May 22, 2025
8:00 am – 5:30 pm

Grappone Conference Center
Join us for an event brimming with inspiration, innovation, and meaningful connections. Dive into engaging sessions featuring interactive exercises, lively discussions geared towards actionable insights, an impactful award presentation, and meaningful networking. Plus, enjoy complimentary breakfast, lunch, and networking nibbles to fuel your day of learning and collaboration. We can’t wait to see you there!
In an era of increasing complexity and uncertainty, the need for collective action has never been greater. This conference will delve into the transformative power of sustainable models, community-led initiatives, and business partnerships in addressing systemic challenges. By exploring strategies for strengthening community resilience, fostering collaboration, and empowering individuals, we will unlock the potential to create sustainable and equitable businesses and communities. This event will inspire attendees to harness the power of collective action, drive positive change, and shape a brighter future for all.
New Hampshire’s leading conference for corporate social responsibility includes morning and afternoon break-out sessions that help attendees take sustainable aspirations to actionable efforts.
Benjamin Ole Akande is aa Nigerian-born American citizen is a respected economist, scholar, and global consultant to Fortune 500 companies and institutions in higher education: specifically in the areas of strategy, leadership development, corporate responsibility and market positioning.
Conference Schedule
Morning
8:00-8:30 Registration and Breakfast
8:00-8:20 Mindfulness Session
8:30-9:00 Morning Kickoff
9:00-10:15 Keynote speaker
10:30-11:45 Morning Break-out Sessions
11:45-12:30 Lunch & Awards Presentation
Afternoon
12:30-1:30 Living Your Values Panel
1:30-2:15 Community Conversations
2:30-3:45 Afternoon Breakout Session
4:00-4:30 Action Oriented Discussion
4:30-5:30 Networking Reception
Breakout Sessions
Conference Breakout Sessions are designed to engage participants across the spectrums of Sustainable and Socially-Responsible Business Operations.
Topics
Sustainable Business Models for the Future
- Sustainable Business Models for the Future, Matthew Gardner, SustainServ, In this era of changing rules and expectations, we will explore fundamental ways that companies can demonstrate their commitment to sustainability and satisfy the ever-evolving expectations of a wide variety of stakeholders.
- Drive change without authority (workshop title), David Wagner, Clear Mission Consulting, LL, If your success depends on persuading others to take action, you’ll benefit from learning this framework and practical skills for getting more “yesses” to your critical asks.
Empowering the Next Generation: Education, Workforce Development, and Social Impact
- What Works: Youth Partnership, VT/NH Energy Education Program, Come learn from Youth Climate Leaders and one of their project advisors about how best to authentically partner with young people, elevate their voices and champion their efforts in the workplace and beyond.
Advocacy and Policy:
- Moving the Needle: Leveraging the Employers’ Voice ( how a bill becomes a law and effective advocacy), Preti Strategies and Clean Energy NH
Collective Impact & Partnerships
- Building Neighborhood Networks for Collective Action, Grow Nashua (Justin Munroe), Neighborhood Networks is a collaborative strategy unlocking the collective power we hold as neighbors and community to problem solve and co-design solutions to our shared challenges.
Human-Centered Workplaces and Inclusive Communities
- Future-Forward Workplaces: Empowering Generations, Market Street Talent, Explore how you can bridge generational gaps through education, workforce development, and DEI initiatives to empower the next generation and foster inclusive workplaces.
- Inclusive Leadership and Workplace Culture. Gauthier-Zayas, Ed.D.Avant Consulting and Training LLC. This engagement will explore inclusive leadership through active engagement to dismantle systemic barriers and foster a culture of inclusion starts with leaders.
Fostering Resilience
- Count Each Day, Make Each Day Count. Amy LaBelle, An eye-opening keynote that redefines goal achievement in an exciting and innovative way, challenging you to truly assess the time you have to accomplish every goal in business, health, family, and life. Discover Amy’s transformative three-step process for shifting your mindset to appreciate the value of each day. This approach will ignite explosive productivity in both your personal and professional endeavors, energizing your team and equipping them to achieve every business objective.
- Building Resilience: Leading with Strength, Adapting with Agility, Heather Gunnell, LumenusWorks, Explore practical strategies for building resilience in the workplace, empowering both leaders and individual contributors to thrive in the face of change.
- Reframe Your Challenges to Sustain Impact, Sara Conklin, Participants will learn practical approaches to reframe challenges, uncover new pathways, and move forward in the face of constraints.
Afternoon Plenary Session 12:30-1:30
Living Your Values
How do businesses translate their core values into meaningful action? This panel brings together leaders from diverse sectors to discuss the intersection of purpose and practice in today’s business landscape. The panel will share insights on embedding sustainability, social responsibility, and equity into business operations. Through real-world examples and candid conversation, they will explore how companies can align their values with their strategies to drive lasting impact in their communities and beyond.
Plenary Panel
Erik Drake
CEO, Coast of Maine
Jenny Levy
Executive Vice President, People, Community & Environment, Hypertherm
Matt Gardner
Managing Partner, Sustainserv
Lex Meagher
CEO, Kennebunk Savings
Latonya Wallace
Director of Community Relations, NH Community Loan Fund
Speakers and Facilitators
Latonya Wallace
Director Community Relations, NH Community Loan Fund
View Full BioDebra LeClair Psy.D,
Psychologist & Executive Coach, Full Spectrum Wellness and re-Sourced
View Full BioSam Evans-Brown
Executive Director at Clean Energy NH
View Full BioLucas Meyer
Principal, Catalyst Advocacy
View Full BioBeth Tener
Principal, New Directions Collaborative
View Full BioSponsorship Opportunities Available
To learn more, please contact Michelle Veasey.
Thank you to our sponsors!
