GLADSTONE, Mo. – Wed., Oct. 11, 2023 – The Center for Food Integrity (CFI) 2023 Transparency Summit features an impressive lineup of speakers from leading food supply chain companies and organizations who will explore transparency opportunities and challenges and share actionable approaches to building trust. The Summit will take place Tues., Nov. 14, 12 p.m., to Wed., Nov. 15, 1 p.m., at Loews Chicago O’Hare Hotel.

“Consumers increasingly demand authentic openness and engagement from those growing, processing and supplying their food. In this rapidly evolving environment, transparency is the key to earning trust across the food value chain,” said Mickie French, CFI executive director.

“We are fortunate at CFI to be in a position to bring together leaders from pre-farm ag tech and farmers to consumer products, retailers and everyone in between to share learnings and give advice on how organizations can be more transparent and effective in their innovation, sustainability and operational endeavors,” she said. “Attendees will leave the practical working sessions with tangible ideas that can be implemented on day one.”

The agenda includes workshops and keynotes wher speakers and panelists will share insights, lessons learned and cross-industry perspectives:

Opening Interactive Keynote 

The Second City, the iconic improv company known for launching the careers of legends like Bill Murray, Tina Fey and Stephen Colbert, will open the event with an interactive, laugh-and-learn session to set the stage for collaborative and open discussion.

New Cornerstone Research on Consumer Demands for Transparency 

Speakers:

• Laurie Demeritt, Founder & CEO of The Hartman Group
• Jane Dukes, Associate Director MarCom & Stakeholder Engagement, Merck Animal Health
• Sherry Frey, Vice President of Total Wellness, NielsenIQ
• Steve Markenson, Vice President, Research & Insights, FMI – The Food Industry Association

How to Leverage Transparency to Accelerate Business Performance 

Speakers:

• James Carlo Cascone, Partner & Sustainability & Climate Lead, Deloitte
• Kate Graeff, Vice President, Enterprise Trust, Deloitte

Leveraging Transparency to Ensure Sustainability Equity 

Speakers:

• Tim Kaldenburg & Sharyl Bruning, Farmer-Owners, Iowa Farm Bureau
• Denise Osterhues, Sr. Director, Sustainability & Social Impact, The Kroger Co.
• Steve Malakowsky, Director of Swine Lending, Compeer Financial
• Dan Christenson, Sr. Director of Government Affairs, PepsiCo

The Center for Food Integrity’s Transparency Model & Organizational Assessment: Seven Principles in Action 

Speakers:

• Bryan Malenius, Sr. Principal Team Leader, Public Affairs, Chick-fil-A
• Nancy Wilson, Director, Quality Assurance, Risk Management and Safety, Wawa
• Nathan Capps, Science & Technology Director, Bush Brothers & Co.

Transparency in Action: Illuminating Best Practices and Solutions in Transparent Organizations 

Speakers:

• Rishi Banerjee, Sr. Director, SmartLabel by Consumer Brands Association
• Steven Jennings, Stakeholder Relations & Brand Lead, Health/Sustainability, Ahold Delhaize USA
• Marc Cool, Global Seed Policy Lead, Corteva Agriscience
• Matt Wood, Sr. Director of Sustainability – Digital, Data & Analytics, Cargill

Integrating Transparency Principles to Build a Culture of Trust 

Speakers:

• Mike McCloskey, Founder and Owner, Fair Oaks Farm
• Jason Clay, Senior Vice President, Markets, World Wildlife Fund
• LeeAnn Kindness, Nutritionist, Product Development & Innovation, Wawa
• Mark Ratcliffe, Senior Vice President, Global Supply Chain, Cargill

Registration is open at foodintegrity.org. For more information or sponsorship opportunities, contact CFI at learnmore@foodintegrity.org. Sponsors include Cargill, Iowa Farm Bureau Federation, Chick-fil-A, Wawa, FMI – The Food Industry Association, Merck Animal Health, U.S. Soy, Genus, Corteva Agriscience, SmartLabel – by Consumer Brands Association and Sosland Publishing.

The Center for Food Integrity is the balanced, science-based, credible resource organization that serves as a catalyst for building trust across the entire food/ag value chain, by providing industry-leading research and resources, consumer insights and emerging trends and food issues management solutions.