WASHINGTON, DC - September 25, 2007 - Edward J. Markey (D-MA), chairman, Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming will serve as morning keynote PRWeek's Target Green conference, on October 3rd in Washington, DC.

Beth Lowery, VP energy, environment, and safety policy, General Motors is the afternoon keynote.

Remarks from the 16th-term congressman and GM's "chief environmental officer" will highlight the day-long event, which also features speakers from Procter & Gamble; Gap, Inc.; Discovery Communications; Treehugger; Canon; the US Green Building Council; AMD, Clear Channel; and the Environmental Protection Agency. To register, click here. To read more about the conference, click here.

"This event combines blue-chip companies, government agencies, and NGOs, all of whom are devoting significant resources to both the operational and communicative aspects of the green movement," said Julia Hood, PRWeek's editor-in-chief. "By attending panels on carbon offsets, successful green messaging, voluntary governmental partnerships, and sustainability reporting, we hope attendees will leave with both real-life examples of successful campaigns and the ability to better understand how to approach their own initiatives."

Listen to speakers discuss how various stakeholders are driving an interactive approach to a green future. The event will feature panels on carbon offsets, sustainability reports, and opting into voluntary government programs. The event features content that is perfect for corporate communication and marketing executives, PR agency heads, branding experts, marketing and advertising agency leaders, corporate social responsibility experts, academics, nonprofit executives, and business and communications students.

The conference, held at the Mandarin Oriental, begins with a breakfast service beginning at 8:30, followed by panels, keynote speakers, and a cocktail reception at 5:30.

Brief description of some of the panels, including featured speakers, follows below.

Green Entertainment

As the public becomes more attuned to eco-sustainable issues, entertainment and media companies are providing more content to meet that interest. There are common themes, but organizations tailor their content and messaging differently, based on the demo-and psychographics of their audiences. Panelists will discuss their programming and how they’re connecting with existing and new consumers.

Moderator:

Mara Engel, cofounder, OrganicWorks Marketing

Featuring:

Lynn Brindell SVP, marketing, The Weather Channel
Annie Howell, SVP of communications and public affairs and talent management for Planet Green, Discovery Channel
Ken Rother, President/CEO, Treehugger

Clean Tech and public policy
11:30 am - 12:30 pm

While many technology companies reside in Silicon Valley, much of their important outreach occurs in Washington, DC, as government agencies and nonprofits pressure companies to make more efficient and cleaner products. This panel will feature both nonprofits and companies discussing how they are collaborating to improve practices and products.

Moderator:

Dr. Robert T. Do, CEO, Solena Group

Featuring:

Andrew Fox, senior manager, AMD Public Relations
Kristina Skierka, director, cleantech and green products practice, Bite Communications
Kateri Callahan, president, Alliance to Save Energy
Mike Stanton, chairman, Association of International Automobile Manufacturers

Everybody Wins

Understanding the reason for making more products and the manufacturing process sustainable and energy efficient is easy. Communicating that in a way that consumers can grasp is complicated. Our consumer products panelists will talk about ways they’re working with retail outlets and their suppliers, as well as approaches through NGOs, to educate the end-user about the products they consume.

Moderator:

Bud Grebey, SVP, global corporate practice lead/GM Eastern region, Waggener Edstrom

Featuring:

Hans Bender, global external relations leader, household care Procter & Gamble
Bill Reed, SVP and GM, corporate communications, Canon USA
Chris Deri, EVP and global leader, corporate social responsibility and sustainability, Edelman
Ann DeLaVergne, founder/inventor EcoEnvelopes
Matt Pliszka, founder, Simply Safe

Sustainability Reports

While everyone agrees that sustainability reports can positively impact a company's reputation in the minds of green-focused stakeholders, the methods and structure of the reports can differ significantly. With this panel, representatives from blue chip corporations and Sustainability will discuss their various reporting methods and debate what works and what doesn’t.

Featuring:

Dan Henkle, SVP of social responsibility, GAP
Jonathan Halperin, director of research and advocacy, SustainAbility

About Target Green: The public is increasingly interested in eco-sustainable issues and products, and everyone from corporations to policy makers to the 2008 presidential candidates is paying attention. This one-day conference features speakers from corporations, government agencies, NGOs, and the media, discussing how various stakeholders are driving a holistic approach to a green future. You will also have the opportunity to network with people who are leading initiatives that have made sustainability a national issue.

About PRWeek: Launched in November 1998, PRWeek has established itself as a vital part of the PR and communications industries in the US, providing timely news, reviews, profiles, techniques, and ground-breaking research for practitioners. This research includes annual salary, CEO, and corporate surveys, as well as key industry sector rankings and regional forums. The magazine also launched the PRWeek Awards to showcase and recognize the best practices in the PR industry.

PRWeek

PRWeek

Launched in November 1998, PRWeek was Haymarket's first weekly title in the US. Over the years, PRWeek has established itself as a vital part of the PR and communications industries in the US, providing timely news, reviews, profiles, techniques, and ground-breaking research for practitioners.

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