Sustainable Nation

Clare Doyle has served as Masonite’s Senior Vice President, Chief Sustainability Officer since August 2021. Previously, Clare held the roles of Senior Vice President and General Manager – UK Business from 2018 to 2021, and Senior Vice President, Business Leader – Components from 2016 to 2018. Prior to joining Masonite, Clare was with Elementis plc from 2010 to 2016 most recently as Vice President of Marketing. Prior to joining Elementis plc, she spent 11 years with Rohm and Haas Company in various roles in Corporate Development, Electronic Materials and in Architectural and Functional Coatings. Clare Joins Sustainable Nation to Discuss: Her tips from her transition into a sustainability role The roots of sustainability at Masonite Masonite's plans for setting targets regarding emissions Collaboration on sustainability both up and down the supply chain Advice and recommendations for sustainability professionals Clare's Final Five Questions Responses: What is one piece of advice you would give other sustaina

Emma Stewart, Ph.D., is Netflix’s first Sustainability Officer, where together with teams from across the company, she seeks to bring Netflix's carbon footprint to net zero, raise environmental awareness through film and television series, and spur conversation on climate action among our hundreds of millions of members in 190 countries.  She previously led World Resources Institute’s global work on urban efficiency, climate, and finance. She served on the Board of the U.S. Green Building Council and software company Ecomedes.  She has been a member of the professional faculty at UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business and Stanford Graduate School of Business where she taught “Intrapreneurship for Sustainability”. Emma was rated a “Badass Woman in Sustainability” by GreenBiz, a "top 3 speaker" by The Economist Summits, and has been named a “one of the most powerful women under 45” and an “urban pioneer” by FORTUNE Magazine, a “sustainability insurgent” by MIT Sloan Management Review, and one of the “Top 10 Wome

Passionate about creating a better world and enabling growth among Anheuser-Busch employees and business, John is responsible for leading teams to deliver a more sustainable future and a resilient, dynamic and efficient supply chain. John joined Anheuser-Busch InBev in 2012, and has since held various positions across Europe and Africa focusing on agricultural development, procurement, technology and business operations.   John led the design and launch of Anheuser-Busch’s SmartBarley program, a global platform supporting farmers across the world, and most recently was responsible for leading the business operations and digital transformation agenda in Africa before stepping into the role of U.S. Chief Sustainability and Procurement Officer. Prior to his time with Anheuser-Busch, he worked with Root Capital, providing business and investment support. John holds a Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from NC State University and an MBA from Harvard Business School. John Joins Sustainable Nation to Discu

IRA Pearl is the Vice President of Environmental Sustainability at Cox Enterprises. Ira is responsible for leading Cox's sustainability strategy, including driving ambitious goals to achieve zero waste to landfill by 2024 and to become water and carbon neutral by 2034. IRA has more than 25 years of experience, both in consulting and leading environmental departments at large Fortune 500 companies, as well as in operational leadership roles. He spent most of his career developing and executing strategies in the areas of renewable energy, sustainability, climate change, and environmental compliance. Ira Joins Sustainable Nation to Discuss: How being a private company impacts the way sustainability is handled How Cox establishes sustainability goals and targets - ground up process Cox's approach to employee engagement and the benefits of having top down support Sustainability reporting at Cox and the emphasis on transparency Advice and recommendations for sustainability leaders Ira's Final Five Question Respon

Ellen has worked at the intersection of sustainability and human resources as a recruiter and consultant for 20+ years. A super connector, Ellen’s passion for sustainability and ESG was sparked while obtaining her MBA from Yale and interning at L.L.Bean. Ellen is a regular speaker at industry events, as well as a contributor to Forbes, Huffington Post, and has her own column with GreenBiz entitled “Talent Show.” Ellen Joins Sustainable Nation to Discuss: The background and future of the CSO role  ESG vs. Sustainability  The future of supply and demand for sustainability professionals  How to address the great resignation and keep people in the field DEI in sustainability  Ellen's Final Five Question Responses What is one piece of advice you would give to other sustainability professionals that might help them in their careers? Network. Especially in this covid pandemic period where we're getting out of the house/office less often, it's important to keep your network going and those relationships with great

