Agenda – 2025
Retailing for Tomorrow: Cultivating Sustainable Practices Today
RegisterAgenda
Registration & Lunch
Conference Chair Opening
Navigating Regulatory and Compliance Changes: Retail’s Path to Sustainable Leadership
The regulatory landscape around sustainability is rapidly evolving, with new compliance requirements and reporting standards reshaping how retailers operate. This panel will explore the latest policy changes, the implications for brands, and the steps companies need to take to stay ahead of regulation while leading the charge on sustainability.
- How global and local regulations on carbon emissions, waste management, and ethical sourcing are affecting supply chains and supplier relationships
- Exploring B Corp certification and other emerging regulatory frameworks that ensure companies meet high environmental and social standards
- The increasing scrutiny on green claims by regulators and the legal implications of not complying with emerging anti-greenwashing laws
PANEL
Speakers
KINKIND
Victoria Coe
Founder & CEO, KINKIND
AVON
Natalie Deacon
Head of Purpose & Sustainability, AVON
Natalie is a leader in corporate affairs, purpose, social impact and sustainability, with many years’ experience in delivering programmes, embedding change and championing positive impact. Her experience includes climate, circularity, human rights, philanthropy, ESG reporting and B Corp, and she has been deeply involved in tackling gender inequality for many years. In her current role, Natalie is responsible for overseeing delivery of Avon’s ambitious sustainability goals and for igniting Avon’s purpose throughout and beyond the organisation.
NO7 BEAUTY COMPANY / BOOTS
Emilia Matchett
Global Head of Sustainability, NO7 BEAUTY COMPANY / BOOTS
HOLLAND & BARRETT
Zoe Dittmann
ESG Manager, HOLLAND & BARRETT
Zoe is currently ESG Manager at Holland & Barrett, where she supports the omnichannel retailer in effectively managing ESG risks and leveraging opportunities to drive the company purpose of making health and wellness a way of life for everyone. Zoe has worked in four different countries in her career, helping corporate and public sector entities make strategic decisions to generate sustainable value.
Keynote debrief discussion at roundtables
In-depth practitioner-chaired peer conversations (held under Chatham House Rule)
TABLE DISCUSSION
Circularity in Retail: Moving Beyond the Sale
As consumer attitudes shift and environmental concerns grow, circular economy initiatives are taking center stage in retail. This model is growing in appeal among environmentally conscious consumers. Retailers who implement circular economy practices can greatly improve their market reputation. This panel will explore how brands are extending product lifecycles through repair, resale, and recycling efforts, and how these initiatives are reshaping the industry.
- The rise of re-commerce and repair services: new revenue streams and sustainability drivers.
- Major brand initiatives toward circularity, such as Patagonia and IKEA’s focus on reuse and repair.
- Leveraging sustainability as a competitive edge in tender processes: how brands are winning contracts by proving circularity commitments.
PANEL
Speakers
CHARITY RETAIL ASSOCIATION
Robin Osterley
Chief Executive, CHARITY RETAIL ASSOCIATION
Robin Osterley is Chief Executive of the Charity Retail Association, the UK’s only trade organisation representing the interests of charity shops and their parent charities. He has extensive experience in membership associations, having previously spent 16 years as Chief Executive of Making Music, the UK’s leading association for amateur musical organisations, as well as a short time as Chief Executive of sports umbrella Supporters Direct. Alongside this management experience Robin has a longstanding background in lobbying and advocacy work, and he has been a representative on numerous Government and industry forums including the Music Business Forum and the board of ACEVO. He was also, with others, responsible for setting up the sector skills council for the creative and cultural industries, CCSkills.
Robin’s 20 years in the third sector were preceded by a number of years in senior marketing positions in the computer industry, from which he escaped in 1993 to move into the arts. He also maintains a healthy extra-curricular interest in music, and thus has a slightly unusual combination of third sector management experience, commercial marketing acumen, and the ability to conduct a choir! He is married with two sons and two grown-up daughters, and lives in a cute village just outside Ware in Hertfordshire.
