Michael Zabaneh
Vice-President, Sustainability,
RCC
Retail Council of Canada’s Retail Sustainability Conference returns October 27-28 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. Retailers, manufacturers, suppliers, technology providers, and governments from Canada and North America will gather to tackle the priorities shaping sustainable retail.
For retailers, CPG companies, and the packaging sector, these issues are increasingly interconnected. As EPR programs mature and governments pursue higher recycling targets, businesses across the value chain face growing pressure to improve packaging recyclability, secure reliable supplies of recycled material and incorporate more recycled content — while managing cost, performance, and supply-chain realities.
This year’s program brings global perspectives from Kathleen McLaughlin, EVP and Chief Sustainability Officer at Walmart, and Ann Tracy, Chief Sustainability Officer at Colgate-Palmolive, alongside leaders advancing retail sustainability.
A major focus will be recycled content and the conditions needed to expand its use in packaging. Developed with Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) and the Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR), a half-day workshop will bring together retailers, producers, recyclers, and government to examine the evolving EPR landscape, material supply, standards, infrastructure, end markets, and the cost gap between virgin and recycled materials.
New for 2026, the conference closes with the first-ever Retail Sustainability Excellence Awards Gala, where more than 50 organizations will be recognized across 10 categories for leadership, innovation, and measurable progress. The evening also introduces the inaugural Sustainable Leader Awards, presented to Kathleen McLaughlin and Fisk Johnson, Chairman and CEO of SC Johnson.
Learn more at rccretailsustainability.ca.
