Annual Meeting 2024

  • Cascale Event

We stepped into the dawn of “a new era of unified impact” at the Cascale Annual Meeting 2024 in Munich, Germany and online. Exclusively crafted for Cascale members, this electrifying event brought together over 600+ attendees, representing a diverse mix of manufacturers, brands, retailers, academics, NGOs, government officials and service providers from all corners of the globe.

Date & Time
September 09 2024 | 17:00 - September 11 2024 | 23:00 (CEST)
Location
Munich, Germany
  • About
  • Speakers
  • Program

Cascale Annual Meeting 2024 in Munich, Germany & Online

Held on September 9-11 in Munich, we embarked on a journey together into “a new era of unified impact” at the Cascale Annual Meeting 2024. Designed exclusively for our Cascale community, this event provided a unique opportunity for more than 600 attendees from across the globe to connect. Manufacturers, brands, retailers, academics, NGOs, government officials, and service providers came together in unprecedented collaboration.

Day One

Day Two

Thank You to Our Sponsors

Wellness Sponsor

Nike Logo

 

Gold SponsorVF Corporation Logo

Gold Sponsor

Dinner Reception Host

Silver SponsorHaelixa Logo

Silver Sponsorlululemon Logo

Silver SponsorTrusTrace Logo

Silver Sponsor

Welcome Reception Host

Puma Logo

Bronze SponsorGSCS Logo

 

Lunch Break Host

Artistic Milliners Logo

Coffee Break Host

CottonConnect Logo

Coffee Break Host

Made2Flow Logo

Coffee Break Host

Ren Energy Logo

Affiliate Exhibitor

Policy Hub Logo

Affiliate Exhibitor 

SLCP Logo

Bronze Sponsor

 

Innovation Corner

At Cascale, we understand the pivotal role of manufacturers in driving sustainability in consumer goods. We’re dedicated to supporting their efforts and promoting innovation across the value chain.

At this year’s Cascale Annual Meeting, we created an Innovation Corner, a mini exhibition showcasing the innovative work and success stories of manufacturers. This designated area featured visual posters, fabrics, materials, samples, product technologies, and other innovations on mannequin, elevated boxes and wooden display boards.

Lenzing Factory Tour

The Lenzing Group specializes in sustainable, resource-preserving man-made cellulosic fiber production.

Discover 80 years of innovation at the headquarters in Lenzing, Austria, home to the largest MMCF production facility. Experience TENCEL™ lyocell, TENCEL™ modal, and ECOVERO™ viscose production.

Located in the alpine Salzkammergut region, the site is near a pristine lake. The biorefinery uses 100% of wood components for pulp, biorefinery products, and bioenergy, maintaining CO2 neutrality.

Speakers

Colin Browne

CEO, Cascale

Rick Ridgeway

Author, Adventurer & Cascale Co-founder

Shreyaskar Chaudhary

Managing Director, Pratibha Syntex Ltd.

Miran Ali

Vice President, Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA)

Isabelle Kumar

Award Winning Journalist, Presenter, Moderator, former News Anchor

Tamar Hoek

Senior Policy Director Sustainable Fashion, Solidaridad

Aaron Di Silvestro

Director, Higg Products, Cascale

Abrar Sayem

Founder & CEO, Merchant Bay Inc. Director, BGMEA, Founder & President, Bangladesh Apparel Youth Leaders Alliance

Adrián Branco

Senior Manager, Higg Index Brand & Retail, Cascale

Alexandra Nikolin

Environmental Coordinator, Hunkemöller

Alison Ward

CEO, CottonConnect

Amanda Tucker

Vice President, Responsible Sourcing & Sustainability, Target

Andrew Martin

Executive Vice President, Cascale

Ash Hegland

COO, Intensel

Bien Vu

Regional Manager, Leadership & Sustainability

Carolina van Loenen

Director, Stakeholder Engagement, Cascale

Chris Marshall

Director, Transparency Program, Cascale

Dalena White

Secretary General, International Wool Textile Organisation

Dani Baker

Senior Manager, Membership Engagement, EMEA, Cascale

Debbie Shakespeare

Sr Director, Sustainability, Avery Dennison

Deepika Mishra

Standards and Data Lead, U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol

Demith Gooneratne

Senior Manager, Higg Facility Tools, Cascale

Dhawal Mane

Director, Training and Verification, Cascale

Elena Stecca

Team Lead Environmental Sustainability, ZALANDO SE

Elisabeth von Reitzenstein

Senior Director, Public Affairs, Cascale

Emily Luijbregts

Director, Project Management Office (PMO), Cascale

Eric Jen

Founder & CEO, REN Energy

Erwan Berthou

Director, Membership & Corporate Engagement, Cascale

Fiona Sadler

Global Head of Responsible Sourcing, Marks & Spencer

Franzisca Friedrich

Technical Advisor, Deutsche Gesellschaft für internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH

Gregg Meyer

Chief Sustainability Officer, Steve Madden

Hanna Griesbeck Garcia

Manager, Stakeholder Engagement, EMEA, Cascale

Harsh Saini

Board Director, Global Fashion Agenda

Helen Kuyper

Director, WE Program

Hilary Strickland

Chief of Staff, Cascale

Ilishio Lovejoy

Independent Researcher

James Crowley

Manager, Transparency & Traceability, Cascale

James Schaffer

Chief Strategy Officer, Worldly

Janne Koopmans

Head of Collaboration, ZDHC

Jeremy Lardeau

Vice President, Higg Index, Cascale

Dr. Jesse Daystar

Chief Sustainability Officer, VP Sustainability, Cotton Incorporated

Jia Liu

Global Sustainability Director, People and Business Assurance , TÜV Rheinland

Joël Mertens

Director, Higg Product Tools, Cascale

Jonathan Salmon

Head of Sustainability, Li&Fung

J.R. Siegel

Vice President, Sustainability, Worldly

Kaley Roshitsh

Director, Editorial, Cascale

Katrin Perlmutter

Senior Policy Officer, BMZ - German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development

Katy Stevens

Head of CSR and Sustainability, European Outdoor Group

Kim van der Weerd

Intelligence Director, Transformers Foundation

Krelyne Andrew

Head of Sustainability, Sappi Verve, Sappi

Krishna Manda

Vice President of Corporate Sustainability, Lenzing Aktiengesellschaft

Kurt Kipka

Chief Impact Officer, Apparel Impact Institute

Lars van Doremalen

Director Impact, Better Cotton

Lena Staafgard

Chief Operating Officer, Better Cotton

Liam Salter

CEO, RESET Carbon

Linh Cao

Sustainability Project Manager, On AG

Linn Rai Gjelsvik

Global Sourcing Manager, Varner

Lisa Domoney

Senior Director, Strategic Growth, Cascale

Lisa Ly

Senior Sustainability Manager, Dunelm

Lisa Süss

Head of Industry Alignment, Fair Wear Foundation

Magnus Dorsch

Head of Corporate Sustainability, About You

Maravillas Rodriguez Zarco

Senior Director, Higg Index Strategy & Operations, Cascale

Marianne Uddman

Senior Vice President Go to Market, TrusTrace

Mark Vaessen

Partner, Global Head of Corporate & Sustainability Reporting, KPMG

Markus Wieser

Climate Team Leader, W.L. Gore & Associates

Michael Sadowski

Executive Director, The Circulate Initiative

Minh Nguyen

Senior Manager Compliance, Facility Engineering and Sustainability, Hanesbrands Inc.

Orine Dsouza

Senior Manager, Higg Facility Tools, Cascale

Patricia Jurewicz

Founder and CEO, Responsible Sourcing Network & YESS

Pascal Brun

Vice President of Sustainability and D&I, ZALANDO SE

Patrick Strumpf

CEO, Haelixa Ltd

Paul Polman

Co-Founder, Fashion Pact (virtual speaker)

Philipp Mayer

CPO & Co-Founder, Retraced GmbH

Philipp Meister

Global Lead Fashion & Sporting Goods, Quantis

Quentin Thorel

Group Head of Sustainability, CIEL Textiles

Rebecka Sancho

Head of Sustainability, G-Star

Saqib Shahzad

Head of Sustainability, Sapphire - Diamond Fabircs Limited

Saskia Anders

Team Lead Sustainable Supply Chains and Circularity, GIZ Vietnam

Scott Raskin

CEO, Worldly

Sean Cady

Vice President, Global Sustainability, Responsibility, Trade and Government Affairs, VF Corporation

Simon Whitmarsh-Knight

Sustainability Director - Textiles, Hyosung

Sophie You

Principal Consultant, RESET Carbon

Stefan Seidel

Senior Director Corporate Sustainability, PUMA SE

Tom Mason

Senior Manager, Public Affairs & Stakeholder Engagement, SLCP

Veronique Rochet

Senior Director Sustainability, PUMA

Dr. Vidhura Ralapanawe

Executive Vice President, Epic Group
 

Discover the Power of Unified Impact Across Four Dynamic Stages

  • September 9, 2024
  • September 10, 2024
  • September 11, 2024
  • September 12, 2024
  • September 13, 2024
9:00 am - 12:00 pm

Cascale Strategic Council Meetings

Closed to Strategic Council Members

Cascale Board of Directors Q4 Meeting 

Closed to Board of Directors & Cascale Executive Team

1:00 pm - 5:00 pm

Building Trust and Equity: Responsible Purchasing as the New Norm

Hosted by The Industry We Want and Initiative for Global Solidarity, this high level event will focus on responsible purchasing practices, impactful due diligence, and the evolving legislative landscape on supply chain responsibility. By bringing together key decision makers and stakeholders from across the garment and footwear sector, we aim to deepen our understanding of the interconnected impact of purchasing practices on environmental and social topics.

Register

View the Agenda

3:00 pm - 6:00 pm

Check-In

Please check in and collect your badge early at the registration desk before the cocktail reception to skip the long lines on event day.

 Lobby, Hilton Munich Park Hotel

6:00 pm - 7:30 pm

Welcome Reception

Join us as we kick off this unique event, fostering interaction and relationship-building in a relaxed and social atmosphere. Enjoy mingling and forging connections over refreshments and hors d’oeuvres.

