PSX in the Bluegrass State
PSX 2022 will be held at The Galt House hotel in Louisville, Kentucky, Oct. 18–20. Here, The Synergist previews a few of the planned sessions. All times are Eastern. For the full program, including how to register, visit the conference website.
Opening Keynote: What’s Good for the Environment Is Good for Business
Tuesday, Oct. 18, 8:00–9:30 a.m.
Opening Keynoter Fabien Cousteau is perhaps best known as the grandson of the famous explorer Jacques Cousteau, whose work included documentary films and television shows that taught viewers around the world about the earth’s oceans and marine life. Fabien, also a filmmaker and explorer, is extending the Cousteau legacy through his eponymous Ocean Learning Center, which leads conservation efforts and marine research projects. At PSX 2022, Fabien will discuss the history of ocean exploration as an example of humanity’s capacity for positive change. “Each of us as consumers is the ultimate vote taker toward the future we mold for ourselves and for our children,” he told the Full Circle Blog in June. “Passiveness is no longer an option for anyone if we are to imagine a regenerative, healthy future.”The Impact of Forced Labor Regulations on Product Stewardship
Tuesday, Oct. 18, 1:30–2:30 p.m.
Among the human rights regulations discussed in this session is the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, which requires importers of goods from the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in China to comply with conditions intended to ensure the goods were not produced using slave labor. Other relevant regulations include the German Supply Chain Act and the European Commission’s proposed ban on products made with forced labor.
Related: Read “Ending Modern Slavery: A New Role for Corporate Social Responsibility Programs” in the September 2018 Synergist.
Connecting Product Stewardship and Sustainability
Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2:45–3:15 p.m.
How can product stewards get their companies to understand the relationship between product stewardship and sustainability? Creating a company sustainability council may be the answer. This session will present a case study of how a product steward formed a council that focused on product lifecycles, including packaging and shipping. Attendees will learn how product stewards can lead sustainability efforts at their companies.
Related: Read “People, Product, Planet: The Confluence of Industrial Hygiene, Product Stewardship, and Sustainability” in the September 2019 Synergist.
Addressing ESG Disclosure in Supply Chains
Tuesday, Oct. 18, 4:15–5:15 p.m.
Creating Space for Chemical Sustainability in ESG
Wednesday, Oct. 19, 11:00 a.m.–Noon
In October, the European Commission is expected to adopt final standards proposed by the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), which would introduce environmental, social, and governance (ESG) disclosure requirements. CSRD is just one example of increasing requirements for companies to report ESG information. Speakers at the session on Tuesday will discuss ESG reporting through the lens of company supply chains, while the Wednesday session will address concerns that new requirements focus on investment risks rather than companies’ impacts on the planet.
Related: Read “OHS Is Moving Up on Wall Street” and “Ethics and ESG Ratings” in The Synergist.
The Long Reach of REACH: Updates on Chemicals Under Scrutiny
Wednesday, Oct. 19, 11:00 a.m.–Noon
This session previews anticipated changes to the European Union’s Registration, Evaluation, Authorization, and Restriction of Chemicals legislation as regulators switch to a more holistic view that applies lifecycle and environmental impact assessments to chemicals. The presenters will focus on new restrictions on chemicals, including PFAS.
EPA’s New PMN Review Process: Are Your Products Impacted?
Thursday, Oct. 20, 8:00–9:00 a.m.
Growing pains with EPA’s new process for reviewing premanufacturing notices, or PMNs, recently resulted in sizable backlogs at the agency. Changes to the PMN program are expected to be released this month. Meanwhile, in January the agency announced plans to streamline review of new bio-based and waste-derived fuels. Attendees will learn about issues to be aware of while submitting PMNs for these products.
A Tour of the PFAS Landscape, Parts 1 and 2
Thursday, Oct. 20, 9:10–9:40 a.m. and 9:50–10:20 a.m.
The “forever chemicals” are the focus of many federal and state regulatory activities, including EPA’s recent “test order” requiring companies to submit data on PFAS. This two-part session will address the regulatory landscape for PFAS and aspects of compliance such as how to identify and quantify PFAS in industrial and consumer products.
Related: Read “Chasing a Changing Chemical Market: Challenges in Researching and Managing Exposure to PFAS” in the March 2022 Synergist.
Closing Keynote: Can Business Really Change the World?
Thursday, Oct. 20, 10:30 a.m.–Noon
Writer, speaker, and entrepreneur Joel Makower has been a leading voice on corporate sustainability practices for more than twenty years. During the PSX 2022 Closing Keynote, Makower will explore private companies’ recent efforts to align sustainability with their products, processes, and policies. Underlying trends in technology, business models, and value chains support these efforts, but will they lead to lasting change?
Resources
European Commission: “Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directive 2013/34/EU, Directive 2004/109/EC, Directive 2006/43/EC and Regulation (EU) No 537/2014, as regards corporate sustainability reporting” (April 2021).
Full Circle Blog: “Meet PSX Keynote Fabien Cousteau” (June 2022).
U.S. Customs and Border Protection: “Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act.”