FORUM21 Virtual Agenda
The 2021 EHS & Sustainability Management Forum supports your professional development goals with educational programming, valuable peer-to-peer discussions, a virtual exhibit hall and engaging networking events. It's a smart career move for EHS&S leaders at every level.
Visit the Forum Planning Committee page to learn more about the EHS&S leaders planning the program!
If you registered for #Forum21, the sessions will be available to watch on swapcard.com from October 27 - November 30, 2021. You may also email and reach out to sponsors/exhibitors in the swapcard platform to connect or try to find answers to the raffle game until then. The raffle game has been extended to run until 11/5 at 2:00 p.m. ET. Game rules, raffle prizes and guidelines are available at naem.org/raffle. Raffle winners will be announced and emailed on November 5, 2021.
Program Details
Tuesday October 19, 2021
11:00 a.m. - 11:40 a.m. ET |
Conference Opening/Welcome Remarks
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11:40 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. ET |
Exhibitor Networking Break Use this time to review and connect with our sponsors in the virtual expo, grab a snack and stretch your legs!
Plus, don't miss out on NAEM's raffle game! All of our #Forum21 sponsors have made a positive environmental, health, safety, or sustainability impact. Match the projects listed at naem.org/raffle with the correct sponsor company and for every 5 matches, you'll be entered into a raffle for free registrations to NAEM's 2022 events. Visit sponsors in their virtual booths to find out what project they are most proud of so you can match the right sponsor with the right project. |
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12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. ET |
Session 1: Sustainable Mobility Trends and Innovation in Corporate Fleets With transportation emissions making up a large portion of the national GHG profile, companies can't afford to overlook their fleet and employee transportation activities. Find out what companies are doing to reduce fleet impacts and consider employee mobility more broadly. From vehicle electrification trends to corporate challenges of greening fleets, join us for creative ways companies are thinking about mobility - supporting employee use of public transit and biking - to how they are addressing specific fleet challenges.
Moderator: Mary Linn Leonards, National Sales Director; Heritage Environmental Services - Bio |
Session 2: Communicating with Impact Ineffective communication can slow or derail progress on EHS&S efforts. This session will focus on effective communication tactics that work with a variety of internal and external stakeholders. Attendees will learn how to avoid common pitfalls like over- or under-communicating and get best practices for communicating in different formats and to different audiences.
Moderator: Suzanne Martin, Director, Lab Operations and Environmental Health & Safety; Cell Signaling Technology (CST) Inc. |
Session 3: Preparing for a Winning Audit EHS&S professionals operate in a complex regulatory environment and need to effectively manage audits from regulatory bodies, such as OSHA, EPA, the health department, FDA, etc. In this session, attendees will learn how to facilitate an accurate representation of their organization's compliance status while minimizing the potential for fines and violations. Learn from auditors and successful auditees who will share how to prepare, what to expect, practical tips, and keys for success.
Moderator: Matt Shanahan, Technical Services Leader, EHS Compliance and Inspection; Burns & McDonnell - Bio |
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1:30 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. ET |
Exhibitor Networking Break Use this time to review and connect with our sponsors in the virtual expo, grab a snack and stretch your legs!
Plus, don't miss out on NAEM's raffle game! All of our #Forum21 sponsors have made a positive environmental, health, safety, or sustainability impact. Match the projects listed at naem.org/raffle with the correct sponsor company and for every 5 matches, you'll be entered into a raffle for free registrations to NAEM's 2022 events. Visit sponsors in their virtual booths to find out what project they are most proud of so you can match the right sponsor with the right project. |
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2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. ET |
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3:00 p.m. - 3:45 p.m. ET |
Meet Your Forum Community Join this session to meet your conference peers through NAEM's dynamic networking process. This innovative approach will get you connected in small groups with your peers to start your networking.
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Wednesday October 20, 2021
10:15 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. ET |
Redinger Group Morning Coffee Connection: Leading in the Post-2020 ERA Join this thoughtful guided discussion and explore how the events of the last two years have changed our understanding of what is needed from leaders. Share how your expectations of your leaders has changed and how you are thinking about your own leadership style differently. During the discussion we will explore empathetic listening, building trust and generating engagement. Take this opportunity to consider what stepping into a new leadership space could look like and hear how your peers are thinking about this as well.
Facilitator: Charles Redinger, President; Redinger Group - Bio
Benchmark ESG | Gensuite Morning Coffee Connection: ESG Roundtable - Best Practices from ESG Practitioners Join this session to chat with your peers about how they are tackling some of the most challenging aspects of ESG reporting & program management, such as regulatory & voluntary reporting frameworks, climate risk & resilience, diversity & inclusion, and ESG disclosures & data management.