Tivoli Restaurant, Hilton Munich Park Hotel

7:00 am - 8:00 am

Nike Wellness Run: Kickoff the Cascale Annual Meeting with a Boost

Kick off our event with a refreshing 3.7 km Wellness Run, hosted by Nike! We’ll meet in the lobby of our exclusive event hotel and venue, Hilton Munich Park Hotel, and run through the beautiful English Garden and around the lake. Led by Nike Running Coach Air-Ron, this is the perfect way to energize your day and connect with fellow attendees.

Instructor: Nike Running Coach, Air-Ron

 Lobby, Hilton Munich Park Hotel

8:00 am - 9:00 am

Check-In

9:00 am - 9:10 am

Welcome to the Cascale Annual Meeting 2024

Join us as our vibrant event emcee kicks off the day, extending a warm welcome to all attendees, both in Munich and online. She will set the stage by reemphasizing our theme, “A New Era of Unified Impact,” through a specially crafted video from our dedicated Cascale members. With enthusiasm and energy, she will guide us through the day’s agenda, encourage everyone to make the most of our official event app, and ignite excitement for the transformative journey ahead.

 Main Stage

  • Headshot of Isabelle Kumar
    Isabelle Kumar, Award Winning Journalist, Presenter, Moderator, former News Anchor

    Isabelle Kumar moderates and MCs at high level events, including the first ever EU Presidential debate, deep dives at the Davos World Economic Forum, business analysis at the Consumer Goods Forum, human rights with the UN, tech transformation at the influential HIMSS digital health conference or the latest innovations with LEAP. In addition to this she has presented award ceremonies for the UN and the European Commission as well as chairing private events for heads of state and government inlcuding with former German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

    Previously to moderating full time – she was a prime time news anchor for Euronews. She also traveled the world interviewing heads of state and government, business leaders as well a few celebrities for the show she hosted, The Global Conversation.

9:10 am - 9:25 am

Opening Address: Introducing a New Era of Unified Impact

Our new CEO will take the stage for his inaugural address, setting the tone for this new era of unified impact. For many, this will be the first opportunity to hear directly from our CEO as he shares his vision for Cascale. He will reemphasize our crucial commitments to the industry, promising a speech that evokes excitement, inspiration, and tangible action. Don’t miss this pivotal moment as we embark on our transformative journey together.

Main Stage

  • Headshot of Colin Browne in black and white
    Colin Browne, CEO, Cascale

    Colin Browne is CEO of Cascale, a global nonprofit alliance catalyzing collective action toward equitable and restorative business practices in the consumer goods industry. The organization spans over 300 retailers, brands, manufacturers, governments, academics, industry associations, and NGO or nonprofit affiliates. Cascale’s membership includes apparel, footwear, home furnishings, sporting and outdoor goods, and bags and luggage companies.

    Formerly known as the Sustainable Apparel Coalition, Cascale owns and develops the Higg Index, used by 24,000 worldwide. Browne has a wealth of global experience in supply chains and both brand and factory management. Prior to joining Cascale, he was Interim CEO and Chief Operating Officer of Under Armour, a Cascale member. Browne also served on the boards of the American Apparel and Footwear Association and the World Federation of Sporting Goods Industries; he continues to serve as a board member at Worldly, the leader in environmental and social impact data for the apparel and footwear industry and the exclusive platform for Cascale’s Higg Index tools.

    His business-oriented approach centers on sustainability and his focus at Cascale is scaling supplier-focused initiatives and driving accountability in the consumer goods industry. Along with his passion for supply chains, Colin is a proud husband, grandfather, and father of three children. He resides in the US though can be found internationally, visiting family in the UK, meeting the growing Cascale team and even squeezing in a triathlon.

9:25 am - 9:45 am

Opening Keynote: Recommitting to Our Vision

Next, we will be honored to hear from one of Cascale’s original founders, Rick Ridgeway. In this powerful keynote, Rick will revisit the original vision and mission that sparked the creation of Cascale, inspiring us to recommit to our promises. With heartfelt passion and wisdom, he will highlight the critical areas where we must intensify our efforts to achieve real, transformative impact in our industry. This keynote promises to be a compelling call to action, reigniting our collective drive for change.

Main Stage

  • Headshot of Rick Ridgeway
    Rick Ridgeway, Author, Adventurer & Cascale Co-founder

    Rick is a world renown mountaineer and explorer, honored both with National Geographic’s Lifetime Achievement in Adventure award and the Explorers Club’s highest recognition, the Explorer’s Medal. Rick is also a successful businessman, running his own company in the advertising sector, then for 15 years managing Patagonia’s global environmental and sustainability initiatives. During his tenure at Patagonia, he launched the company’s Worn Wear initiative, the celebrated Don’t Buy This Jacket ad, and co-founded the Sustainable Apparel Coalition, now known as Cascale, and its Higg Index tools for measurement and management of environmental and social justice impact across company’s value chains.

9:45 am - 10:25 am

State of the Industry

This session offers an exclusive opportunity to gain insights into what Cascale’s new CEO’s leadership means for you and the industry at large. First we will explore the state of the industry, diving deep into the current landscape, exploring key insights and challenges, and building on the powerful points introduced in the opening address. Then we will hear about the new strategy he plans to implement. Discovering the fresh direction Cascale is taking—a renewed commitment to creating tangible impact and a strategic realignment that will propel us into a new era of leadership and innovation.

Main Stage

  • Headshot of Colin Browne in black and white
    Colin Browne, CEO, Cascale

    Colin Browne is CEO of Cascale, a global nonprofit alliance catalyzing collective action toward equitable and restorative business practices in the consumer goods industry. The organization spans over 300 retailers, brands, manufacturers, governments, academics, industry associations, and NGO or nonprofit affiliates. Cascale’s membership includes apparel, footwear, home furnishings, sporting and outdoor goods, and bags and luggage companies.

    Formerly known as the Sustainable Apparel Coalition, Cascale owns and develops the Higg Index, used by 24,000 worldwide. Browne has a wealth of global experience in supply chains and both brand and factory management. Prior to joining Cascale, he was Interim CEO and Chief Operating Officer of Under Armour, a Cascale member. Browne also served on the boards of the American Apparel and Footwear Association and the World Federation of Sporting Goods Industries; he continues to serve as a board member at Worldly, the leader in environmental and social impact data for the apparel and footwear industry and the exclusive platform for Cascale’s Higg Index tools.

    His business-oriented approach centers on sustainability and his focus at Cascale is scaling supplier-focused initiatives and driving accountability in the consumer goods industry. Along with his passion for supply chains, Colin is a proud husband, grandfather, and father of three children. He resides in the US though can be found internationally, visiting family in the UK, meeting the growing Cascale team and even squeezing in a triathlon.

10:25 am - 11:10 am

Climate Action: A Theory of Change to Accelerate Industry Decarbonization

How can fashion and consumer goods overcome the challenges of stagnating emissions and drive impactful climate action? In this session, Cascale, Aii, and RESET Carbon will explore the principles of a Theory of Change on Climate Action, focusing on how common measurement frameworks, shared goals, and collective action can accelerate decarbonization efforts across the industry. We’ll delve into how data-driven insights and strategic partnerships are essential to translating ambitious sustainability goals into tangible outcomes. Join us to discover how the Theory of Change not only guides our approach but also empowers brands, retailers, and manufacturers to align with global regulatory demands and lead the way in reducing the industry’s carbon footprint.

Main Stage

  • Headshot of Isabelle Kumar
    Isabelle Kumar, Award Winning Journalist, Presenter, Moderator, former News Anchor
    Moderator

    Isabelle Kumar moderates and MCs at high level events, including the first ever EU Presidential debate, deep dives at the Davos World Economic Forum, business analysis at the Consumer Goods Forum, human rights with the UN, tech transformation at the influential HIMSS digital health conference or the latest innovations with LEAP. In addition to this she has presented award ceremonies for the UN and the European Commission as well as chairing private events for heads of state and government inlcuding with former German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

    Previously to moderating full time – she was a prime time news anchor for Euronews. She also traveled the world interviewing heads of state and government, business leaders as well a few celebrities for the show she hosted, The Global Conversation.

  • Black and white headshot of Andrew Martin
    Andrew Martin, Executive Vice President, Cascale

    As Executive Vice President, Andrew is responsible for delivering strategic and operational leadership for the organization. While continuing to oversee the Membership, Stakeholder Engagement, Collective Action, and Public Affairs teams, as second-in-command at Cascale he is responsible for driving growth of the organization to ensure it can scale impact and deliver value to members. This involves broader strategic development of the organization, including into new verticals / adjacent product categories, development of new revenue streams, and expansions of key partnerships.

    Prior to joining Cascale, Andrew was at amfori, the leading business association for open and sustainable trade, where, as VP Services, he was responsible for global operational activities. In addition to a strategic role in the development of the vision and strategy of the organization, Andrew managed membership services, led the implementation of global social and environmental audit assessments, including launching a pioneering audit integrity program, and also the largest capacity building program of its kind for social and environmental performance in global supply chains.

    Andrew has a degree in philosophy and theology from King’s College London, an MBA with distinction from the University of Exeter, where he was awarded ‘Dissertation most likely to change global thinking,’ and a postgraduate qualification in team coaching, from UWE, Bristol. During his extensive career, including more than 20 years in global textile manufacturing, Andrew has worked for a multi-national corporation, his own consultancy, and more recently in the education and non-profit sectors.
    A highlight of his work and interest is the Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan, and its philosophy of Gross National Happiness, an alternative progressive values-based model for measuring and guiding economic, societal, and personal well-being. He is currently based in the seaside town of Looe in Cornwall in the Southwest of England.

  • Headshot of Kurt Kipka
    Kurt Kipka, Chief Impact Officer, Apparel Impact Institute
  • Headshot of Liam Salter
    Liam Salter, CEO, RESET Carbon

    Liam is Founder and CEO at RESET Carbon Ltd since 2009. RESET offers in-depth solutions to companies seeking to measure and reduce their carbon footprint with a particular focus on Asian supply chains.

