August Networking Event

ENE Aug 2018

This event is part of the Victorian Fair Trade Festival

WHAT IS THE FUTURE OF ETHICAL FASHION? WHY?

Who is responsible? Is it the consumer or is it the brand?

Or is this the old question rehashed “Which came first the chicken or the egg”? Moreover, does the answer matter?

Can we attain Perfection? Or do the goalposts keep moving? How do we reward Progress?

Do we only praise those who are kicking goals in every aspect of “ethical” or do we encourage the brands that are shifting up the continuum and making a more significant impact as they move? How are some of the big name brands shifting? And what’s driving them? And what’s driving consumers to choose?

Join us for a stimulating conversation with Sonya Rand, Group Sustainability & Ethical Sourcing Manager, Cotton On Group, and Sandra Capponi, Head of Business Development & Co-Founder, Good On You – with facilitator Matt Perfect, Impact Spender, as they discuss some of the challenges, opportunities and trends facing the fashion sector?

Facilitator: Matt Perfect – Impact Spender
Speaker: Sandra Capponi – Good On You
Speaker: Sonya Rand – Cotton On Group

Panel Speaker Details

Facilitator – Matt Perfect

Matt is a facilitator and coach who helps people in business re-imagine their workplace spending as a force for good.

With over a decade of experience as a procurement practitioner and management consultant, Matt has held senior roles with National Australia Bank, Toll Group and The Faculty Management Consultants where he led Australia’s most highly regarded Roundtable for Chief Procurement Officers.

These days, Matt consults to both public and private sector organisations, helping them to drive more impact with their procurement spending. He is also a regular commentator and speaker on procurement and social impact.

LinkedIn – Matt Perfect

The Impact Spender’s Manifesto:

“We believe that spending is the most powerful force for change in the world. We know that every dollar we spend, changes the world… for better or for worse.

We spend our time and our money consciously and with good intent. We see the people behind the stuff.

We see stakeholders as interdependent, not independent. We use our creativity to find solutions that benefit all stakeholders. We do not trade off one stakeholder’s interests against another’s.

We understand that savings are scarce but impact is abundant. When we spend for impact we simply get more bang for our buck.

We listen to our suppliers and our providers with curiosity and appreciation. We accept that the customer is not always right.

We work in people chains, not supply chains. We acknowledge that through our spending our actions and behaviours are magnified and far-reaching.

We cultivate diversity. We value differences. We like doing business with unlike-minded people. Bigger is not always better and smaller is sometimes smarter.

We measure value not just in having, but in giving. We buy more than just goods and services… we are buying a better world with a brighter future.”

Still reading? I’d love to hear from you so please connect and tell me why.

LinkedIn – Matt Perfect

Sandra Capponi

Co-founder & head of business development, Good On You

Bio
Good On You

Sandra is the co-founder and head of business development at social impact startup, Good On You.

With over 10 years experience in corporate social responsibility, Sandra has long been concerned with sustainability and supply chain issues in big business. Despite the challenges, she remains optimistic that business can be a powerful catalyst for positive social and environmental change.

Sandra joined the founding team at Good On You as she sees huge potential in driving businesses to be more sustainable and fair through the everyday purchasing decisions we all make.

Good On You helps consumers know the impact of brands on people, the planet and animals so they can make better choices when they shop.

The Good On You mobile app gives ethical ratings for 1000s of fashion labels. It is built on a comprehensive rating system that aggregates existing standards, certifications and public company data into a simple 5-point score.

Shoppers use the app to check how their favourite brands rate and discover new brands that do better on the issues they care about.

Brands and retailers use Good On You to improve their ethical performance and reach the conscious consumer market.

goodonyou.eco

Sonya Rand

Group Sustainability & Ethical Sourcing Manager, Cotton On Group

Bio
The Cotton On Group

Sonya joined the Cotton On Group as Group Sustainability and Ethical Sourcing Manager in early in 2018, bringing with her extensive knowledge in the sustainability space gained from more than 20 years’ experience in retail, fashion and consumer goods industries.

