Ask Party: Avoid the greenwashing trap

Price:
Inclusive of food & drinks
$25 – Members
$55 – Non-members

These days, with sustainability becoming a core focus for doing business, so does the need to approach it authentically. From fashion to food, greenwashing has become the subject of scrutiny and something that brands of all sizes are being increasingly held accountable for by consumers.

Given that sustainable business practices are more important than ever, how can businesses implement and communicate authentically about their sustainability efforts and avoid the greenwashing trap?

Bringing together a panel of ESG-led brands and passionate sustainability practitioners, this panel, hosted by ZERRIN and Launchpad, will discuss the rise of the greenwashing phenomenon and how brands and marketers can avoid ‘performative’ green campaigns and communicate their actions authentically.

Moderator: Susannah Jaffer

Founder, ZERRIN

Susannah Jaffer believes that the solutions to many of the world’s most pressing social and environmental issues can be found in better design; from creating higher quality products, to rethinking systems & processes.
Believing in the power of conscious creativity and envisioning a future where sustainable business is the rule, not the exception, she set out to launch the ZERRIN platform in 2017. An e-commerce marketplace & media platform, ZERRIN connects unique, design-led brands and purpose-driven SME’s to a growing audience of engaged fashion and lifestyle enthusiasts who value both style and substance.

A former fashion editor turned entrepreneur, today Susannah works at the intersection of consumers, brands and sustainability advocacy. She was recognised on Tatler’s Most Influential List (2021) and was part of Eco-Business’ Youth A-List (2020).

As a writer and creative, her written or visual works have appeared in the likes of Vogue Singapore, Honeycombers and Her World and she’s spoken professionally for Great Eastern, Coty, EY, Fashion Revolution & Green is the New Black.

Katherine Desbaillets Braha

Chief Brand Officer, SaladStop!

Katherine graduated from Cornell University with a Bachelor’s degree in Hospitality Administration/Management. She then moved to Bangkok where she worked with The Body Shop as the brand ambassador with the Central Group, importing overseas brands in Thailand. She subsequently co-founded a French Bistro called Café Tartine in Bangkok in 2007. In 2011, she joined her father and brother at SaladStop! to oversee all aspects of marketing, product development, and training. Katherine is committed to sharing the company’s motto of “Eating Wide Awake”, through marketing initiatives that bridge the gap between consumers and their relationship with food, and which bring attention to the wider environmental impact that the Food & Beverage industry has.

Qiyun Woo

Artist & Climate Activist

Qiyun Woo is a sustainability professional and environmental communicator. She’s the creator of The Weird and Wild on Instagram, and uses a variety of mediums to climate change communication and education through creative visuals and graphics. She’s also exploring creative web design (Climate Commons) and co-hosts a climate change podcast (Climate Cheesecake) with friends who are also working in the field of sustainability. Do check them all out!

Suzy Goulding

Communications Specialist, Sustainability, ESG, Social Impact

Suzy believe businesses have a responsibility to do good in the world as well as make a profit and she specialises in developing and executing strategies and campaigns to help them do so. Building on a 20 year career in strategic communications at the highest level, the last six years has seen Suzy focused on growing her experience in sustainability, ESG and social impact, working with some of the world’s biggest brands to help drive positive change inside and outside organizations.

She has worked with Unilever brands on advocacy strategies, NGO partnership and behaviour change programmes; with Danone brands on brand purpose development and capacity building; with Epson on SDG prioritization, NGO partnership strategy and employee engagement. She offers a strong track record in building, training and managing teams to create campaigns with impact to enhance brand and product visibility across many sectors including FMCG, health, technology and non-profit. This is complemented by proven successful leadership experience and a strong business acumen, setting up, growing and sustaining two profitable consultancies during her career.

The last 12 years, Suzy has been based in Singapore directing global and regional client accounts, with time spent in both in-house and agency director-level roles. She has worked with companies and brands across the Asia-Pacific region as well as in Africa (Unilever) and the Middle East (Danone).

Key Takeaways

1. Understand more about the greenwashing phenomenon and how it is affecting our lives.
2. The mistakes to avoid falling in this trap.
3. How to implement sustainability initiatives.
4. How to communicate your sustainability initiatives authentically.
5. Learn the best practices in this space and what the future will look like.