Facilitators: Amanda Petzinger, Associate Vice President; Benchmark Digital Partners LLC - Bio and Peter Walsh, Director of Business Development Europe; Benchmark Digital Partners LLC |
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11:00 a.m. - 11:15 a.m. ET |
Day 2 Welcome
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11:15 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. ET |
Opening Keynote: Understanding and Supporting the Movement for Environmental Justice One of the most highly respected environmental advocates in the country today, Peggy Shepard has been a pioneer for advancing the perspective of environmental justice to ensure that all communities have the right to clean air, water, and soil. Come hear her thoughtful and informed views on why organizations need to adopt an environmental justice lens and how to integrate environmental justice into strategic decisions and operational practices.
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12:15 p.m. - 12:45 p.m. ET |
Exhibitor Networking Break Use this time to review and connect with our sponsors in the virtual expo, grab a snack and stretch your legs!
Visit the virtual booths to hear NAEM's sponsors solve EHS management, digital and sustainability challenges. Visit naem.org/forumexhibitors to see a full list of EHS&S challenges they will be covering and visit the sponsors who will be taking on the challenge you need the most help with for new ideas. |
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12:45 p.m. - 1:45 p.m. ET |
Session 8: Maximizing your EHS MIS Data to Drive Outcomes On average, every person generated 1.7MB of data per second in 2020. Whether you are just starting to implement an EHS MIS, or you have a well-established set of tools, maximizing your EHS MIS data can unlock actionable insights to drive performance improvement and help EHS professionals see opportunities that were previously obscured by bureaucratic paper processes. Hear from companies at different phases of EMIS implementation maturity and learn how they are putting their digital tools to work by using new modules and data visualizations to manage risk.
Moderator: Lori Smargiassi, Senior Staff Environment, Health & Safety Engineer; Lockheed Martin Corp. - Bio |
Session 9: Real-World Examples of Nature-Based Solutions Attend this session to learn from early examples and success stories of implemented programs that restore nature, reduce GHG emissions and make good business sense. Ideas and considerations for setting a biodiversity goal as part of your overall sustainability program will also be discussed.
Moderator: Maria Sison-Roces, Manager of Corporate Sustainability Programs; Los Angeles Department of Power and Water - Bio |
Session 10: Creating Change through Influence This session will explore how to build trust and influence to achieve outcomes when you don't have direct authority. Attendees will learn about techniques that work best with different generational groups, as well as how to influence up and out to colleagues who don't report to you.
Moderator: Marc Juaire, Director, Environmental, Health, & Safety; Liberty Diversified International Inc. - Bio |
Session 11: Understanding & Managing ESG Risk: Who, What, Where, When and Why ESG - Environmental, Social, Governance - is all the buzz in 2021, but what is ESG beyond new reporting requirements and frameworks? Under the term lies very real company impact, both from a risk and opportunity lens. As we see ever more clearly with growing impacts of weather events, and in a post-COVID era, Environmental and Social externalities can and do impact the operations of businesses. In this session we will dive into the Who, What, Where, When, & Why of ESG Risk, and end our discussion with how management teams can begin to act for their business' resilience in an increasingly risky atmosphere.
Sponsored by Apex Companies LLC 
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1:45 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. ET |
Exhibitor Networking Break Use this time to review and connect with our sponsors in the virtual expo, grab a snack and stretch your legs!
Visit the virtual booths to hear NAEM's sponsors solve EHS management, digital and sustainability challenges. Visit naem.org/forumexhibitors to see a full list of EHS&S challenges they will be covering and visit the sponsors who will be taking on the challenge you need the most help with for new ideas. |
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2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. ET |
Session 12: Event Analysis and Human Factors To understand and respond to incidents, it is critical to understand what is behind an incident —the root cause. How did the organization's culture, training, communication, and norms affect or cause an incident? In this session, attendees will learn about human factors engineering, examine case studies to put these skills into action, and walk away with a new mindset to apply when responding to incidents in their organization.
Moderator: Rodney Canada, Senior Director, Environmental, Health & Safety; Comcast Corp. - Bio |
Session 13: Strategies for Engaging in Effective Mentorship This panel discussion will include insights from senior level mentors and mentees involved in "official" mentorship programs as well as those in "unofficial" mentor/mentee relationship. Emerging leaders and early career professionals will learn how to approach potential mentors and get advice on setting and maintaining expectations. The panel will also discuss what criteria make a good match between mentors and mentees and some of the key areas where mentors can help mentees develop and grow.
Moderator: Katie Chrisler, EHS Manager; Bunzl Distribution North America - Bio |
Session 14: Critical Considerations for Setting and Achieving Zero Targets & Carbon Neutrality Goals From carbon to water to waste, join us as our panel of sustainability leaders discuss how they are setting and working toward Net Zero targets. They will provide lessons learned in their journeys, discuss what stakeholders have been engaged, how they are measuring and reporting their progress, and what advice they have for you on your journey towards making Carbon Net Zero Targets.