    Previously Liam was the Director of WWF’s International’s Asia-Pacific Climate Programme, where he built and managed a ten-country team. At WWF Liam also co-led the design and set-up of the Gold Standard, which is now a leading certification system for project level carbon offsets and other environmental and social attributes.

    Liam holds a Masters of Science in Environmental Technology from Imperial College, London.

11:10 am - 11:55 am

Coffee & Networking

11:10 am - 11:50 am

Membership Team Virtual Office Hours

Join us online for exclusive office hours with our Cascale Membership Team. You can ask them for support on topics such as membership requirements, future events, tool adoption and more!

Virtual Stage

11:55 am - 12:00 pm

Welcome Back to the Main Stage

As we return from our morning break, our emcee Isabelle Kumar will briefly outline what’s next. This is a quick transition to get everyone ready for the upcoming main stage plenary sessions. Stay tuned for what’s ahead!

Main Stage

12:00 pm - 12:55 pm

Beyond Apparel

In this session, we will explore how our tools can be utilized beyond the apparel sector, encouraging multi-category members to adopt these tools more broadly within their organizations. Discover how extending the use of our tools can amplify positive impacts on both the planet and people. We will delve into the purpose behind our efforts, showcasing the broader scope and potential for wider adoption. Join us to learn how expanding our focus can drive greater sustainability across all categories.

Main Stage

  • Black and white headshot of Lisa Domoney
    Lisa Domoney, Senior Director, Strategic Growth, Cascale
    Moderator

    Lisa Domoney is the Senior Director of Strategic Growth at Cascale. Together with her team, which includes Cascale’s member engagement, development and operations teams, she is responsible for ensuring the active engagement and overall satisfaction of members, as well as growing the organization’s corporate membership base. Lisa is based in the UK.

    Prior to joining Cascale, Lisa was Director Responsible Sourcing for Walmart and Asda. She was part of the central leadership team, responsible for strategically positioning and implementing the global programme across 5 countries. She was architect for the Asda modern slavery strategy and board led steering committee and then went on to facilitate the separation from Walmart with the design of an independent responsible sourcing programme and Asda’s inaugural ESG report.

    Earlier in her career, Lisa was at the forefront of social engagement projects at Sainsbury’s and Debenhams and is most proud of the accomplishment in her role on the board of the Bangladesh Accord which was instrumental to the legacy work accomplished on factory safety in Bangladesh and India.

    In the last year, Lisa founded AVD Consulting, fulfilling a long-held ambition to take the expertise she developed throughout her 25 year career in global manufacturing and multinational retail, her passion for the apparel industry and support organizations to create real change.

    Outside of work, Lisa spends time in the country with her dog, traveling with family, painting, and keeping fit. She is also trustee for a charity which is focused on long term care for modern slavery survivors.

  • Headshot of Jia Liu
    Jia Liu, Global Sustainability Director, People and Business Assurance , TÜV Rheinland

    Jia Liu is a global sustainability leader specializing in Carbon and ESG business assurance practice. Her work focuses on enhancing transparency and validating companies’ progress toward achieving sustainable development goals and climate targets. With over 20 years of extensive professional experience in sustainability across Europe, the US, and China. Jia is well-equipped to assist global companies in fulfilling their sustainability reporting requirements and achieving environmental excellence from a life cycle perspective. Her technical expertise in sustainability is complemented by her strategic thinking, negotiation and communication skills, multicultural mindset, and stakeholder engagement abilities.

    At TÜV Rheinland, Jia leads a team of technical experts dedicated to scaling and operationalizing global service offerings in carbon and ESG. Additionally, she is actively involved in a number of leading industry initiatives across various sectors, such as textiles and hospitality, focusing on sector specific sustainability standard-setting, data measurements and public disclosures.

  • Headshot of Jonathan Salmon
    Jonathan Salmon, Head of Sustainability, Li&Fung

    Jon is leading the Sustainability department at Li & Fung. His primary role consists of driving suppliers and customers’ performance and compliance on different key areas such as decarbonization, water savings, chemical safety, product LCA, ESG related regulations, etc. His team composed of 5 environmental experts, completed by 35 teammates located in production countries (shared with the social compliance department) Jon is part of the Li & Fung ESG committee, where is coordinates the annual reporting for the company and its subsidiaries, and manages different stakeholders’ requirements (CDP, Ecovadis, etc.). Prior to working with Li & Fung, Jon was working for the retailer Etam where he initiated the sustainability journey, and worked in sustainability across different industries before that: green buildings & energy efficiency, hospitality, airlines. Jon holds a Bachelor’s degree in environmental geography and a Master’s in sustainability and environment.

  • Headshot of Katy Stevens
    Katy Stevens, Head of CSR and Sustainability, European Outdoor Group

    Katy is a seasoned professional with nearly two decades of experience in the outdoor industry, spanning roles in research, product development, and sustainability. Holding a BSc in Materials Science and a PhD in Textile Engineering, she combines academic rigor with hands-on expertise. For the past eight years, Katy has been a key member of the European Outdoor Group, where she now leads as the Head of CSR and Sustainability. In this role, she champions initiatives that drive brands to address the environmental and ethical complexities of the textile supply chain. Outside of work, Katy is an outdoor enthusiast who finds joy in running through forests and hiking mountains, discovering secluded lakes for a swim, and indulging in her passion for needlecraft.

  • Headshot of Lisa Ly
    Lisa Ly, Senior Sustainability Manager, Dunelm

    Experienced professional in sustainability strategy development and management, specialising in the fashion, footwear, and Home furnishings sectors on a global scale. Background in product development, lower impact supply chain development, circularity, and data reporting. My expertise lies in crafting and executing impactful sustainability strategies that drive real action and change in the industry.

    I take a multi-stakeholder and collaborative approach to strategy development, working closely with diverse teams and partners to create solutions that are both innovative and sustainable.

  • Scott Raskin, CEO, Worldly

    Scott Raskin is the CEO of Worldly, where he champions the idea that impactful change springs from actionable measures. Leveraging years of leadership experience in tech companies, he steers Worldly toward sustainable growth, providing brands, manufacturers, retailers, and suppliers with solutions to enhance their positive environmental and social impact.

    Scott’s commitment to results and customer satisfaction positions Worldly as an essential platform for consumer goods companies seeking to lessen their footprint, adhere to regulations, and promote transparency. His management style, deeply rooted in valuing people and culture, inspires creativity and teamwork. Guided by a firm resolve to create significant change, Scott’s leadership shapes Worldly’s contribution to a more responsible corporate world.

    Scott is focused on leading the evolution and expansion of Worldly’s platform to include new capabilities, innovations, and automation to empower sustainability-minded companies to analyze, understand, report, and improve their supply chain and product impacts.

11:55 am - 12:00 pm

Welcome to the Impact Stage

Welcome to the Impact Stage! Our Impact Stage host, Emily Luijbregts, will introduce the workshops and set the stage for meaningful discussions. Dive into sessions on Higg Index Tools, Cascale Programs, and industry standards, designed to provide actionable insights for real change in your organization.

Impact Stage

  • Headshot of Emily Luijbregts
    Emily Luijbregts, Director, Project Management Office (PMO), Cascale

    Emily is an established international speaker and Project Management thought leader. She has been leading effective and successful teams for over 15 years and has extensive experience in facilitating and moderating workshops.

12:00 pm - 1:05 pm

Navigating Legislation & the Higg Index Tools

As part of our ongoing “Navigating Legislation & the Higg Tools” webinar series, we are excited to present a live roundtable panel format. With two out of four webinars already completed, this session will feature one technical expert per Higg tool, joined by a Public Affairs Team member, our Higg Index Directors, and a representative from Worldly. They will provide a concise overview of the completed work and upcoming tool updates. Following the presentations, we will dedicate ample time for an interactive Q&A session. This format aims to address member concerns regarding upcoming legislation and demonstrate how the Higg Index tools equip them to navigate current and future legislation and reporting requirements effectively. Join us to stay informed and prepared for the evolving regulatory landscape.

Impact Stage

  • Black and white headshot of Elisabeth von Reitzenstein
    Elisabeth von Reitzenstein, Senior Director, Public Affairs, Cascale
    Moderator

    Elisabeth is the Senior Director, Public Affairs for Cascale. She is leading our global activities in public affairs, policy and advocacy, including heading and further developing the public affairs team. She is leading Cascale working engagement with the Policy Hub and other like-minded partner organizations. She is based in Brussels, Belgium.

    She has more than a decade of experience in decision-making procedures and public affairs and has acquired extensive expertise in sustainability legislation. She is specialised in strategically positioning members’ interests through targeted stakeholder alliances and constant dialogue with policy makers. Before joining Cascale, Elisabeth was head of the Brussels office of a public affairs consultancy and led the sustainability department at the EU association Independent Retail Europe.

    Elisabeth holds a Bachelor’s degree in European Studies from Maastricht University in the Netherlands and a Master’s in Management, Economics and International Relations, from which she graduated with distinction. In addition to her native German, she speaks English, French and Spanish. Elisabeth loves to travel and getting to know new people as well as cultures. Coming from a region close to the German alps, she also very much enjoys hiking, climbing, and skiing.

  • Black and white headshot of Joel Mertens
    Joël Mertens, Director, Higg Product Tools, Cascale

    Joël Mertens is the Director of Higg Product Tools at Cascale. He is responsible for managing the Higg Product Tools, including the Higg Product Module, Higg Material Sustainability Index (MSI), and MSI Contributor. He is based in British Columbia, Canada.

    Before joining Cascale team, Joël was the Manager of Product Engineering and Compliance at Mountain Equipment Co-op where he worked on embedding product sustainability and product safety compliance into the development process. Among these responsibilities, he developed Preferred Fiber Strategy and Supplier Environmental Assurance programs for the MEC label. Joël holds a Master’s degree in Materials Engineering and a Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of British Columbia.

    In his free time Joël enjoys hiking and camping in the fantastic wilderness of the Purcell and Rocky Mountains. He also spends his time gardening during the (short) summer growing season and developing his “green thumb”. Joël is involved with the East Kootenay Climate Hub, an organization focused on helping local communities take meaningful action on climate change.

