The Future of Finance Comes Into View
Sustainable capital flows are essential to create an economy that works for everyone and safeguards natural resources. Market structures are shifting and being reworked to not only finance the energy transition, but to accelerate investments in a range of critical sustainable projects and interventions. We’ll take an inside look into the innovations and barriers to get sustainable capital moving at scale with two financial luminaries.

Keynote speakers: Anne Simpson, Global Head of Sustainability, Franklin Templeton & Steering Committee, Climate Action 100+; Melissa James, Managing Director and Vice Chair of Global Capital Markets, Morgan Stanley; Tim Mohin, Partner & Director, Climate & Sustainability, BCG (moderator)

BIG Ideas

Transformational Deep Dive: Tackling the Urgency of Water
While carbon reduction has become the top concern for sustainability leaders, a daunting global water crisis has arrived. In this session, we will highlight organizations driving ambitious action on resource stewardship and place-based sustainability strategies. How should we right-size ambitions, unlock capital, and promote change within industries and across coalitions?

Discussants: Michael Kobori, CSO, Starbucks; Kim Marotta, Chief Environmental Sustainability Officer, Suntory Global Spirits (Beam Suntory); Amy Saltzman, Sr Program Officer, Mississippi River Initiative, Walton Family Foundation; Amanda Gardiner, Head of ESG, Meta (moderator)

Stories of Transformation

Seizing the Common Ground: Overcoming Polarization to Advance Our Work
Collaboration and partnership are more essential than ever in order to meet corporate commitments. This data-driven, participative dialogue will draw out emergent strategies business leaders are using to communicate, engage and bring stakeholders along without polarizing (especially in an election year).

Discussants: Neil Russell, Chief Administrative Officer, Sysco; Val Smith, CSO, Citi; Alex Thompson, Chair of Global Corporate Affairs & Impact, Edelman (moderator)

The Equity Imperative

Yes In My Backyard: How Companies Succeed by Investing in their Communities
How might we ensure that our local responsibilities aren’t lost among global priorities? This session explores how leading companies strengthen their brand and their bottom line by investing in local environments and economies.

Discussants: Sarah Keh, VP of Inclusive Solutions, Prudential Financial; Andrea Wood, Social Impact Consultant & Former VP, Best Buy; Christina Keller, CEO & Chair, Cascade Engineering; Maureen Conway, VP & Executive Director, Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program (moderator)

Stories of Transformation

The Next Sustainability Battleground: Corporate Governance
Close collaboration with boards and legal teams in the midst of increasing public scrutiny and heightened regulatory requirements is essential for sustainability leaders to drive change. Given these leaders often have different incentives and different mandates, what does it take to partner effectively?

Discussants: Carmen Lu, Counsel, Wachtell Lipton; Elliot Stultz, SVP, Deputy General Counsel and CSO, AllState; Rob McKeehan, VP & Assistant Corporate Secretary, J&J; Michelle Greene, Board Director, LTSE and BlackStone Credit (moderator)

Evolution of Governance

Roundtables offer participants the chance to actively exchange on an issue of shared interest. Registration will take place onsite and sessions will be capped at 12 participants, who should arrive ready to engage in conversation. 

Working Groups offer participants the chance to roll up their sleeves and work together to chart a path forward on a pressing challenge.  

Corporate Voice, 2024 Edition: Mitigating Risk and Managing Relationships
In a divisive political environment and amidst conflicts about business leadership on issues from political spending to new regulatory rules—how should business leaders align with their lobbying and trade associations to manage these risks, while also considering risks caused by these relationships?

Keynote speakers: Witold Henisz, Vice Dean of the ESG Initiative & Professor of Management, The Wharton School (moderator); Daniella Ballou-Aares, Founder and CEO, Leadership Now Project; Katherine Neebe, CSO & SVP of Sustainability, Policy & Philanthropy, Duke Energy

Evolution of Governance

Breaking Through the ESG Sound Barrier: Communicating Impact with Authenticity
Today’s fragmented media landscape requires a significant shift to get messages on sustainability and social impact across in a way that builds trust, avoids blowback, and navigates the nuance of splintering perspectives and media diets. In this workshop, participants will chart an actionable path for telling their impact story in ways both authentic (to your firm) and relevant (to your audiences).

Workshop Leader: Gary Knell, Former CEO of NPR, National Geographic and Sesame Workshop

BIG Ideas

Spotlight on Private Capital and the Corporate/Supplier Conversation
How are corporations working with their suppliers on commitments that flow through the supply chain, and how does this translate into new opportunity for private capital firms as they think through the value creation potential of their portfolio companies?

Discussants: Ryan Schweet, Partner & Amy Silverstein, Partner, e2p Private Equity; Heidi DuBois, Global Head of ESG, AEA Investors; Beth Hart, CSO, McDonald’s; Miguel Padró, Assistant Program Director, Aspen Institute Business & Society Program (moderator)

BIG Ideas

The Outlook for Employee Voice—Who’s at the Table?
Employees continue to propel corporate action to raise the bar for how companies show up in the world.  Which business issues are employees shaping in 2024? And how should leaders respond to capture the full value of employee voice?

Discussants: Jorge Fontanez, CEO of US & Canada, B-Lab; Jennifer Silberman, SVP & CSO, Dollar Tree; Nancy Reynolds, Chief Integrity Officer, Western Union; Cydney Roach, Global Chair, Workplace Advisory, Edelman (moderator)

The Equity Imperative

Regenerating Agriculture: A Lab for Innovating at Scale
Transforming global food production is critical in the fight against climate change. It is also a laboratory to examine larger questions about sustainable investments: how to change an industry ecosystem, how to move the capex needed, how to find the financial return. Join us for an inside look with leaders scaling from pilot project to landscape-level change, working to regenerate natural systems and improve livelihoods. 

Discussants: Julie Gehrki, Vice President, Walmart; Paloma Lopez, CSO, Bel Brands; Megan Rock, CSO, CHS (Agribusiness); Shalini Unnikrishnan, Senior Partner, BCG & Global Leader, COP28 Action Agenda on Regenerative Landscapes (moderator)

Stories of Transformation

A.I. and Its Disruptions
How should organizations start to govern AI, addressing the implications it poses to trust, equity and jobs, as firms embrace its potential to solve big challenges? How can the sustainability field position itself to be at the forefront of responsible AI?

Keynote Speakers: JoAnn Stonier, Fellow of Data and AI, Mastercard; Jonah Smith, Vice President of ESG Strategy & Programs, IBM; Ellen McGirt, Editor-in-Chief, Design Observer (moderator)

The Equity Imperative

Bayer Center Tour
Discover the art and legacy of Herbert Bayer, an influential modern artist and designer who exemplifies Bauhaus style and shaped the early artistic and programmatic vision of the Aspen Institute. The Director of the Resnick Center for Herbert Bayer Studies will lead guests through a tour of Aspen history, its connection to Herbert Bayer, and the museum’s summer exhibit.