A chartered Chemical Engineer, Sonya has held advisory roles with the Australian Attorney General’s Office and DFAT, addressing issues of Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery in Supply Chains and the implementation of the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.

Specialising in stakeholder engagement, policy development and risk management, Sonya’s role sees her leading the growth of the Group’s existing sustainability programs and finding new opportunities to drive positive long-term change across the supply chain.

The Cotton On Group is an Australian-born fashion retailer with 1,500 stores in 19 countries and 22,000 passionate people.

The environments in which our products are made, the people who make them and the materials used are incredibly important to us, and form a critical part of our ethical responsibility.

In 2009 we implemented an Ethical Sourcing Program to guide and govern the sourcing, manufacturing and supply of all Cotton On Group products.

We publicly disclose the details of our supplier base and through our membership of ACT are on the journey toward fair wages.

As a member of the Better Cotton Initiative and having launched our very first sustainable cotton program in Kwale County, Kenya, the Group is actively pursuing our commitment towards 100 per cent more sustainable cotton by 2021.

We’re proud of what we’ve achieved to date but know that this is a journey of continuous improvement and one that we are committed to for the long-haul.

cottonongroup.com.au

Check out what else is happening as part of the Victorian Fair Trade Festival

More Info

Wed 15th August 2018

Time: 6:00 pm – 8:30 pm

Tickets

$30 for Adults
$25.50 for MFG Business Members or Students
Book Tickets
Tickets includes: – Access to an evening of networking and mentoring – Light catering and soft drinks – coffee and tea.

Door Prizes

Automatic entry to go into a draw to win a free ticket to our next networking event.
• On the night bring your business card to go into a draw to win “Emergent”, Stephen Scott Johnson latest book.

Schedule

6:00 – 6:30pm: Checkin, Casual Conversations
6:30 – 8:00pm: The Conversation: A Panel
8:00 – 8:30pm: Casual networking

Venue

TBC

Who are we?

Moral Fairground is devoted to promoting sustainable and fair trade business practices. Our mission to educate, inspire and encourage people to make choices that will have a positive impact on the world, the environment and the people we share it with.

Charity Partner

The Toxic Fox Show is a podcast for conscious business owners who give a damn! About the impact their business has on you and future generations. The interviews are conversations with entrepreneurs who run a business that aims to have a positive impact on the world. The second season will be recorded and released this year.

The Difference Incubator (TDi) is our Venue partner. TDi fundamentally believes that if you’re passionate about seeing change in the world, building businesses where social and financial returns are aligned is the best way to achieve it. Through our method we seek to build better businesses with alternative, sustainable revenue streams, ultimately helping us crack entrenched social and environmental challenges.

Qi Tea is an award-winning Fair Trade brand that specialises in organic, Fairtrade functional teas. Each variety contains an array of herbs, carefully blended for taste and balance.
If you are a retailer wanting to stock delicious, organic and Fair Trade teas or if you are personally wanting to purchase some, click here.

Upcoming Events in 2018

September

Event TBA

Stay tuned for event details.

What is the ethical network event series?

A business networking event for leaders and entrepreneurs to connect, collaborate and discuss their ethical business practices.

The ethical network event series is a unique opportunity to form business relationships with like-minded leaders and new ethical entrepreneurs. Each event is an educational and networking event, an opportunity to come together in a relaxed environment to meet and network with other like-minded businesses and individuals. It is a chance to celebrate the skills, passion and diversity of the ethical business network and recognise the achievements of the business leaders who are driving social and ethical business movement and the social economy. The event creates networking opportunities for Ethical SMEs. We embrace this business community through networking, professional development and coaching opportunities in an intimate and informative environment.

Want to get involved?

If you would like to get involved as a speaker, running a workshop, host a panel discussion or a debate at the Ethical Network Events, we look forward to hearing from you. By participating as a speaker in this event you will have the opportunity to share your own experiences and skills as well as allocated time to network with attendees. Feel free to get in touch.

Get the Presenters’ Info Pack