  • J.R. Siegel, Vice President, Sustainability, Worldly
  • Black and white headshot of Maravillas Rodriguez Zarco
    Maravillas Rodriguez Zarco, Senior Director, Higg Index Strategy & Operations, Cascale

    Maravillas Rodriguez Zarco is the Senior Director, Higg Index Strategy & Operations, at Cascale. As part of her role, she ensures that the Higg Index tool strategy and tool development roadmap are aligned with Cascale’s overall impact strategy and priorities, and that the different tool development roadmaps are integrated with each other and with other external programs. She also coordinates the Higg Index team’s internal operations to ensure the effective delivery of the team objectives across the different Higg Index teams. She collaborates across the organization to ensure coherent strategy execution, fostering alignment and operational effectiveness.

    Before her current role, Maravillas was the Director, Higg Brand & Retail at Cascale. Her responsibilities included managing the Higg Brand and Retail Module and coordinating with Coalition members, facilities, and stakeholders to scale the implementation of this tool globally. Prior to her time at Cascale, she served for 10 years as the CSR & Sustainability Manager at Desigual, where she managed key projects aimed at minimizing the company’s environmental impact, while promoting ethical trading and human rights. This ensured the company operated responsibly across all facets. She also built strong relationships with stakeholders, fostering transparency in the company’s sustainability initiatives.

    Prior to her tenure at Desigual, Maravillas worked as a Sustainability & CSR consultant, and she is a professional with over 15 years of experience.

    Maravillas holds a degree in Biology from University of Seville and a Masters in Environmental Impact Assessment from University of Barcelona. In her free time she enjoys combining her two favorite hobbies: traveling and trying new food from all around the world. She also teaches Sustainability classes to Business and Communication masters degree students.

  • Headshot of Tom Mason
    Tom Mason, Senior Manager, Public Affairs & Stakeholder Engagement, SLCP

    Tom is responsible for the policy and stakeholder engagement strategy at SLCP and ensuring the CAF is recognized and aligned with policy and legal developments. Tom also works closely with the data insights and communications teams in developing data-driven publications to ensure the social and labor data is shared with the industry and policymakers to drive policy decision-making. Originally from Australia, Tom has experience working in international NGOs and legal clinics, focusing on business & human rights research and labour rights in global value chains.

11:55 am - 12:00 pm

Welcome to the Connections Stage

Welcome to the Connections Stage! Hosted by Aaron di Silvestro, this stage is your space to share and learn from each other’s sustainability journeys. Tailored to the topics our members have requested, these sessions ensure discussions are highly relevant and valuable to everyone.

Connections Stage

  • Black and white headshot of Aaron Di Silvestro
    Aaron Di Silvestro, Director, Higg Products, Cascale

    Aaron Di Silvestro is the Director of Higg Products at Cascale, the apparel, footwear, and textile industry’s leading alliance for sustainable production. He liaises between the Higg Index subject matter experts and the Higg Co technical teams, develops roadmaps for tool integration, and eases the transition from expert insights to implementation. He works out of Portland, Oregon.

    Before joining Cascale, Aaron worked for Nike’s Global Sustainability organization implementing and delivering the tools required to make more sustainable business decisions. Often working in collaboration with Cascale and Higg, Aaron managed the development of the internal Higg MSI implementations and corporate footprinting applications.

    In his free time Aaron is a passionate back-country skier and an unapologetic fan of the Seattle Sounders.

12:00 pm - 1:15 pm

Higg FEM & Verification Evolution: Member Consultation Insights

Join us for an insightful workshop where we share the outcomes of our ongoing consultation process with members regarding the evolution of the Higg FEM tool. We will present valuable feedback gathered, highlight key insights, and demonstrate our plans for implementing these suggestions moving forward. This session will be divided into two parts: the first part will focus on updates and plans for 2024, including our enhanced verification process. We will delve into the expanded scope, enhanced quantitative metrics verification, and strengthened quality assurance processes, ensuring greater accuracy and reliability in sustainability reporting. The second part will look ahead to 2025, giving members ample time to inform the tool’s development. Engage with us as we discuss the next steps, reaffirm our commitment to collaborative progress, and continue the conversation on what we couldn’t achieve and how we aim to evolve. This is an opportunity to see how your input is shaping the future of the Higg FEM tool, ensuring it continues to meet the needs of our community and supports your organization’s sustainability goals.

Connections Stage

  • Black and white headshot of Demith Gooneratne
    Demith Gooneratne, Senior Manager, Higg Facility Tools, Cascale

    Demith Gooneratne is the Senior Manager – Higg Facility Tools at Cascale. His Key Responsibilities include; Project Management of the Higg FEM and FSLM, in collaboration with a wide variety of stakeholders, and facilitation and coordination of Cascale members’ involvement. This role also continues the development of adoption resources that support the global scaling of the Higg Facility Module and QA testing in cooperation with technical teams and coordination of communications and case studies. He is based in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

    Prior to joining Cascale team, Demith was the Senior Manager – Environmental Sustainability at Hirdaramani International Exports (Pvt) Ltd; Sri Lanka , where he was largely responsible for the development of their Environmental Sustainability Department, and managing the environmental sustainability initiatives primarily in Sri Lanka for more than a decade and overlooking strategy level implementation in Bangladesh and Vietnam. He Holds a BSc Degree in Physical Science and a Master’s Degree in Environmental Science from the University of Colombo (Sri Lanka).

    In his free time Demith enjoys swimming, watching Sci-Fi Movies and reading articles on new technologies and research findings related to Environment, Renewable Energy and Space Science.

    LinkedIn

  • Black and white headshot of Dhawal Mane
    Dhawal Mane, Director, Training and Verification, Cascale

    Dhawal is Cascale Senior Manager of Training and Verification and is based in Bangalore, India. He is responsible for building, maintaining, and improving verification and training programs for the Higg Index suite of tools and ensure that the Higg Index is a trusted and credible measure for sustainability performance and benchmarking.

    Prior to joining Cascale, Dhawal worked with C&A’s sustainable chemicals management team as a senior specialist. His role involved working with manufacturers of varying complexities and building their capacity to implement environment management systems. He has worked with vertically integrated textile manufacturer Pratibha Syntex as a sustainability manager and was responsible for executing sustainability projects like GHG accounting and reporting, life cycle analysis, internal and external sustainability communications.

    Dhawal has been recognized in the 2017 GreenBiz 30 Under 30 cohort of global sustainability professionals. Through Sustainability Drinks Bangalore, he convenes the city’s sustainability community for networking and collaboration opportunities.

  • Erwan Berthou, Director, Membership & Corporate Engagement, Cascale

    Erwan Berthou is the Director of Membership & Corporate Engagement at Cascale. He is responsible for managing engagement strategies and protocols that enable members to achieve their impact goals and to empower his team driving overall member satisfaction.

  • Black and white headshot of Jeremy Lardeau
    Jeremy Lardeau, Vice President, Higg Index, Cascale

    Jeremy Lardeau is the VP of the Higg Index at Cascale. As part of the leadership team, he oversees the strategic direction and development of the Higg Index suite of tools. Jeremy is based in Barcelona, Spain.

    Before joining Cascale team, Jeremy was Senior Director of Sustainability Analytics, at Nike, Inc. where he led sustainability reporting, performance management, data products, and reporting. Prior to Nike, Jeremy was a manager with PricewaterhouseCoopers’ sustainability practice, successively working out of the Paris, Mexico City, and San Francisco offices.

    Jeremy holds a Masters in Industrial Engineering from the Ecole Centrale Paris. In his free time he is known to love travelling, running and alpine climbing, but actually enjoys most horseplaying with his three young boys.

12:55 pm - 2:25 pm

Lunch & Networking

1:25 pm - 2:10 pm

Speed Networking Lunch: Connect, Engage, Inspire

Get ready for a lively and engaging Speed Networking Lunch! In this in-person session, you’ll sit at tables where you’ll draw questions from a hat to spark meaningful conversations. Each interaction is timed, giving everyone a chance to connect and share their insights. After the session, we’ll reveal the unique categories that represent what your table learned about you. It’s a fun, fast-paced way to bridge the gap between seasoned members and new faces while enjoying a delicious lunch and building valuable connections across our community.

Connections Stage

1:25 pm - 2:10 pm

Speed Networking Carousel

Get ready for a dynamic Speed Networking Carousel during lunch! Connect with members and staff from around the globe in timed, fast-paced interactions. This is your chance to expand your network and share ideas with industry professionals in an exciting, high-energy format. Don’t miss out!

 Virtual Stage

2:25 pm - 3:10 pm

Voices of Change: Amplifying Workers’ Influence on Industry Standards

In a world that is rapidly transforming, the necessity for a unified approach to industry standards and decent work has never been more urgent. This session, aligned with our theme “A New Era of Unified Impact,” delves into how evolving membership requirements and sustainability practices are not just enhancing business operations but also significantly impacting the lives of workers globally.

Join us as we bring together a diverse panel of experts from key organizations to discuss the convergence of industry standards and the critical role of worker voices in this transformation. This discussion will explore how our strategic plan, especially our commitment to decent work for all, is being actualized through new policies and collaborative efforts.

 Main Stage

  • Black and white headshot of Lisa Domoney
    Lisa Domoney, Senior Director, Strategic Growth, Cascale
    Moderator

    Lisa Domoney is the Senior Director of Strategic Growth at Cascale. Together with her team, which includes Cascale’s member engagement, development and operations teams, she is responsible for ensuring the active engagement and overall satisfaction of members, as well as growing the organization’s corporate membership base. Lisa is based in the UK.

    Prior to joining Cascale, Lisa was Director Responsible Sourcing for Walmart and Asda. She was part of the central leadership team, responsible for strategically positioning and implementing the global programme across 5 countries. She was architect for the Asda modern slavery strategy and board led steering committee and then went on to facilitate the separation from Walmart with the design of an independent responsible sourcing programme and Asda’s inaugural ESG report.

    Earlier in her career, Lisa was at the forefront of social engagement projects at Sainsbury’s and Debenhams and is most proud of the accomplishment in her role on the board of the Bangladesh Accord which was instrumental to the legacy work accomplished on factory safety in Bangladesh and India.

