2026 Sustainability in Business Conference

Friday, September 18, 2026
Ronald Reagan Building, Washington, DC

Participants joined us for the 6th Annual Sustainability in Business Conference, where we explored the future of sustainability in business and how leaders are turning ambition into action. Centered on two themes, UN Sustainable Development Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production and Goal 17: Partnership for the Goals, this full-day event at the Ronald Reagan Building brought together more than 120 attendees, including industry impact leaders, students, faculty, and mission-driven organizations, for meaningful conversations about the state of sustainability.

Conference Themes

SDG12: Responsible Consumption and Production

United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 12 icon for Responsible Consumption and Production, featuring the number 12, the text "Responsible Consumption and Production," and a white infinity loop with an arrow on a mustard-yellow background.

SDG17: Partnership for the Goals

United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 17 icon for Partnerships for the Goals, featuring the number 17, the text "Partnerships for the Goals," and a white interlocking circles symbol on a dark blue background.

Conference Agenda

Networking breakfast and check-in	9:15-10 a.m.
Keynotes	10-11 a.m.
Panels	11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Networking lunch	12:30-2 p.m.
Responsible Consumption and Production (SDG 12)
Keynote: Small Habits, Big Systems: How Everyday Choices Can Keep a Safe Climate Within Reach	Marcene Mitchell
Panel: Building a Sustainable Economy: How Business, Markets and Consumers Drive Systems Change	Sarah Mihalecz Blair Winston Joniel Cha Michael Winters Evan Lutz, moderator
Partnerships for the Goals (SDG 17)
Keynote: Partnerships That Matter: Why SDG 17 Is the Foundation for Sustainable Development	Jennifer Silberman
Panel: Partnerships for Impact: Mobilizing Communities, Business and Civil Society	Christina Kwauk Will Davis Rebecca Goodstein Holly Crilly Bennet Zelner, moderator

Speakers

	Joniel Cha Global Energy & Infrastructure Google Advancing responsible resource use and infrastructure strategy to power sustainable growth at global scale.
	Holly Crilly Senior Director of Member Relations World Business Council for Sustainable Development
	William Davis Director UN Information Center, Washington
	Rebecca Goodstein Senior Manager, Environmental Programs Patagonia
	Christina Kwauk Co-Founder, Unbounded Alliance Gender, education, and climate change specialist
	Sarah Mihalecz Vice President, Energy Transactions Corporate Energy Buyers Association (CEBA)
	Marcene Mitchell Senior Vice President of Climate Change WWF
	Jennifer Silberman SVP, Chief Sustainability and Corporate Affairs Officer Dollar Tree
	Blair Winston Director of Sustainability Strategy Mastercard
	Michael Winters President and Chief Revenue Officer WinCup

Moderators

	Evan Lutz CEO & Founder Hungry Harvest Moderating discussions on SDG 12: Responsible Consumption & Production, bringing firsthand experience building a mission-driven business tackling food waste.
	Bennet Zelner Associate Professor of Business and Public Policy Robert H. Smith School of Business, University of Maryland Moderating discussions on SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals, exploring how collaboration across sectors drives lasting sustainability outcomes.

Past Conferences

Speaker presenting and panel discussion at a sustainability business conference with engaged audience. — Fall 2025 Sustainability in Business Conference, where industry leaders, students, and faculty explored bold leadership and actionable solutions for today’s social and environmental challenges.

September 19, 2025

Participants joined us for the Fall 2025 Sustainability in Business Conference: Driving Change Through Bold Leadership, where we explored how visionary leaders are reimagining the role of business in addressing today’s most pressing social and environmental challenges. This half-day event brought together industry impact leaders, students, faculty and mission-driven organizations to engage in meaningful conversations about the state of sustainability and how we can move from ambition to action.

Conversations focused on issues surrounding three main areas:

Food in Sustainability
Impact Investing & Sustainable Finance
Fashion in Sustainability

Read about the 2025 conference Read about the 2024 conference

Speakers
	Jamie Glydon Director of Sustainability and Packaging Development at Ocean Spray Cranberries
	Hilary F. Jochmans Founder of Jochmans Consulting LLC and PoliticallyInFashion
	Dan Lee Managing Partner at Simcore, specializing in Energy Project Finance & Development.
	Andrew Levine Senior Vice President and Team Leader for Truist Bank’s dedicated Not for Profit specialty practice
	Laura Mondragon Director of Climate Resilience & Adaptation at Montgomery County Green Bank
	Michael Ravenscroft Managing Director at USM Maryland Momentum Fund
	Margaret Rogers CEO of Pariveda Solutions
	Andy Shallal Founder/CEO of Busboys and Poets
	Rujuta Sheth Founder/Designer of Rujuta Sheth