Kristen B. Sullivan is a partner with Deloitte & Touche LLP and leads Sustainability and ESG Services, working with clients to help address their sustainability and non-financial disclosure strategy needs. Kristen also serves as the Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited’s Global Audit & Assurance Climate and Sustainability Services Leader and the Integrated Reporting Community of Practice Leader. Kristen brings extensive experience in delivering sustainability risk assessment, governance, strategy alignment, measurement, reporting, and assurance services.   Given the growing market emphasis on the importance of ESG standards and frameworks, Kristen serves as a member of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Community, the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) Assurance Task Force, the Sustainable Stock Exchange (SSE) Initiative Corporate Working Group, and as Chair of the AICPA Sustainability Task Force. She previously served on the International Integrated Reporting Council (IIRC) Working Group

Braden Kay is the director of sustainability for the City of Tempe. He was recently the sustainability project manager for the City of Orlando, where he led sustainability implementation in waste diversion, urban forestry, and urban agriculture programs. He received a PhD from Arizona State's School of Sustainability for his dissertation work on stakeholder engagement and strategy building within the City of Phoenix. Previously, Braden managed community engagement, sustainability assessment and strategy building for the City of Phoenix's Reinvent Phoenix grant, which is funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Sustainable Communities program. Braden's academic and professional experience in urban planning, sustainability assessment, and sustainability implementation make him an asset for innovative urban sustainability efforts.  Braden Joins Sustainable Nation to Discuss: Tip for starting sustainability programs in cities Learning from indigenous people and incorporating their ideas i

Chris serves as Global Senior Principal for Sustainability and ESG where he is responsible for leading Cardno's corporate sustainability initiative and in particular, providing ESG support to institutional investors. In addition, Chris supports Cardno's Science and Environment division by delivering great project outcomes for our clients, developing new  business, growing existing client relationships, fostering staff development, and aiding in strategy and planning. Chris also chairs Carno's Sustainability Task Force and has over 30 years of experience in both the public and private sectors working on environmental and sustainability issues.  Chris Joins Sustainable Nation to Discuss: Cardno's services and clientelle Internal vs. external ESG work at Cardo ESG challenges and opportunities facing the solar and natural gas industries Defining sustainability vs. ESG Institutional investors' focus on EGS and sustainability  Advice and recommendations for sustainability leaders Chris' Final Five Question Respon

Cecilia is the Sustainability Strategy Director at Electrolux in Sweden. Her role includes supporting the continued development of the company's sustainability strategy. She is responsible for implementing the strategy in the various Electrolux organizations, including defining ways of working and establishing relationships. Cecilia is also responsible for governance development and coordination, coordinating development of KPIs and other activities, as well as continuous improvement, assessment and development of the scope of the sustainability framework. Cecilia Joins Sustainable Nation To Discuss: Empowering customers to lead better and more sustainable lives through offering the right products Integrating a sustainability strategy to the point it becomes the strategy Electrolux's approach to circular design: closing the loop in materials, product as a service Electrolux's climate-neutral value chain goal The 50 Liter home Advice and recommendations for sustainability leaders Cecilia's Final Five Questio

As Managing Director, Global Environmental Affairs and Sustainability at United Airlines, Lauren is responsible for leading United’s efforts in environmental compliance, waste, water and energy management, sustainable aviation fuel, and overall environmental sustainability strategy. These initiatives are designed to support United’s goal of achieving a 50% reduction of carbon emissions by 2050.   Lauren is a business leader focused on the relationship between innovation and environmental sustainability. With 20 years consulting experience, Lauren has led a variety of initiatives addressing business and digital transformation, strategic planning, and change management that yield environmental and operational benefit.  Lauren Joins Sustainable Nation to Discuss: United's GHG reduction goals and its commitment to realizing net zero without carbon offsets Direct air capture technology to sequester carbon and United's investment in 1point5 The advantages and challenges of sustainable aviation fuel Eco-Skies Allia