DECATHLON UK
Chris Allen
UK Sustainability Leader, DECATHLON UK
THE NOLD
Alexis Cepeda Maule
Advisory Board Member, THE NOLD
Alexis Cepeda Maule advises the CEO of Christy’s, the 174-year-old British homeware brand and is Interim CEO Advisor at The Board. Formerly Managing Director for Sustainable Women’s Brand Reformation in the UK and Europe, she led operations, international expansion, and established their UK office. Alexis serves on the Advisory Board of ReboundWear and The Nold and is an Ambassador for Retail Week’s Future Leaders program. Recognized as “Most Sustainable Women’s Clothing & Accessories Managing Director (London)” in 2022 and 2023, she was also a Black British Business Awards finalist and a speaker for Vogue Business on sustainability.
Previously, Alexis was Ad Interim Luxury Division Lead at NET-A-PORTER and MR PORTER in New York, managing €500m in global sales. At YOOX NET-A-PORTER (YNAP) GROUP, she oversaw strategy, marketing, and executive committee operations. Selected for the Financial Times 125 Senior Executive Forum, she joined YNAP after earning her MBA from Stanford, where she interned at Amazon and worked at an e-commerce startup in Shanghai.
Her earlier roles include Assistant Vice President at Credit Suisse, a White House Social Secretary intern, and analyst roles at Morgan Stanley. Alexis holds a BA from Harvard and was published in Drapers, Porter Magazine, and Oxford University Press, among others.
THE FINE BEDDING COMPANY
Laura Keay
Marketing Director & Board Member, THE FINE BEDDING COMPANY
Moderator
C-SQUARED CONSULTING
Caroline Cartellieri
Director, C-SQUARED CONSULTING
Award-winning C-Suite Executive with 25+ years’ experience in digital transformation, marketing, strategy and technology in the retail, travel and digital health sectors.
Currently a non-Executive Director at Europ Assistance, Saffron Building Society, Asthma + Lung UK and the German School Association.
Founder of C-Squared Consulting, advising private equity owners and top management of leading hospitality and retail businesses on digital transformation. Clients to date include Terra Firma Capital Partners, Sun Capital Partners, Edyn Group Ltd, GLH Hotels Ltd, Dixons Carphone plc, Skype, 3i Group plc, and Notonthehighstreet Ltd.
Deep understanding of customer-first digital transformation, and how to link it to commercial objectives to create stakeholder value and drive meaningful transformation.
A frequent speaker at board level events on topics such as leveraging AI, board governance and women on boards.
A passionate advocate for sustainability with a keen interest in the environment, particularly clean air.
Keen mentor of start-ups in consumer/retail/property/
Keynote debrief discussion at roundtables
In-depth practitioner-chaired peer conversations (held under Chatham House Rule)
TABLE DISCUSSION
Decarbonising the Supply Chain: The Road to Net-Zero Retail
Retailers can do much to create a more sustainable supply chain – sourcing sustainable materials close-by, working with renewable energy, optimising logistics and thus CO2 emissions. Reducing carbon emissions is a pressing goal for retailers, but achieving net-zero requires collaboration across the entire supply chain. This session will cover how companies are partnering with suppliers, adopting electric vehicle fleets, and embracing transparency to meet stringent carbon reduction targets.
- How retailers are working with suppliers to reduce emissions at every stage of the supply chain.
- The role of transparency and data: improving visibility to set and meet science-based targets.
PANEL
Speakers
CURRYS
David Ville
Carbon & Environment Manager, CURRYS
David is an experienced sustainability professional with well over a decade of experience delivering progress on sustainability. David is Carbon & Environment Manager at Currys plc, and works across our circularity and carbon activities as a group.
David has formerly worked for companies including Whitbread, Thomas Cook and Radley Yeldar, leading the strategic approach to ESG, governance and reporting.
KINGFISHER
Kathryn Thomas
Head of Responsible Business, KINGFISHER
NEW LOOK
Sue Fairley
Head Of Sourcing, Sustainability & Quality, NEW LOOK
Keynote debrief discussion at roundtables
In-depth practitioner-chaired peer conversations (held under Chatham House Rule)
TABLE DISCUSSION
Closing Remarks
COFFEE, DRINKS & CANAPÉS
SPRING RETAIL FESTIVAL AWARDS
(please note this event requires a separate ticket for entry)