Retail BC's Passion for Retail Conference 2009 May 5, 2009

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Passion for Retail:
The World is Changing
Wednesday May 5th, 2009
2:00pm - 9:30pm
Italian Cultural Centre

How do we reconcile the importance of margins with the greater understanding of retail's impact on the world?
While the buzz word of the moment is "sustainability", there is also a perception that sustainability comes at a cost. The Passion for Retail: The World is Changing Conference will shed some light on shifting expectations, expanding understanding and the role of retail in relation to the planet.
Passion for Retail: The World is Changing Conference will bring you relevant speakers, an interactive panel of retailers as well as a cocktail reception, dinner and keynote presentation, all of which culminate to address the growing demands placed on retailers to operate businesses sustainably, yet still profitably.
Afternoon Sessions: 2:00pm - 5:00pm
Evening Session: 5:00pm - 9:30pm
Full Day Ticket: 2:00pm - 9:30pm

Take advantage of our Early Bird Pricing - available until April 17th, 2009.
All prices include GST.

Conference Sessions
Afternoon Session #1: Saving the World with an Eye on the Bottom Line
Peter Robinson, CEO of the David Suzuki Foundation and former CEO of Mountain Equipment Co-op
As
former CEO of Vancouver-based Mountain Equipment Co-op, Robinson
paternered his passion for sustainability with the science of retail,
nearly doubling the size of MEC under his leadership. Robinson will
present the perspective of a retailer intent on environmental
stewardship faced with the responisibility of sustaining a healthy
bottom lin, and will take into account the realitites of today's
economic situation. The session will also offer insight into how
businesses can operate successfully while reducing its environmental
impact.

Afternoon Session #2: Walking the Sustainable Talk
Panel Presentation, Carmen Spagnola, M; Amy Curry-Staschke, Lululemon; Satnam Lalli, Pharmasave; TBA
This session will
feature four independent retailers, one in each of the fashion, food, house
wares and personal care arenas. These business
operators have made the commitment to implement sustainable business practices
and have created a supportive and committed customer base as a result. The
panel will outline and highlight tangible actions and best practices that even
smaller operations can undertake to overcome challenges and begin the process
of changing their world.

Afternoon Session #3: Creating a Culture of Sustainability
Clint Mahlman, VP of Retail Operations for London Drugs
This
session will address the challenges for retailers to adapt to this
changing world, and the efforts that London Drugs is taking to perhaps
even help change it. With the
perspective that the industry can make changes only one step at a time,
Mahlman
will present the internal and cultural challenges of moving to a
sustainable
business operation as well as highlight the success London Drugs has
experienced on this front. He will also
look to the future and what may be in store for the retail industry as we
continue down a path of learning about environmental stewardship and its
relationship with the retail sector.
Evening Keynote Presentation: Green Business - The Next Frontier
Gary Hirshberg. Author, Speaker and Chairman, President, and CE-Yo of Stonyfield Farm
Think climate change is all bad news?
Organic yogurt mogul Gary Hirshberg, a dedicated
environmentalist and self-proclaimed 'pathological optimist,' claims climate
change offers business the biggest economic opportunity of the century.
"The force of commerce got us in this mess," he says, "and it's
the only force that will get us out."

Business saving the world?
Not so far-fetched. Business has access to the capital that will be
needed to transform institutions and operations; it also has the power
of money, media and community leadership. Business can turn on the
dime of a
profit opportunity. And that opportunity is at hand, says Hirshberg. And how
does he know? Because Gary Hirshberg has already proven that being green can be
good for the bottom line as well as the planet.

Thank you to our Gold Sponsors


Thank you to our Silver Sponsors
Thank you to our Bronze Sponsors


Cancellation Policy: If for any reason you are unable to attend, we welcome substitutions. Refunds will be issued for cancellations received in writing by Retail BC up to three days prior to event.

Organized by Retail BC

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Retail
BC Sharing in the Passion for Retail Excellence!

Retail BC is BCs retail association,
a space where passionate retailers and their suppliers gather, lean, network
and take advantage of high quality programs to save both time and money. Our community is made up of retail businesses
that sell almost every kind of product and service. Retail BC is their voice.

Retailing is a powerful sector,
and is a cornerstone of the provincial economy.
The retail industry represents over $57 billion dollars worth of economic
activity and involves more than 30,000 enterprises most of them small and
medium-sized businesses. These
businesses are major job-creators, providing pay cheques for over 250,000
British Columbians.

For more information, visit
www.retailbc.org

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Ticket Info:  

• Early Bird Full Day - Member, C$82.95
• Early Bird Day Only - Member, C$52.50
• Early Bird Evening Only - Member, C$57.75
• Early Bird Full Day - Non-member, C$124.95
• Early Bird Day Only - Non-member, C$68.25
• Early Bird Evening Only - Non-member, C$78.75

Official Website: http://passionforretail2009-upcoming.eventbrite.com