BOULDER, COLO. — The annual conference of the Pet Sustainability Coalition (PSC), Impact Unleashed, is right around the corner. This two-day conference will be held virtually Oct. 12 and 13 and will feature several industry leaders as speakers and sponsors to educate, lead conversations and inspire other industry professionals to pursue sustainable action within their respective businesses.

PSC expects more than 500 pet care industry professionals to attend Impact Unleashed 2021.

The keynote speaker for this year’s conference comes from Dr. Bronners, a soap, hair and body care product company committed to environmental and social responsibility.

Other speakers include Francesca Mahoney, head of sustainability at Petco; Callie Weldon, standards specialist with Textile Exchange; Anne Malleau, executive director of the Global Animal Partnership (GAP), Ben Gray, chief innovation officer at the Upcycled Food Association; Elizabeth Wade, head of people at Earth Animal; Laura Pletz, DVM, scientific services manager for Royal Canin in the Eastern United States; Mark Lyons, Ph.D., president and chief executive officer of Alltech; and Spencer Williams, chief executive officer and owner of West Paw.

Featured speakers at Pet Sustainability Coalition's 2021 Impact Unleashed virtual conference

PSC hoped to host a hybrid in-person and virtual event this year but, due to continued COVID-19 concerns and complications, has shifted the conference to an online-only format for 2021. However, the organization stated this online format, which it carried out successfully in 2020, resulted in a much higher attendance and engagement among attendees.

For example, 73% of Impact Unleashed 2020 attendees reported the conference was better than or “the best virtual event” they had attended, PSC shared. Another 87% of attendees said the conference met or exceeded its expectations and goals.

“The positive energy, passion and overwhelming sense of shared purpose in the room was unlike anything I’ve experienced at a pet industry event,” said Michael Baker, president at Pet Food Experts.

Sponsors of the 2021 event include Petco, Earth Animal, Morris Packaging, Kong Company, Mud Bay, Kent Pet Group, WellPet, Nature’s Logic, Veramaris and Trayak Consulting. Several of these companies sponsored Impact Unleashed 2020 as well.

Learn more and register for Impact Unleashed 2021 here.

Read more about pet food and treat industry events.