With over 3 decades of experience at Procter & Gamble in Brand Management and Innovation, Virginie has a broad experience across multiple categories and global to local brand management expertise. Virginie has worked across several of P&G’s multi-billion dollar brands, including Pantene, Ariel/Tide, and Pampers, and has extensive international experience having been based in France, UK, Switzerland and the United States throughout her career. Since 2011, Virginie’s focus has been on sustainability and corporate citizenship, with a global remit covering all brands and business units, in all regions. Her mission was to embed sustainability into the innovation, brand-building and everyday business practices at P&G. In 2016, she was promoted to Vice President of Global Sustainability, in recognition of the work she has led to make sustainability a core business strategy, an innovation driver and a catalyst for a more resilient organisation. Even though Virginie recommended the creation of this new p

Erin gives voice to Interface’s conscience, ensuring that strategy and goals are in sync with its aggressive sustainability vision established more than 20 years ago. Today, Interface has evolved its thinking to go beyond doing less harm to creating positive impacts, not just for Interface and the flooring industry, but for the world at large. Erin led the company to unveil a new mission in 2016 – Climate Take Back, tackling the single biggest threat facing humanity: global climate change. This mission is focused on creating a path for Interface and others to reverse global warming, not just reduce carbon emissions. As CSO, Erin leads a global team that provides technical assistance and support to this audacious goal and the company’s global business, addressing sustainability at all levels – from operations and management, to employees and customers, and in policy forums. Erin and her team also develop industry-leading approaches to measurement, driving transparency and innovation in the field of sustainabil

As Senior Director of Brand, Reputation & Impact, Tabitha Upshaw leads NI’s global Environment, Social, and Governance (ESG) strategy, where purpose and social impact meet brand.  A seasoned marketing and nonprofit leader, Tabitha has worked at the intersection of brand and corporate citizenship for more than 10 years, helping organizations use their strengths and innovative spirit to be a powerful force for good.  Prior to NI, Tabitha was the first chief marketing officer of Global Wildlife Conservation. She also created and led Dell's corporate social responsibility (CSR) marketing function and did the same for SunPower. Pulling from these experiences, Tabitha built and led the development of NI’s first Corporate Impact strategy, a series of goals and commitments to realize a vision of a more sustainable and equitable world where diversity is embraced to drive innovation.   Tabitha and her family volunteer with Generation SERVE, an organization focused on developing generations of community-minded leade

Ratish Namboothiry is the Director for Innovation for Good and Sustainability at Kohler Co. Innovation for Good (IfG) is Kohler’s internal volunteer think tank created to incubate new ideas for social impact products that deliver positive solutions. Namboothiry was appointed as the business leader for this team when it was formed in 2018. Namboothiry is responsible for both strategic and operational leadership for IfG. This includes driving sales and distribution of social impact products, such as the KOHLER Clarity water filtration system, and converting ideas into successful products, technologies and business concepts. Ratish’s passion lies in innovation and solving social problems through the power of business and creative capitalism. Namboothiry earned his Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering from University of Mumbai and Master of Science in mechanical engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Ratish Joins Sustainable Nation to Discuss: The importance of transparency in meeting s

Danielle Jezienicki is the Director of Sustainability for Grove Collaborative, the leading digital-first brand & ecommerce platform for natural home and personal care products. A certified B Corp, Grove serves hundreds of thousands of households in the U.S. every month. Prior to Danielle’s current role at Grove, Danielle was as the Director of Corporate Social Responsibility at Williams-Sonoma, Inc. (WSI) where she supervised ESG reporting and sustainability initiatives for the Company and its West Coast brands including Pottery Barn, Pottery Barn Kids, Pottery Barn Teen, Williams-Sonoma, Rejuvenation and Mark & Graham. Long inspired by the possibilities of sustainability-first consciousness provide, she was an Impact Analyst for four years at Sonen Capital, an investment firm that prioritizes socio-environmental outcomes in conjunction with financial returns. She holds an MBA in Sustainable Management at Presidio Graduate School and BA from Brown University. Danielle Joins Sustainable Nation to Discu

