Idea Lab 2022: "So You Made a Climate Pledge, Now What?"
April 21st, 2022
Foster School of Business, University of Washington
Seattle, WA

Idea Lab is the Foster School of Business Net Impact Club’s premier mini-conference. It is an opportunity for students, professionals, academics, and policymakers to come together to discuss the most pressing issues in sustainability and environmental, social, and governance (ESG). This year’s theme will be "So You Made a Climate Pledge, Now What?": How leading businesses, governments, and NGOs are putting ideas into action and executing on ambitious climate commitments. Leaders will cover how their organizations are operating in the given areas to meet or exceed their clean commitments.

The event will have keynote session with a panel of heavy hitters in the sustainability space and four breakout sessions as listed below:

• Keynote Sessions: A fireside chat with Sally Jewell, former Secretary of the Interior and UW Fritzky Chair in Leadership, featuring Sally Fouts, Director of the Climate Pledge at Amazon, and Mark Kroese, GM of Sustainability Solutions at Microsoft.

• Energy and the Grid - Learn how grid operators are shifting strategies on generation and distribution and how policymakers, researchers, and energy providers are re-imagining our energy future.

• Green Finance - Discuss how large multi-nationals are funding sustainable operations and how early-stage investors are evaluating startups that will enable the green revolution.

• Future of Food - Hear from experts in the space on how brands are responding to evolving consumer preferences and how sustainable farmlands and fisheries are enabling the future of food.

• Built Environment - Learn from researchers, architects, and leaders in the real estate industry about how we're designing and building a more sustainable and less carbon intensive built environment.

Event Schedule (Main Event Hosted in Anthony’s Forum, PACCAR Hall, 3rd Floor)

5:00 pm - Check-In, Refreshments, and Networking (45 minutes)
5:45 pm - Opening Remarks from Program Organizers
6:00 pm - Keynote Panel hosted by Sally Jewell (50 minutes)
7:00 pm - Industry Sessions ("Green Finance" and "Built Environment" (45 minutes sessions in parallel)
8:00 pm - Industry Sessions ("Future of Food" and "Energy and the Grid", 45 minute sessions in parallel)
8:45 pm - Closing Comments, Networking

Sign up here: bit.ly/foster-idealab

Sessions and Speakers

Idea Lab includes a keynote session followed by four breakout sessions. Breakout sessions include Energy and the Grid, Green Finance, Future of Food, and Built Environment. See below for information about each session and the speakers participating in each.

Keynote Session - A fireside chat with Sally Jewell. Speakers include Sally Jewell and Mark Kroese.

Session 1: Energy and the Grid - Learn how grid operators are shifting strategies on generation and distribution and how policymakers, researchers, and energy providers are re-imagining our energy future. Speakers include Will Einstein, Andrew Bishop, Sarah Vorpahl, and Yixing Xu.

Session 2: Green Finance - Discuss how large multi-nationals are funding sustainable operations and how early-stage investors are evaluating startups that will enable the green revolution. Speakers include Charlie Donovan, Jean-Noel Poirier, and Alicia Saka.

Session 3: Future of Food - Hear from experts in the space on how brands are responding to evolving consumer preferences and how sustainable farmlands and fisheries are enabling the future of food. Speakers include Laurie Demeritt, Melissa Campbell, and Ben Friedman.

Session 4: Built Environment - Learn from researchers, architects, and leaders in the real estate industry about how we're designing and building a more sustainable and less carbon intensive built environment. Speakers include Sarah King and Kjell Anderson.

Student Leaders

Idea Lab is the Foster School of Business Net Impact Club’s premier mini-conference. It is an opportunity for students, professionals, academics, and policymakers to come together to discuss the most pressing issues in sustainability and environmental, social, and governance (ESG). Here are some examples of past Idea Lab events:

• Future of Food Series

• Impact Everywhere

• Gambling on Good Business

• Less Carbon, More Profit

• Big Data, Big Carbon

• A Sustainable Big Mac, Really?