BOULDER, COLO. — The Pet Sustainability Coalition (PSC) reported record attendance at its sixth-annual 2023 Impact Unleashed event in Boulder, marking the first in-person iteration of the annual event since 2019. According to PSC, this year’s Impact Unleashed attracted 170 pet professionals from all corners of the industry for a two-day event to inspire sustainable action across the sector.

“Impact Unleashed 2023 exceeded all of our expectations,” said Caitlyn Dudas, co-founder and senior advisor at PSC. “It was a privilege to be surrounded by such bright, inspired, passionate people, and it left all of us emboldened by the opportunities we have to implement more sustainable practices in the pet industry. Ten years in, our movement is only beginning.”

The event, held June 6 and 7, featured two keynote speakers — Paula Alexander, director of sustainability at Burt’s Bees and the Clorox Company, and Tina Owens, senior fellow of regenerative agriculture at the Soil & Climate Alliance of Green America.

Presentations were given by Dustin Dover, chief operating officer at MFiber; Megan Tuttle, director of impact at Open Farm; Stephanie Volo, chief impact officer at Earth Animal; Joanne Dwyer, vice president of corporate responsibility and sustainability at PetSmart; Rich Kelleman, founder and CEO of Bond Pet Foods; Dave Carter, director and regional technical assistance coordinator at the Flower Hill Institute; Auden Schendler, senior vice president of sustainability at Aspen Skiing Company; Spender Williams, CEO and president of West Paw; and Chris Bentley, co-founder of PSC, among several other speakers and panelists.

“Our team members were inspired by the speakers and fellow attendees as we all seek to enhance our company’s sustainability efforts and create positive impact within the communities we serve,” said Spencer Williams, founder and chief executive officer of West Paw.

During the event, PSC celebrated its 10^th anniversary and looked ahead to what’s in store for the next decade.

Sponsors of the 2023 Impact Unleashed conference included MFiber, Hill’s Pet Nutrition, Earth Animal, Morris Packaging, Petco, West Paw, Peel Plastics, Pure Strategies, Moderna, rePurpose Global, Other Half Processing, DSM, Thanh Phu Packaging, the Marine Stewardship Council, and Wellness Pet Company.

Read more about pet food and treat industry events.