Tim serves on the executive leadership team guiding long-term social and environmental strategy for a 220+ acre campus that includes the 4M SF convention center, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, the former Georgia Dome, Centennial Olympic Park, and the upcoming Hilton Signia hotel. GWCCA also operates the Savannah Convention Center in Savannah, GA. In this role, he oversees a team focused on executing day-to-day practices including waste diversion and volunteerism. Tim also helped develop and now leads the organization’s first Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) council. Tim Trefzer Joins Sustainable Nation to Discuss: Managing sustainability over a large campus COVID-19's impact on the sports world and how GWCCA has given back The value of LEED certification vs. building to standards Advice and recommendations for sustainability leaders Tim's Final Five Question Responses: What is one piece of advice you would give other sustainability professionals that might help them in their careers? I'd give diffe

Ellen Mitchell-Kozack, AIA, LEED BD+C, WELL AP, SEED, has joined LEO A DALY as vice president, chief sustainability officer. She leads strategic initiatives in sustainable design worldwide, including Environmental Social & Governance, alignment with the UN Global Compact and Sustainable Development Goals, carbon footprint assessment and social impact.  Mitchell-Kozack is a nationally recognized voice in sustainability and public interest design. As senior vice president, director of sustainability at HKS, she led the firm’s DesignGreen studio and founded Citizen HKS, an impact initiative focused on leveraging sustainable design to address growing humanitarian needs of communities around the world. She has managed certification of more than 60 LEED projects worldwide, totaling $2.8 billion in construction. Mitchell-Kozack is co-chair of the American Institute of Architects’ Large Firm Roundtable Sustainability Group. She was named one of several “Heroes and Mavericks” by Boutique Designin 2018, a BD+C 40 U

Ryland Engelhart is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of Kiss the Ground, and is the producer of Kiss The Ground the Movie on Netflix. He has spent the last 15 years as an entrepreneur and love-activist, working in hospitality and building a family business of organic plant-based restaurants called Cafe Gratitude and Gracias Madre in Southern CA. He is also a co-creator of the award-winning, transformational documentary film, “May I Be Frank.” Ryland joins Sustainable Nation to discuss: The state of regenerative agriculture The power of storytelling in sustainability Corporate actions on regenerative agriculture Advice and recommendations for sustainability leaders Ryland's Final Five Questions Responses: What is one piece of advice you would give other sustainability professionals that might help them in their careers? I think we've heard this before, but it really is about building, strong, real, authentic, not transactional relationships. Deep, meaningful, connected relationships, and building coalit

James is responsible for leading P&G’s global climate change efforts along with their end to end supply chain sustainability program, helping one of the world’s largest CPG companies reduce their environmental footprint within energy, climate, water, waste, forestry, transportation, and raw materials. By integrating circular manufacturing processes across P&G’s supply chain including 150+ facilities in nearly 40 countries, James and team have been able to successfully decouple P&G’s global growth from their environmental footprint for more than a decade. James has personally championed some of P&G’s largest sustainability projects, including the recent shift to purchasing 100% renewable electricity across the US, Canada, and most of Europe, three of P&G’s largest global markets and over 70% of their purchased electricity. James joins Sustainable Nation to discuss: Latest sustainability initiatives at P&G Decoupling growth from emissions Global renewable energy procurement milestones A

Christine Riley Miller is Director of Sustainability at Samsonite where she is launching the first-ever global sustainability strategy and program across nine brands. With more than 10 years’ experience mitigating risk and improving footprint from cradle to grave across retail, consumer goods, and food sectors, she is an issues expert in packaging, energy, animal welfare, and sustainable supply chains. Previously Christine led the sustainability team and the Corporate Foundation for eight years at Dunkin Brands Inc. Prior to Dunkin’ Brands, Christine developed integrated campaigns and strategies for communicating environmental sustainability at Cone Communications. She previously managed the CSR Initiative at the JFK School of Government at Harvard University. Christine has a graduate certificate in Leadership for Change from Boston College and a BS in Sociology from Brigham Young University. She currently resides in Boston and spends her free time training for half marathons and pursuing her love of interior