 percent year over year. Yet inside most organizations, fewer than 1 in 5 employees are even aware of the programs available to them. That gap is where engagement breaks down, and where the risk to culture and retention begins.

This panel brings together engagement leaders from Manulife, RBC, and IGM Financial who are closing that gap at scale. They’ll share what’s actually working across complex, global workforces: building awareness across regions and job types, partnering with Comms to cut through internal noise, balancing top-down strategy with grassroots energy, and designing programs that help employees engage with what genuinely matters to them.

Expect real examples, honest insights, and practical strategies to help any organization move employees from awareness to action — even when attention is scarce and capacity is tight.

As we look ahead to 2030, pressing net-zero targets and a growing back-to-office trend are turning corporate sustainability’s focus inward, toward internal opportunities to activate impact and advance ESG commitments. At the heart of this focus? Buildings.

Panelists:

• Madeline Robertson | Director of Sustainability, Greystar
• Miguel Lopez | Senior Energy Consultant, RWDI
• Orlane Panet | Cofounder & CEO, Microhabitat

Companies are moving beyond broad commitments to focus on what truly matters; embedding materiality, aligning strategy to purpose, and creating impact at scale.

• How are leading companies assessing material issues based on impacts, risks, and opportunities?
• What steps strengthen strategy, goal setting, and collaboration across the business?
• How does a socially oriented purpose shape long-term direction?
• What global insights and practices are shaping sustainability strategies today?

As ESG evolves, a new wave of companies is treating ecosystem restoration as a strategic investment that drives both environmental and financial returns. This panel will bring together leaders from DECIEM, Sleep Country Canada and veritree to explore how nature-positive action can shift from a “nice-to-have” to a core business strategy.

Panelists:

• Anika De La Flor | Director, Environmental Sustainability, DECIEM
• Amy Bi | Vice President Brand, DECIEM
• Sandra Dagenais | Marketing Director, Sleep Country Canada

Artificial intelligence is reshaping the path to sustainability — offering powerful tools to reduce emissions, optimize resources, and enhance ESG reporting, while also introducing new environmental challenges of its own. This session explores how organizations can balance AI’s immense potential with its carbon footprint, examining innovations in green computing, responsible scaling, and governance frameworks that ensure technology serves as a true catalyst for sustainable progress.

• Assess GenAI’s carbon footprint and emerging solutions to reduce its impact.

• Highlight energy-efficient models and green data center innovations.

• Explore AI-driven sustainability gains in supply chains, reporting, and climate action.

• Discuss governance and education for responsible, sustainable AI use.

“Our restaurant is founded on a holistic approach of regenerative practices and processes. Working with our regional purveyors, our food and wine are a reflection of our local ecosystem and the land we inhabit.”

▲ Restaurant Pearl Morissette Website
▲ Canada’s 100 Best 2025: #1
▲ Michelin 2025: 2 Stars