    In the last year, Lisa founded AVD Consulting, fulfilling a long-held ambition to take the expertise she developed throughout her 25 year career in global manufacturing and multinational retail, her passion for the apparel industry and support organizations to create real change.

    Outside of work, Lisa spends time in the country with her dog, traveling with family, painting, and keeping fit. She is also trustee for a charity which is focused on long term care for modern slavery survivors.

  • Headshot of Alison Ward
    Alison Ward, CEO, CottonConnect

    Alison Ward has over 30 years of international experience in sustainability and corporate affairs. Alison is the CEO of CottonConnect, where she leads a team of over 140 employees, impacting the lives of over 770,000 cotton farmers in India, China, Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt and Bangladesh. Under Alison’s leadership the organization: drives supply chain transparency connecting sustainable fibres from farm to store; focuses on the rights and skills of women in supply chains through pioneering gender programmes; and continues to develop innovations at a farm level. She leads cotton strategies and programmes for global brands and retailers.

    Previously Alison worked with Mondelez International and Kraft Foods and was the Global Head of Corporate Responsibility in Cadbury.

    With a mission to drive scalable change, Alison served as a Member of the Sustainable Cotton Steering Committee for Textile Exchange. She sat on the Sustainability Advisory Committee for the London Olympic Games and has been a Coach and Mentor to commercial teams at WWF and the Ethical Trade Initiative. Alison is also a Life fellow of the RSA- Royal Society of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce

  • Headshot of Fiona Sadler
    Fiona Sadler, Global Head of Responsible Sourcing, Marks & Spencer

    Fiona is the global head of responsible sourcing and has worked at M&S for 26 years. She is a senior ethical, sourcing, sustainability, and technical professional with extensive experience in development programs and management within retail and supply chains. She brings a strong external perspective on global issues, stakeholder management, and an ability to manage and influence issues within the corporate framework. Having developed ethical strategies focusing on emerging social issues, Fiona aims to use this knowledge and experience to help Cascale achieve its goals and shape the future.

  • Headshot of Helen Kuyper
    Helen Kuyper, Director, WE Program

    Helen Kuyper is the director of the WE program, a dialogue based human rights program to improve working conditions in the supply chain. She is a human rights lawyer with 20+ years of experience in facilitating large scale change process. She has facilitated multiple stakeholder initiatives all over the world and has trained 1000+ people to do the same. Physically experiencing what working in a garment factory in India is like changed the course of her career. Her goal is to change the working conditions of people in global supply chains where the cost of goods produced continues to outweigh humanity.

  • Tamar Hoek, Senior Policy Director Sustainable Fashion, Solidaridad

    Tamar Hoek is Senior Policy Director Sustainable Fashion for Solidaridad. Her European and global agenda on policy influencing and market uptake focuses on influencing the private sector to commit to and implement responsible environmental management, decent work and fair value distribution within their supply chain, and the public sector to enforce national norms and regulatory frameworks for sustainability and due diligence. Important platforms for her policy influencing work are multi-stakeholder initiatives around sustainable fashion, like Cascale and the Policy Hub.

    Solidaridad’s cotton and textiles programs focus on working with brands/retailers, factories, farmers and other stakeholders in the supply chain to improve the environmental and social performance of the textiles wet processing sector and the Read Made Garments (RMG) sector, and to increase the uptake of sustainable cotton.

2:25 pm - 3:55 pm

Decarbonization Program Workshop

Join us for a full update on Cascale’s Decarbonization efforts and as well as the opportunity to inform how we strategically engage the value chain to accelerate and scale climate action. In the first part of the session, Cascale staff will present overall program updates, from our recent advancements in collective decarbonization efforts including SBT peer to peer learning groups, to the GIZ PDP rooftop solar projects and our Manufacturer Climate Action Program (MCAP). We will be joined by Ashely Hegland, COO of Intensel, to showcase how the climate risk factsheet and heatmap can help manufacturers with physical climate risk assessment. In collaboration with aii and Reset Carbon, we will be sharing the preliminary outcome of this industry alignment roadmap project with industry strategic suppliers (ISS). The second part of the session will be a workshop seeking all participants’ contribution, as we explore potential engagement models and what types of enablers might accelerate the pace of action, in a roundtable setting. Using the CrowdComms app, members are invited to submit their feedback and engage in dialogue with other members to co-create solutions that address our collective challenges and propel our decarbonization initiatives forward.

Impact Stage

  • Headshot of Ash Hegland
    Ash Hegland, COO, Intensel

    Ash Hegland is the COO of Intensel Limited. In this capacity, he supports the growth and development of Intensel, one of the world’s leading climatech companies.

    Over the past 25 years, most of which was based in the Asia-Pacific region, Ash has advised blue chip corporations, leading financial institutions, and governments on climate management, and ESG strategy.

    Ash holds an MBA in Corporate Strategy and Sustainability Management from the Schulich School of Business (York University) in Canada.

  • Headshot of Joyce Tsoi in black and white
    Dr. Joyce Tsoi, Senior Director, Decarbonization Program, Cascale

    Joyce Tsoi is the Senior Director, Decarbonization Programs, Cascale. She leads Cascale’s Decarbonization programs and activities. She works closely with Cascale members and ecosystem partners to integrate sustainability into their business strategies, prioritize actions on climate change, accelerate sustainable environmental and social impacts and transform our industry into one that gives more than it takes- to the people and the planet.

    She brings over 17 years of diverse global industry experience, leading global supply chain sustainability program for multinational companies, driving key corporate and industry-wide sustainability strategies and efforts through the adoption and verification of Higg tools, water and wastewater compliance program, Science Based Targets (SBTs), energy efficiency and renewable energy program across multiple industry sectors including apparel and footwear, electronics, hardgoods, home goods, food and beverage, home goods and toys industries globally. She is also a Honorary Senior Lecturer of the Sustainability Leadership and Governance Program at the University of Hong Kong.

  • Headshot of Michael Sadowski
    Michael Sadowski, Executive Director, The Circulate Initiative

    Michael is the Executive Director of The Circulate Initiative, a non-profit working to solve the plastic pollution challenge and build circular and equitable economies across emerging markets. In addition to leading The Circulate Initiative, Michael advises a variety of apparel and footwear brands and industry associations such as Cascale and Apparel Impact Institute on issues including climate change and circular economy. He has authored several reports on the climate impact of the apparel sector and how to decarbonize it. Prior to this, Michael led Nike’s efforts on the circular economy and managed external partnerships, and was a Vice President at SustainAbility, Inc. where he worked with companies across sectors on range of sustainability topics.

2:25 pm - 3:10 pm

Elevating Environmental Practices Through Data

Join this sessions to learn how to utilize data for due diligence, focusing on factory improvement pathways and corporate membership requirements. This session will explore the links to foundational Environmental Management Systems (EMS) and how data can drive meaningful improvements. Learn how to leverage data to meet corporate membership standards and ensure compliance with industry regulations.

This interactive session is designed to engage participants actively. Our experts will provide practical insights and tools to help you navigate the complexities of due diligence, followed by collaborative discussions and hands-on activities. Attendees will have the opportunity to share experiences, ask questions, and work together on real-world scenarios to ensure their organizations are well-equipped for success.

Connections Stage

  • Black and white photo of Janne Koopmans
    Janne Koopmans, Head of Collaboration, ZDHC
    Moderator

    Taking the lead in collaboration of facility programmes between ZDHC and like-minded organisations and manages and accelerates the collaboration with the apparel alliance. Besides running the day-to-day operations, she is involved in developing strategies to advance the collaborations. Working closely with the rest of the team and contributors, all from varying walks of life, and from diverse backgrounds, driving the translation of the vision and strategy into concrete results. What Janne does, in research, goes into action in reality. With over a decade of experience at brands, prior to joining ZDHC, she worked at Mexx as the Quality, Trim & Colour Coordinator, G-Star RAW supporting where she supported the first Raw Organic Collections and moved later to Tommy Hilfiger (PVH) as a Quality Assurance and Technical Support Manager. Her last position before joining the team was the British Burberry, as part of Sustainable Manufacturing.

  • Black and white headshot of Demith Gooneratne
    Demith Gooneratne, Senior Manager, Higg Facility Tools, Cascale

    Demith Gooneratne is the Senior Manager – Higg Facility Tools at Cascale. His Key Responsibilities include; Project Management of the Higg FEM and FSLM, in collaboration with a wide variety of stakeholders, and facilitation and coordination of Cascale members’ involvement. This role also continues the development of adoption resources that support the global scaling of the Higg Facility Module and QA testing in cooperation with technical teams and coordination of communications and case studies. He is based in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

    Prior to joining Cascale team, Demith was the Senior Manager – Environmental Sustainability at Hirdaramani International Exports (Pvt) Ltd; Sri Lanka , where he was largely responsible for the development of their Environmental Sustainability Department, and managing the environmental sustainability initiatives primarily in Sri Lanka for more than a decade and overlooking strategy level implementation in Bangladesh and Vietnam. He Holds a BSc Degree in Physical Science and a Master’s Degree in Environmental Science from the University of Colombo (Sri Lanka).

    In his free time Demith enjoys swimming, watching Sci-Fi Movies and reading articles on new technologies and research findings related to Environment, Renewable Energy and Space Science.

    LinkedIn

  • Headshot of Franzisca Friedrich
    Franzisca Friedrich, Technical Advisor, Deutsche Gesellschaft für internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH

    Franzisca Markschläger, an economist by training, has dedicated her career to the promotion of sustainable supply chains. Previously, she served as a project manager within the multi-stakeholder initiative ‘Partnership for Sustainable Textiles,’ where her role involved supporting brand members in increasing their supply chain transparency and encouraging disclosure. In her current capacity at the Initiative for Global Solidarity (IGS), a project commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, she is committed to improving the conditions for credible and comparable data concerning environmental and social risks within global supply chains.