Moderator: Meghan Foley, Principal Consultant, Digital Solutions; Trinity Consultants - Bio |
Session 15: Global EHS Regulatory Update: What You Need to Know Over the past five years, the pace of global EHS regulatory change has increased dramatically, both globally and in North America. As the global regulatory landscape continues to evolve, US-based companies must keep abreast of changes to requirements and how they pertain to current North American policies. This session will provide a review of key global regulatory developments EHS Managers should be aware of and touch on the shift in regulations since President Biden took office, policy changes that might have been overshadowed by emergency COVID-19 measures and what to look ahead to in 2022.
Sponsored by Enhesa  |
3:00 p.m. - 3:15 p.m. ET |
Exhibitor Networking Break Visit the virtual booths to hear NAEM's sponsors solve EHS management, digital and sustainability challenges. Visit naem.org/forumexhibitors to see a full list of EHS&S challenges they will be covering and visit the sponsors who will be taking on the challenge you need the most help with for new ideas.
Plus, match the projects listed at naem.org/raffle with the correct sponsor company and for every 5 matches, you'll be entered into a raffle for free registrations to NAEM's 2022 events. Visit sponsors in their virtual booths to make your matches! |
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3:15 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. ET |
Meet Your Forum Community Join this session to meet your conference peers through NAEM's dynamic networking process. This innovative approach will get you connected in small groups with your peers to start your networking.
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Thursday October 21, 2021
10:15 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. ET |
Antea Group Morning Coffee Connection: Sustainable Best Practices for Managing PFAS Risks Is the PFAS topic keeping you up at night? Are you curious what all the buzz is about? Come get up to speed on this fast-moving environmental issue and talk with peers about how they are tackling PFAS risks, whether directly or indirectly. Coffee hosts from Antea Group will provide an update on the latest regulatory updates and restrictions or bans on these chemicals as well as outline some strategies for addressing the risks they pose. Attendees are encouraged to bring their questions and come ready to share any sustainable publicly available and non-confidential work they are doing on risk mitigation or chemical management consistent with overall ESG goals.
Facilitator: Caron Koll, Consultant - PFAS Solution Lead; Antea Group USA - Bio and Nick Martin, Sustainability Practice Leader; Antea Group - Bio
KPA Morning Coffee Connection: State of the EHS Industry – How Does Your Program Stack Up? Join experts from KPA as we dive into the results of the 2021 EHS State of the Market Report. Together we'll explore the impact technology has on both program performance and employee engagement and important benchmarks you can use to compare your program to your industry peers. See where everyone else is at and how it can help you improve your work. You'll leave with the data to make your case for investing in a high-performing safety program.
Facilitators: Jill Schaefer, Director Content Management; KPA and Duncan Ryan, Account Executive; KPA - Bio
GHD Morning Coffee Connection: The Human Side of Developing & Achieving EHS&S Strategies According to Gartner, "the typical organization today has undertaken five major changes in the past three years - yet half of all change initiatives fail, only 34% are a clear success". Join a GHD moderated discussion that will cover the human side of developing EHS&S strategies and implementing them. During this discussion, we will discuss with our panelist what role organizational and cultural change plays in the success of achieving their EHS&S goals.
Discussion Panelists:
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11:00 a.m. - 11:15 a.m. ET |
Day 3 Welcome
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11:15 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. ET |
Opening Keynote: Activate Your Brain: Thriving in Today's World™ As leaders we seek to instill confidence and calm, set the tone, explain, and help us make sense of the world. In the most collaborative sense, our role is to inspire team members, help to maintain and increase engagement, and simply keep things afloat — all tasks which require knowledge and skill. But who takes care of us? In this keynote, we will explore how to activate the full potential of the brain. Discover the neuroscience behind five identifiable traits that trigger the feelings and responses commonly shared in challenging times, and how addressing them instills a safe space in our brains — increasing our effectiveness and well-being. You'll get an inside look at stress: what too much can do to our bodies, and how we can reframe or reset our response. You'll also receive a primer on the day-to-day care and feeding of your brain.
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12:30 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. ET |
Exhibitor Networking Break Use this time to visit with our sponsors in the virtual expo and play NAEM's raffle game. Visit naem.org/raffle for game and raffle details. |
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1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. ET |
Session 16: What Biden's Build Back Better Plan Means for EPA & OSHA in 2022 & Beyond This session will explore the main themes of the Biden Administration's 'Build Back Better' Agenda and how some of the proposed policy changes related to climate change; worker protection health, and well-being; equity and environmental justice will impact corporate EHS&S programs.
