As the expectations on corporate responsibility increase, professional communications and good intentions are no longer enough, and companies are recognizing the need to act on ESG and sustainability agendas. The Biden Administration has pledged to make critical strides in stopping the tide of the climate crisis that may mean greater support for decarbonization, a shift to renewables and efforts to realize a more circular economy. What impacts can we expect for investors, dealmakers and the market?

Moderator: Daniel Hanson, Chief Investment Officer, Ivy Investment Management Company

Panelist: Robert Esposito, Senior Counsel, ESG, Apollo

Panelist: Louis Rambo, Associate, Proskauer

Panelist: Michiel van Esch, Specialist Governance and Active Ownership, Robeco

As companies evolve, they often change how they approach new opportunities, solve problems and enhance shareholder value. The process typically stimulates creativity by implementing new technology and process improvements that enable companies to do more with less negative impacts on the environment, society, employees and stakeholders. How should companies be integrating environmental, social and financial considerations into their culture from idea generation, to research and development and through commercialization?

Moderator: Armie Lee, Reporter, The Deal

Panelist: Jennifer Cuccaro, Chief Operating Officer and Head of ESG Investing, Reformation Group

Panelist: Martha Cummings, Global Strategy & Risk Advisor, Independent Director, Marqeta, Inc.

Panelist: Jody Hyvarinen, Deputy General Counsel, Securities and Board Governance, United Natural Foods, Inc.

Panelist: Rakhi Kumar, Senior Vice President, Sustainability Solutions, Liberty Mutual

The disruptions of 2020 have strengthened the importance of risk assessment and processes to respond quickly to high impact ESG-related events and risks. As companies around the globe evaluate and revise their business models, they must put in place stronger operational models and processes focused on the management of business vulnerabilities. What is the board’s role in addressing disruptive risk, and what tools are available to directors related to ESG and sustainability risks?

Moderator: Ronald Orol, Senior Editor, The Deal

Panelist: Heidi DuBois, Global Head of ESG, Edelman

Panelist: Rishi Varma, SVP & General Counsel, Legal Department, Hewlett Packard Enterprise

Panelist: Ted White, Managing Director, Legion Partners Asset Management

Panelist: Frank Zarb, Partner, Proskauer

When it comes to environmental, social and governance issues, what is the right mission and purpose for a corporation in 2021? Should companies be held responsible not only for their financial performance, but their successes or failures on environmental and social issues as well? How can positive change be achieved and measured at the governance level? How can companies institute ESG initiatives with a purpose, and not just perception?

Moderator: Kyle Fox, Partner, KRF Capital

Panelist: Elisa Davis, Associate General Counsel and Assistant Secretary, Adtalem Global Education

Panelist: Patricia Lizarraga, Managing Partner, Hypatia Capital

Panelist: James Rogers, Chief Legal Officer, Cars.com

Panelist: Eric Sibbern, Senior Partner and Managing Director, Veraison Capital AG

Panelist: Julia Thompson, Partner, Latham & Watkins LLP

Keynote Interview with Cindie Jamison Chairman, Tractor Supply Company; Director, Darden, Inc., Office Depot Inc., Big Lots Stores, Inc. and Nathan Richardson, Board Director and Business Leader

There has been so much discussion about racial and gender diversity at the board level, but what about generational diversity? How can companies get younger in the boardroom and cater to a younger customer base, when many will only look at seasoned board candidates to fill open seats? What skills are many boards missing by not including younger board members, and why are they important?

Interviewer: Steve Gelsi, Senior Editor, The Deal

Panelist: Cindie Jamison, Chairman, Tractor Supply Company; Director, Darden, Inc., Office Depot Inc., Big Lots Stores, Inc.

Panelist: Nathan Richardson, Board Director and Business Leader

Diversity isn’t just a mandate from a federal or state agency; it’s a necessity for successful business. But diversity isn’t always easy and enacting such change can often come at a snail’s pace. What are companies doing to encourage diversity from top to bottom both in terms of gender divides but also racial and cultural divides? How do companies operating in multiple jurisdictions where such standards may differ navigate such circumstances?

Moderator: Nikitha Sattiraju, Reporter, The Deal

Panelist: Marvin Boakye, Chief People and Diversity Officer, Papa John’s International, Inc.

Panelist: Deborah Gilshan, Advisor, Investment Stewardship & ESG and Founder, The 100% Club

Panelist: Timothy Wilkins, Global Partner for Client Sustainability, Freshfields

Panelist: Suzanne Yoon, Founder & Managing Partner, Kinzie Capital Partners

There is an ongoing war for senior ESG talent. When it became clear that ESG policies and frameworks could provide a roadmap for organizations to emerge more effectively from the global pandemic-inspired crises of the past 12 months, the demand for ESG leadership talent exploded. The days of a repurposed internal functional executive being credible in a senior ESG leadership role are over, and companies are realizing that best-in-class ESG leaders are business people first, with hands-on industry experience that will enable them to be credible with internal line of business leaders. Kurt Harrison, Partner, Co-Head, Global Sustainability Practice at Russell Reynolds Associates will explore how Next-Gen ESG leaders must possess the ability to successfully influence across an incredibly diverse set of stakeholders, including the C-suite and board of directors, institutional investors, regulators, external partners, and internal colleagues to be successful in these roles.

Moderator: David Marcus, Senior Writer, The Deal

Speaker: Kurt Harrison, Partner, Co-Head, Global Sustainability Practice, Russell Reynolds Associates