  • Headshot of Katrin Perlmutter
    Katrin Perlmutter, Senior Policy Officer, BMZ - German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development

    Katrin Perlmutter is a Senior Policy Officer in the Division for the Transformation of Global Supply Chains at the German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, where she focuses on fostering circular, sustainable and fair global textile supply chains. Before joining the Ministry, Katrin worked as a Programme Officer at the United Nations Secretariat for eight years driving forward UN Reform and helping to build up data-driven decision-making for support functions in peace operations. Prior to that, she was a management consultant in the private sector at the Boston Consulting Group.

  • Headshot of Sophie You
    Sophie You, Principal Consultant, RESET Carbon

    Sophie is a Principal Consultant at RESET. Based out of Hong Kong, she focuses on driving company’s carbon related strategy in the fashion and apparel practice. She also takes the lead on major client projects and strategic relationships linked to practice development.

    Before joining RESET Carbon, Sophie was the Head of Sustainability & Sourcing at a French fashion company, where she led the development and execution of the brand’s sustainability and sourcing strategies. Prior to this, Sophie spent a decade at the iconic American retailer, transforming them into an industry leader. She spearheaded their public facing water strategy and played an instrumental role across their fabric development, supply chain and responsible sourcing teams.

    Sophie gained both her BA (Hons) in Fashion & Textiles and her PhD degree at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University.

3:10 pm - 3:15 pm

Gamification Challenge: Level Up Your Cascale Annual Meeting Experience!

During this transition, take a moment to explore our event app’s gamification feature! Earn points for your engagement and climb the leaderboard for a chance to win 2 tickets to the Cascale Annual Meeting 2025. Keep participating and stay ahead in the game!

Main Stage

  • Headshot of Isabelle Kumar
    Isabelle Kumar, Award Winning Journalist, Presenter, Moderator, former News Anchor

    Isabelle Kumar moderates and MCs at high level events, including the first ever EU Presidential debate, deep dives at the Davos World Economic Forum, business analysis at the Consumer Goods Forum, human rights with the UN, tech transformation at the influential HIMSS digital health conference or the latest innovations with LEAP. In addition to this she has presented award ceremonies for the UN and the European Commission as well as chairing private events for heads of state and government inlcuding with former German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

    Previously to moderating full time – she was a prime time news anchor for Euronews. She also traveled the world interviewing heads of state and government, business leaders as well a few celebrities for the show she hosted, The Global Conversation.

3:10 pm - 3:15 pm

Connection Stage Reflections with Q&A

Join us for reflections from the connection stage thus far where our stage host will engage with the audience and share her thoughts on what’s to come.

Connections Stage

  • Black and white headshot of Aaron Di Silvestro
    Aaron Di Silvestro, Director, Higg Products, Cascale

    Aaron Di Silvestro is the Director of Higg Products at Cascale, the apparel, footwear, and textile industry’s leading alliance for sustainable production. He liaises between the Higg Index subject matter experts and the Higg Co technical teams, develops roadmaps for tool integration, and eases the transition from expert insights to implementation. He works out of Portland, Oregon.

    Before joining Cascale, Aaron worked for Nike’s Global Sustainability organization implementing and delivering the tools required to make more sustainable business decisions. Often working in collaboration with Cascale and Higg, Aaron managed the development of the internal Higg MSI implementations and corporate footprinting applications.

    In his free time Aaron is a passionate back-country skier and an unapologetic fan of the Seattle Sounders.

3:15 pm - 4:00 pm

Advancing Traceability: Insights from Cascale’s Intelligence HUB

Discover key challenges and effective approaches for traceability to meet policy requirements, and enable effective human rights and environmental due diligence. This segment will be based on research insights from Cascale’s Traceability Intelligence HUB, which will drive the panel discussion content with traceability experts.

Main Stage

  • Headshot of James Crowley
    James Crowley, Manager, Transparency & Traceability, Cascale

    James previously focused on transparency and traceability initiatives at Fashion for Good’s Innovation Platform, working alongside innovators, brands, suppliers, and other ecosystem partners to guide and coordinate traceability implementation and multi-stakeholder projects.

    With an academic background in supply chain sustainability, he completed his Masters in International Development Msc at the University of Amsterdam, focusing on ESG governance of agricultural commodities (focus on Cocoa in W. Africa). After, he worked for Tony’s Chocolonely’s impact team on traceability for impact-driven cocoa projects in Ghana. Then moved to PVH as a sustainability coordinator in their supply chain team, before joining Fashion for Good. His working and academic interests are in supply chain sustainability, traceability systems, circular business models, international development, and social anthropology.

    James was born in Winchester, near the south coast of the UK. He enjoys great music from RnB, to jazz fusion, and loves talking sampling and production. He loves travelling and absorbing new culture, and was lucky enough to travel Russia, China, and Oceania before his masters studies. He is fascinated by how the world works, in terms of governance and how to improve the equitable development of societies. Hobbies include, piano, travelling, sports (basketball, football, ultimate frisbee), and eating lots of Syrian, Lebanese and Moroccan food in Nieuwe West – Amsterdam.

  • Headshot of Linn Gjelsvik Rai
    Linn Rai Gjelsvik, Global Sourcing Manager, Varner

    Linn Gjelsvik Rai is the Global Sourcing Manger at Varner and holds the responsibility for Varner’s Sourcing strategies and supplier portfolio. Varner is one of Scandinavia’s largest retailers, and consists of the fashion brands Dressmann, Cubus, Bik Bok, Carlings, Volt and Junkyard.

    Linn has a key role in Varner’s journey towards achieving a more transparent supply chain, and strongly believes in working closer with direct and indirect suppliers to make informed and responsible purchasing decisions. Creating internal engagement and cross-function collaboration is something she considers as an enabler to drive the change needed for Varner to be a liable retailer.

    Prior to Varner, Linn worked with both textile and hardware at Swix. She has also lived a few years in Nepal, following up garment suppliers on a daily basis. Linn spent her youth on the diving board and has recently transitioned to CrossFit with great enthusiasm.

  • Headshot of Patricia Jurewicz
    Patricia Jurewicz, Founder and CEO, Responsible Sourcing Network & YESS

    Patricia is CEO of Responsible Sourcing Network (RSN), a for-benefit CSO that champions human rights in the raw materials found in products we use every day.

    Since 2004, Patricia has worked with civil society and shareholder communities to address labor and human rights abuses. She speaks extensively about modern slavery, due diligence, traceability, and value chains. Patricia has contributed to KnowTheChain’s benchmarking reports, OECD’s due diligence guidance, BCI’s forced labor task force, and ICCR’s Equitable Supply Chain Group. She launched RSN’s initiative, YESS: Yarn Ethically & Sustainably Sourced, which aims to mitigate forced labor in cotton production globally, and enable yarn and fabric mills to implement a risk-based due diligence approach for all of their sourcing.

    Prior to RSN, Patricia managed production at Gap, Inc., encouraged equitable trade for IATP, and trained women’s artisan cooperatives. She has degrees from Fashion Institute of Technology, Cornell, and Thunderbird School of Global Management.

  • Headshot of Philipp Mayer
    Philipp Mayer, CPO & Co-Founder, Retraced GmbH

    Philipp’s entrepreneurial journey began with the founding of CANO, an ethical shoe brand. His experience with CANO’s supply chain challenges inspired him to co-found Retraced, aiming to provide comprehensive supply chain traceability solutions.

    Philipp’s deep understanding of product development and his passion for ethical business practices have established him as a visionary leader in the industry. His strategic insights and ability to foster collaboration make him an exceptional leader and team player at Retraced.

  • Headshot of Saqib Shahzad
    Saqib Shahzad, Head of Sustainability, Sapphire - Diamond Fabircs Limited

    With over 19 years of experience in the Spinning, Weaving, Processing, and Apparel industry, I have developed a deep expertise in sustainability and compliance. My career is marked by a strong commitment to implementing sustainable practices, including Environmental Management Systems (EMS), Energy Management Systems (EnMS), Integrated Management Systems (IMS), Water and Chemical Management, Waste Reduction, and Social Fairness.

    I hold an MBA and am a certified Lead Auditor for multiple standards, including ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001 along with certifications of ZDHC, Higg Index, and BSCI. My skills in negotiation and strategic planning have been instrumental in driving sustainability initiatives that align with both business objectives and environmental stewardship.

3:15 pm - 4:00 pm

Deep Dive on CSRD Assurance

Overview of the reporting landscape and deep dive on CSRD assurance – with KPMG and the Higg Index team experts.

Connections Stage

  • Black and white headshot of Adrian Branco
    Adrián Branco, Senior Manager, Higg Index Brand & Retail, Cascale

    Adrián Branco is the Senior Manager of Higg Index Brand & Retail at Cascale. He ensures that the program is developed and launched successfully, and he also leads the development of strategies to increase its adoption and expansion within our industry. He also ensures that Cascale’s members are involved and coordinated through the Strategic Council and Member Expert teams. He is based in Barcelona, Spain.

    Before joining Cascale, Adrian was Sourcing and Sustainability Manager at Desigual, where he worked on merging both areas to establish a common agenda aligning sourcing with sustainability, enhancing its synergies. As part of his responsibilities, he led the project that has increased the visibility of the supply chain and improved traceability, and established a new roadmap. Previously, he worked in various positions, from product health and safety technician to buyer.

    Adrian holds a degree in Chemistry from the University of Santiago de Compostela and an MBA from IESIDE.

  • Headshot of Mark Vaessen
    Mark Vaessen, Partner, Global Head of Corporate & Sustainability Reporting, KPMG

    Mark Vaessen is a senior partner with KPMG in the Netherlands and the Global Head of Corporate & Sustainability Reporting for KPMG internationally. In that capacity he maintains the relationship with the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) and the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) and is a member of the Integrated Reporting and Connectivity Council, an advisory body to both the ISSB and IASB. In addition, Mark is currently the President of Accountancy Europe, a Brussels-based organization representing nearly one million professional accountants from across Europe. He previously also was a board member at the European Financial Reporting Advisory Group (EFRAG) and the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB). Mark has been a partner in KPMG’s global audit practice since 1999. He lived and worked in London for nearly 20 years, building and leading KPMG’s global international standards network as global IFRS leader. In 2017, he returned to his native the Netherlands where he was Head of Professional Practice until the end of 2022.