Moderator: Brooke Dillon, Senior Managing Consultant; Ramboll - Bio |
Session 17: Refresh Your ESG Reporting Strategy Keeping up with the rapidly changing ESG reporting and regulatory landscape can feel like a full-time job. Making sure your ESG programs and reporting don't have major gaps or blinds spots is a never-ending process. Attend this session to get an update on recent developments in the ESG reporting space and hear how your peers are managing ESG reporting and transparency.
Moderator: Kelli McCoullough, Governance, Stakeholder & Sustainability Manager; Southern Co. - Bio |
Session 18: Waste Management & Reduction Strategies From schools, hotels, restaurants and office buildings to R&D facilities, retail stores and hospitals, each type of building generates a unique type of waste in varying amounts. States and companies review waste management in varying degrees which include items such as plastics, lifecycle of solar panels, batteries, organic waste, zero waste goals and hazardous waste reduction. This session will focus on tools and resources to assist in improving waste management, reducing costs and building long term sustainability plans. You'll hear tactics and strategies from peers that include tips on waste minimization and working with supply chain for a greater means of efficiency.
Moderator: Mary Linn Leonards, National Sales Director; Heritage Environmental Services - Bio |
Session 19: Machine Learning is Advancing EHS Effectiveness Join this session to gain a better understanding of machine learning and how it is already being applied to save time and increase effectiveness in three different EHS use cases. From Ergonomics Assessments to Identification of Leading Indicators to Establishment of a Training Matrix, you'll leave the session thinking “Wow! I didn't know machine learning could do that!" Take this chance to ask questions of the presenters and think about how this exciting technology can take tasks of your plate and make your department more effective.
Sponsored by VelocityEHS 
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2:00 p.m. - 2:15 p.m. ET |
Exhibitor Networking Break Use this time to review and connect with our sponsors in the virtual expo, grab a snack and stretch your legs! |
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2:15 p.m. - 3:15 p.m. ET |
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3:15 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. ET |
Closing Keynote: Inclusify: How to Create Cultures of Inclusion, Uniqueness and Belonging that Drive Innovation Attend this engaging discussion to understand how leaders inadvertently miss out on uniqueness or belonging and how certain cultural elements can be exclusive. Learn effective strategies to build the qualities of uniqueness and belonging into your organizational culture and specific ways you can improve your organization's practices to ensure your workplace can leverage the innovation that emerges when everyone feels valued and included.
Moderator: Megan Lum, Global Director, Environmental Programs & Sustainability; Baxter International Inc. - Bio |
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4:00 p.m. - 4:15 p.m. ET |
Closing Remarks & Raffle Winners Announced
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Track Details
The Forum program is organized around five tracks. There are 25 sessions that address a broad cross-section of your EHS&S management challenges.
The Future of EHS&S
EHS Innovation Showcase
What Biden's Build Back Better Plan Means for EPA & OSHA in 2022 & Beyond
Attracting, Developing and Retaining the Next Generation of EHS Leaders
Machine Learning is Advancing EHS Effectiveness
Leadership & Business Skills
Communicating with Impact
How to Build Cross Functional Relationships that Elevate EHS
Creating Change through Influence
Strategies for Engaging in Effective Mentorship
Driving a Strategic Approach to ESG Management
Managing Risk for Resiliency
Implementing Management Systems Using a Risk Lens
Understanding & Managing ESG Risk: Who, What, Where, When and Why
The Art & Science of Risk Assessment
Global EHS Regulatory Update: What You Need to Know
Advancing Sustainability
Sustainable Mobility Trends and Innovation in Corporate Fleets
Real-World Examples of Nature-Based Solutions
Refresh Your ESG Reporting Strategy
Considerations for Setting and Achieving Zero Targets & Carbon Neutrality Goals
Sustainability ay KION: A Case Study in Data Management
Foundational EHS
Preparing for a Winning Audit
Maximizing your EHS MIS Data to Drive Outcomes
Event Analysis and Human Factors
Waste Management & Reduction Strategies
Track 1: The Future of EHS&S
Emerging EHS&S approaches through the lens of today's challenges and developing mega trends. Sessions in this track will focus on conversations around keeping pace with the ever changing EHS&S risk and regulatory landscape and contemporary solutions to emerging EHS&S challenges.
Track 2: Advancing Sustainability
Sessions in this track will provide strategies for driving sustainability in business and beyond and explore the interconnectedness of business and creating a sustainable future for the planet.
Track 3: Leadership & Business Skills
Conversations centered around executive leadership and raising the profile of EHS to achieve and maximize a seat at the table. Can you speak the language of business to effectively advance your EHS&S program?
Track 4: Managing Risk for Resiliency
Advances in evaluating and managing risk and strategies to build a more resilient business that is durable to evolving global dynamics.
Track 5: Foundational EHS
Fresh perspectives on evergreen EHS challenges [across industries] to build a stronger program and improve performance. Sessions in this track will focus on how to take your EHS program to the next level, addressing evergreen challenges with modern solutions.
