There’s now less than a week to go before the Products Of Change Conference springs into life, with greeting card and calendar companies among those leading the conversation on the sustainable transformation of the global brand, licensing and retail industries.
And the original eco-warriors The Wombles are again getting behind the event, as can be seen in the clip below, with Uncle Bulgaria and Alderney showing everyone how recycling is important, ready for the return to London’s Royal Geographical Society on 6 November.
Now in its fifth year, the POC Conference, which was formerly the Sustainability In Licensing Conference, is the industry’s most dynamic event connecting retailers, brand owners, and product manufacturers, all set for a day brimming with innovation, sustainability insights, and critical leadership discussions, while enjoying plenty of networking opportunities – and ticket optionsare available for those wishing to attend all-day and in-person, or for global audiences to watch the event from the comfort of their own offices as it is live-streamed across the world.
The full agenda is now available, with Forestry Stewardship Council’s chief engagement and partnerships officer Anand Punja added to the speaker roster, and of particular interest to the greetings, calendar and stationery members who include UK Greetings, Danilo, Eco-friendly Card Company, and Carousel Calendars.
With the great strides made on naked cards, biodegradable glitter, the use of recycled and recyclable board and envelopes, FSC-certified paper, and even designs made using beach-scavenged plastics and glass, sustainability is something the card industry is very familiar with.
On the day doors open at 8.30am with the keynote speech Tony’s Sweet Endeavour: Taking The Bitter Taste Out Of Cocoa kicking off the conference at 9am as Tony’s Chocolonely trade marketing and events manager Georgina Savva and UK&I foodservice manager Hannah Perry talk about the social impact organisation that says it “happens to make chocolate”.
Alongside LEGO’s two sustainability leads Jakob Max Hamann and Sinbe Moller, speakers include Carmel Giblin, president and CEO, Ethical Supply Chain Program; Gemma Butler and Michelle Carvill, authors, co-founders and directors, Can Marketing Save The Planet; Louis Kennedy founder and CEO Grant Morgan and Tracey Richardson, director of licensing and partnerships; and Asda’s Jade Snart, senior sustainability manager, George clothing, home and GM.
Among the conference’s critical subject areas, Carousel Calendars’ MD Steve Plackett will join FSC Blockchain and DK Books in an exploration of the EU’s new Deforestation Regulation and its direct impact on the international publishing industry.
And there’s the return of the POC SDG Member Awards, aligning with the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals, following last year’s inaugural event which saw Carousel honoured with the award aligned with SDG number 13 – Climate Action for its commitment to mapping its impact for a number of years, taking the lead in innovation within its sector by sharing its processes, and for becoming the first in the sector to have its science-based target reduction approved by SBTi.
Looking forward to welcoming this year’s delegates, POC CEO and founder Helena Mansell-Stopher said: “SiLC 2023 exceeded all our expectations. The energy in the room was phenomenal as the worlds of sustainability and our wonderful brand licensing and retail industries met in ways like never before.”
More information about the Products Of Change Conference – Sustainability On Brands, Licensing, Products & Retail can be found here, with tickets available here.