4:00 pm - 4:20 pm

Traceability in Focus: Digital & Physical Technologies

This session will shed light on emerging trends, innovations, and the broader impact of traceability on supply chains. Join us for an engaging conversation that uncovers the opportunities and challenges in enhancing transparency and accountability, providing insights for industry leaders and decision-makers.

Main Stage

  • Headshot of James Crowley
    James Crowley, Manager, Transparency & Traceability, Cascale

    James previously focused on transparency and traceability initiatives at Fashion for Good’s Innovation Platform, working alongside innovators, brands, suppliers, and other ecosystem partners to guide and coordinate traceability implementation and multi-stakeholder projects.

    With an academic background in supply chain sustainability, he completed his Masters in International Development Msc at the University of Amsterdam, focusing on ESG governance of agricultural commodities (focus on Cocoa in W. Africa). After, he worked for Tony’s Chocolonely’s impact team on traceability for impact-driven cocoa projects in Ghana. Then moved to PVH as a sustainability coordinator in their supply chain team, before joining Fashion for Good. His working and academic interests are in supply chain sustainability, traceability systems, circular business models, international development, and social anthropology.

    James was born in Winchester, near the south coast of the UK. He enjoys great music from RnB, to jazz fusion, and loves talking sampling and production. He loves travelling and absorbing new culture, and was lucky enough to travel Russia, China, and Oceania before his masters studies. He is fascinated by how the world works, in terms of governance and how to improve the equitable development of societies. Hobbies include, piano, travelling, sports (basketball, football, ultimate frisbee), and eating lots of Syrian, Lebanese and Moroccan food in Nieuwe West – Amsterdam.

  • Headshot of Marianne Uddman
    Marianne Uddman, Senior Vice President Go to Market, TrusTrace

    Marianne has over 15 years leading food and fashion innovation companies, with a strong focus on how technology, especially traceability, can help make an impact for a sustainable tomorrow.

  • Headshot of Patrick Strumpf
    Patrick Strumpf, CEO, Haelixa Ltd

    Patrick brings a wealth of entrepreneurial experience to the table. Having founded and scaled three companies, he successfully managed two exits. Throughout his career, Patrick has excelled in diverse roles, including as a member of the executive board, Chief Commercial Officer (CCO), and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) across manufacturing, distribution, and retail sectors. His strong customer focus, commercial acumen, and proven ability to build and lead high-performing teams make him the perfect complement to the technology-focused founder of Haelixa.

4:00 pm - 4:40 pm

Coffee & Networking

4:00 pm - 4:20 pm

Virtual Exhibitors Showcase

Discover the diverse exhibitions featured at this year’s Cascale Annual Meeting through our virtual showcase. If something catches your eye, you can easily schedule an appointment directly with the exhibitors using the Cascale Annual Meeting Event App. Don’t miss this opportunity to connect and learn more!

Virtual Stage

4:00 pm - 4:20 pm

Manufacturer’s Innovation Corner

Introducing the Innovation Corner at the Cascale Annual Meeting, a dedicated space designed to elevate manufacturers’ engagement and participation. This dynamic area will amplify their contributions to sustainability and innovation, offering a platform to showcase their groundbreaking work and demonstrate how they are facilitating positive change in the industry. Take this opportunity to head over to the innovation corner and engage with our expert manufacturer members – all while enjoy your coffee break.

Mezzanine

4:40 pm - 5:00 pm

Fair Process as a Prerequisite for Collective Action

Discover how the principles of fair process can transform employee trust and engagement in knowledge-based organizations. Through a compelling case study, learn how involving employees in decision-making, providing clear explanations, and setting transparent expectations can lead to voluntary cooperation, driving high performance and innovation even in challenging environments. This session will offer practical insights into applying fair process to achieve better outcomes and build a more committed workforce.

Main Stage

  • Headshot of Ilishio Lovejoy
    Ilishio Lovejoy, Independent Researcher

    Ilishio Lovejoy is a seasoned Programme Manager specialising in labour-centred transitions across diverse industries. With a rich background spanning NGOs, academia, brands, and suppliers, she brings a board portfolio of experience to her current role at the Laudes Foundation. Previously, Ilishio served as the ESG General Manager at Simple Approach, a leading multinational apparel supplier, where she spearheaded the development of supplier-led white papers on policy and decarbonization.

    Ilishio has also contributed to industry standards and transparency as the former Manager of the Research and Policy team at Fashion Revolution. In this role, she was instrumental in advancing the Fashion Transparency Index, driving industry benchmarking, and leading extensive research and advocacy on EU-level policies.

    In addition to this work, Ilishio is currently pursuing a Master’s in Social Innovation at the Cambridge Judge Business School, with a focus on fair processes within industry collective action initiatives.

5:00 pm - 5:45 pm

Social Justice Through Fair Process – Can We Find Equity?

Join our Board of Directors as they delve into the key learnings from the fair process case study and discuss how these insights will influence their strategic decisions. In this panel, they will share their perspectives on the importance of trust and engagement in the workplace, and outline their plans for implementing systemic changes across the organization to foster a more transparent and collaborative culture. This is a unique opportunity to hear directly from leadership on how they intend to turn theory into action.

Main Stage

  • Headshot of Amanda Tucker
    Amanda Tucker, Vice President, Responsible Sourcing & Sustainability, Target

    Amanda Tucker is Vice President of Responsible Sourcing & Sustainability at Target, where she oversees the global function responsible for integrating responsible sourcing practices into Target’s business operations and advancing Target’s sustainability goals.

    Prior to joining Target in 2021, Amanda held a series of progressive global leadership roles over her 20 year career at Nike, most recently serving as the Vice President of Global Sourcing. In addition to her private sector experience, Amanda has served in academia as a facilitator of LEAD, Stanford’s flagship online business program; in the public sector, including working for the United Nations International Labour Organization (ILO) in Geneva, Switzerland; and in independent business advocacy, as the Director of International Labor Affairs with the U.S. Council for International Business (USCIB).

    Amanda has a BA from Stanford University and graduate degrees from Stanford ‘s Graduate School of Business, the College of Europe in Bruges, Belgium, and the Institute of Political Science in Paris, France. She currently serves on the Boards of Cascale and the Apparel Impact Institute.

    LinkedIn

  • Headshot of Colin Browne in black and white
    Colin Browne, CEO, Cascale

    Colin Browne is CEO of Cascale, a global nonprofit alliance catalyzing collective action toward equitable and restorative business practices in the consumer goods industry. The organization spans over 300 retailers, brands, manufacturers, governments, academics, industry associations, and NGO or nonprofit affiliates. Cascale’s membership includes apparel, footwear, home furnishings, sporting and outdoor goods, and bags and luggage companies.

    Formerly known as the Sustainable Apparel Coalition, Cascale owns and develops the Higg Index, used by 24,000 worldwide. Browne has a wealth of global experience in supply chains and both brand and factory management. Prior to joining Cascale, he was Interim CEO and Chief Operating Officer of Under Armour, a Cascale member. Browne also served on the boards of the American Apparel and Footwear Association and the World Federation of Sporting Goods Industries; he continues to serve as a board member at Worldly, the leader in environmental and social impact data for the apparel and footwear industry and the exclusive platform for Cascale’s Higg Index tools.

    His business-oriented approach centers on sustainability and his focus at Cascale is scaling supplier-focused initiatives and driving accountability in the consumer goods industry. Along with his passion for supply chains, Colin is a proud husband, grandfather, and father of three children. He resides in the US though can be found internationally, visiting family in the UK, meeting the growing Cascale team and even squeezing in a triathlon.

  • Headshot of Harsh Saini
    Harsh Saini, Board Director, Global Fashion Agenda

    Harsh currently serves as a director on a number of boards and advises senior leaders on sustainable business, human rights, environmental practices, trade regulations, as well as innovation in supply chains. Harsh has held leadership positions in global corporations, including Nike and the Fung Group, in many parts of the world, in a career spanning corporate communications, marketing, government affairs, and pioneering corporate responsibility and sustainability.

  • Headshot of Krishna Manda
    Krishna Manda, Vice President of Corporate Sustainability, Lenzing Aktiengesellschaft
  • Headshot of Ilishio Lovejoy
    Ilishio Lovejoy, Independent Researcher

    Ilishio Lovejoy is a seasoned Programme Manager specialising in labour-centred transitions across diverse industries. With a rich background spanning NGOs, academia, brands, and suppliers, she brings a board portfolio of experience to her current role at the Laudes Foundation. Previously, Ilishio served as the ESG General Manager at Simple Approach, a leading multinational apparel supplier, where she spearheaded the development of supplier-led white papers on policy and decarbonization.

    Ilishio has also contributed to industry standards and transparency as the former Manager of the Research and Policy team at Fashion Revolution. In this role, she was instrumental in advancing the Fashion Transparency Index, driving industry benchmarking, and leading extensive research and advocacy on EU-level policies.

    In addition to this work, Ilishio is currently pursuing a Master’s in Social Innovation at the Cambridge Judge Business School, with a focus on fair processes within industry collective action initiatives.

5:45 pm - 6:05 pm

Closing Keynote – 36th July: Lessons of the Revolution 

Miran Ali, Vice President of BGMEA, will share key lessons from Bangladesh’s recent 36th July Revolution, highlighting how courage, vision, and collaboration can drive transformative change. Drawing on this powerful local experience, he will discuss the global relevance of these lessons for industries and communities worldwide. Miran will also explore practical tools like the Higg Index and STTI, illustrating how global cooperation can help address today’s challenges and foster a more sustainable future.

Main Stage

  • Headshot of Miran Ali
    Miran Ali, Vice President, Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA)

    Miran Ali (CIP), a distinguished entrepreneur in the garment sector, serves as the Managing Director of Bitopi Group, overseeing operations across five factories in Bangladesh. Under his leadership, two of these factories have achieved LEED Platinum Green status, marking them as among the highest-rated green factories globally. He is also the Vice President at BGMEA and has been contributing as a Director of BGMEA since 2015. Additionally, he has been twice recognized by the Government of Bangladesh as a commercially important person. Miran Ali also holds the position of Director at the RSC-RMG Sustainability Council, where he contributes to ensuring safety and compliance within the RMG sector in Bangladesh.

    In addition to his role in sustainability, Miran Ali serves as the spokesperson for the STAR Network and STTI, advocating for better buying practices and sustainable trade initiatives in the Asian textile industry. He shares his expertise as a Practitioner-in-Residence at the Copenhagen Business School, where he lectures on the garment industry. Outside the garment sector, Miran Ali chairs Oculin Tech BD Ltd., a leading IT firm in Bangladesh specializing in providing end-to-end solutions and capability development for organizations. Furthermore, he has been serving as the Honorary Consul of the Slovak Republic in Bangladesh since 2012.Miran Ali’s academic journey includes a Bachelor’s degree from The Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, USA, followed by a Master’s in Business Administration from the Ecole des Ponts ParisTech, Paris and the University of Bristol, UK. Miran Ali’s extensive experience, coupled with his commitment to sustainability and innovation, makes him a distinguished leader in both the garment and technology sectors.

6:00 pm - 6:05 pm

Collaboration in Action

Main Stage

  • Headshot of Colin Browne in black and white
    Colin Browne, CEO, Cascale

    Colin Browne is CEO of Cascale, a global nonprofit alliance catalyzing collective action toward equitable and restorative business practices in the consumer goods industry. The organization spans over 300 retailers, brands, manufacturers, governments, academics, industry associations, and NGO or nonprofit affiliates. Cascale’s membership includes apparel, footwear, home furnishings, sporting and outdoor goods, and bags and luggage companies.

    Formerly known as the Sustainable Apparel Coalition, Cascale owns and develops the Higg Index, used by 24,000 worldwide. Browne has a wealth of global experience in supply chains and both brand and factory management. Prior to joining Cascale, he was Interim CEO and Chief Operating Officer of Under Armour, a Cascale member. Browne also served on the boards of the American Apparel and Footwear Association and the World Federation of Sporting Goods Industries; he continues to serve as a board member at Worldly, the leader in environmental and social impact data for the apparel and footwear industry and the exclusive platform for Cascale’s Higg Index tools.

    His business-oriented approach centers on sustainability and his focus at Cascale is scaling supplier-focused initiatives and driving accountability in the consumer goods industry. Along with his passion for supply chains, Colin is a proud husband, grandfather, and father of three children. He resides in the US though can be found internationally, visiting family in the UK, meeting the growing Cascale team and even squeezing in a triathlon.

  • Headshot of Miran Ali
    Miran Ali, Vice President, Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA)

    Miran Ali (CIP), a distinguished entrepreneur in the garment sector, serves as the Managing Director of Bitopi Group, overseeing operations across five factories in Bangladesh. Under his leadership, two of these factories have achieved LEED Platinum Green status, marking them as among the highest-rated green factories globally. He is also the Vice President at BGMEA and has been contributing as a Director of BGMEA since 2015. Additionally, he has been twice recognized by the Government of Bangladesh as a commercially important person. Miran Ali also holds the position of Director at the RSC-RMG Sustainability Council, where he contributes to ensuring safety and compliance within the RMG sector in Bangladesh.

    In addition to his role in sustainability, Miran Ali serves as the spokesperson for the STAR Network and STTI, advocating for better buying practices and sustainable trade initiatives in the Asian textile industry. He shares his expertise as a Practitioner-in-Residence at the Copenhagen Business School, where he lectures on the garment industry. Outside the garment sector, Miran Ali chairs Oculin Tech BD Ltd., a leading IT firm in Bangladesh specializing in providing end-to-end solutions and capability development for organizations. Furthermore, he has been serving as the Honorary Consul of the Slovak Republic in Bangladesh since 2012.Miran Ali’s academic journey includes a Bachelor’s degree from The Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, USA, followed by a Master’s in Business Administration from the Ecole des Ponts ParisTech, Paris and the University of Bristol, UK. Miran Ali’s extensive experience, coupled with his commitment to sustainability and innovation, makes him a distinguished leader in both the garment and technology sectors.

6:10 pm - 6:20 pm

Closing Remarks

As the day draws to a close, our event emcee will deliver the final remarks, encapsulating the essence of the day’s discussions. She will provide a thoughtful recap and reflections, breaking down the key takeaways and tying them back to our event theme, “A New Era of Unified Impact.” This session will ensure that the insights and lessons learned are clearly understood, leaving attendees inspired and equipped to drive meaningful change. Join us for this closing moment to reflect on our journey together and look forward to the impactful days ahead.

Main Stage

  • Headshot of Isabelle Kumar
    Isabelle Kumar, Award Winning Journalist, Presenter, Moderator, former News Anchor

    Isabelle Kumar moderates and MCs at high level events, including the first ever EU Presidential debate, deep dives at the Davos World Economic Forum, business analysis at the Consumer Goods Forum, human rights with the UN, tech transformation at the influential HIMSS digital health conference or the latest innovations with LEAP. In addition to this she has presented award ceremonies for the UN and the European Commission as well as chairing private events for heads of state and government inlcuding with former German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

    Previously to moderating full time – she was a prime time news anchor for Euronews. She also traveled the world interviewing heads of state and government, business leaders as well a few celebrities for the show she hosted, The Global Conversation.

7:00 am - 7:45 am

Nike Wellness Yoga: Morning Reset

Start your day right with a revitalizing Yoga class on the second day, sponsored by Nike, at the Pavillon of the Hilton Munich Park Hotel, our exclusive event venue. Enjoy the serene views of the English Garden and the Eisbach River as you move through your practice. Mats will be provided, and the session will be led by Lea Hauss, a Yoga & Wellness Teacher for Nike Well Collective. It’s the ideal way to energize your morning and set a positive tone for the day ahead.

Instructor: Lea Hauss, Yoga & Wellness Teacher for Nike

 Pavilion at the Hilton Munich Park Hotel

8:00 am - 9:00 am

Check-In

9:00 am - 9:10 am

Day 2 Kickoff: Embracing a Unified Impact

As we begin Day 2, our event emcee will reflect on the insights and highlights from Day 1, emphasizing our theme, “A New Era of Unified Impact.” Get ready to be engaged!

  • Headshot of Isabelle Kumar
    Isabelle Kumar, Award Winning Journalist, Presenter, Moderator, former News Anchor

    Isabelle Kumar moderates and MCs at high level events, including the first ever EU Presidential debate, deep dives at the Davos World Economic Forum, business analysis at the Consumer Goods Forum, human rights with the UN, tech transformation at the influential HIMSS digital health conference or the latest innovations with LEAP. In addition to this she has presented award ceremonies for the UN and the European Commission as well as chairing private events for heads of state and government inlcuding with former German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

    Previously to moderating full time – she was a prime time news anchor for Euronews. She also traveled the world interviewing heads of state and government, business leaders as well a few celebrities for the show she hosted, The Global Conversation.

9:10 am - 9:30 am

Keynote – From Siberia to South Africa: A Manufacturer’s Dilemma

In this thought-provoking keynote, a leading manufacturer member will draw parallels between the epic journey of migratory birds and the ongoing challenges in the textiles and apparel industry. Despite years of effort, we have much ground left to cover in aligning our goals with the realities on the ground. This session will challenge us to reflect on our collective journey toward sustainability, addressing key questions about global perspectives, local needs, and how we can truly work together to achieve our shared objectives. As we look ahead to 2030, the speaker will offer insights into what it will take to bridge the gap between vision and action.

Main Stage

  • Headshot of Shreyaskar Chaudhary
    Shreyaskar Chaudhary, Managing Director, Pratibha Syntex Ltd.

    Mr. Shreyaskar Chaudhary, Managing Director of Pratibha Syntex, leads a prominent textile manufacturing company renowned for its high-quality yarns and fabrics, and its commitment to sustainability and innovation. He holds a degree in Textile Technology from UMIST, Manchester. At 23, he launched the Organic Cotton Cultivation Project “Vasudha,” now India’s largest network of organic cotton farmers with 35,000 participants, fostering self-sustaining communities. A notable figure in sustainable fashion, Shreyaskar partners with global brands and certifications on pioneering projects and is actively involved in organizations like the Textile Exchange and the Sustainable Apparel Coalition. He currently serves as Chairman of the Madhya Pradesh Textiles Mill Association (MPTMA).

9:30 am - 10:40 am

Is Value Chain Inequity Hindering Climate Action?

This session aims to explore whether industry consensus exists on why climate action is falling short – because a shared understanding of the problem is critical to effective solutions. Specifically, we will look at the terms “climate action” and “inequity.” Do we define these terms in the same way? Do we understand their relationship to each other in the same way? What are the implications for collective action and shared responsibility?

 Main Stage

  • Headshot of Kim van der Weerd
    Kim van der Weerd, Intelligence Director, Transformers Foundation
    Moderator

    Kim van der Weerd is a human rights advocate turned garment factory manager turned sustainable fashion critic. She is on a mission to shift the narrative and amplify producer perspectives on how to make fashion less unsustainable. When a t-shirt doesn’t sell, who pays for it? And is that equitable relative to the margins? This ought to be the litmus test for any intervention intended to make our industry better. Practically, this work takes many different formats: opinion essays and commissioned reports, content direction and production, speaking engagements, community building and dialogue facilitation, serving as the Intelligence Director for Transformers Foundation, hosting Manufactured Podcast, and beyond. She previously worked as General Manager of Pactics Phnom Penh, a garment factory producing for the luxury eyewear industry and as COO of Tonlé, a zero-waste brand that owned and managed its own production, both based in Cambodia. She holds a M.Sc. in human rights from the London School of Economics.

  • Headshot of Krelyne Andrew
    Krelyne Andrew, Head of Sustainability, Sappi Verve, Sappi

    Krelyne Andrew is currently employed at Sappi Limited and is based in South Africa. She heads up the global sustainability portfolio for Verve, Sappi’s dissolving pulp product which is manufactured in South Africa and North America. Dissolving pulp is used to produce a variety of products, including fibre for textiles and apparel and microcrystalline cellulose for food and pharma applications. She has worked in various roles at Sappi, including heading up the R&D and Technical Services for Verves speciality product portfolio. When Sappi expanded its operatio