The EDANA Sustainability Forum evolved out of our Circular Nonwovens Forum. It covers all relevant sustainability topics for the nonwovens industry, including natural raw materials, consumer expectations, circularity, bioeconomy, and more.
The Forum includes keynote speeches, panel discussions, Q&A sessions and speeches at the European Commission with representatives of DG Env and DG Trade. It is the opportunity to learn, share, and network on sustainability, and aims to overcome challenges and collectively find opportunities to accelerate the industry’s net-positive impact.
The EDANA Sustainability Forum will host different stakeholders, such as NGOs, companies across all nonwovens applications from across the value chain, European regulators, and legislators. They will provide their perspectives and research on how to make the nonwovens industry sustainable, as well as motivate participants by initiating conversations on the sustainability challenges and opportunities that our industry faces.
Professionals working in the nonwovens or related industries, with a focus on or interest in sustainability. For example: General Managers / Chief Engineers / Research Leads / Senior Managers / Department Managers / Deputy Managers / Supervisors / Senior Engineers / Senior Specialists working in:
“The Forum was really insightful and achieved great insights in the challenges and the possibilities we face when we talk about sustainability. I gained a lot of insights into how we should move forward and start collaborating. That’s one of the key points I take from today because we cannot do this alone, sustainability is an industry initiative”
Lasse Taidal, R&D Project Manager at Fibertex Personal Care.
“This is an excellent opportunity to be able to see an overview of what’s going on in sustainability, especially when we have these discussions about plastics, their future, and which direction we are going to take as an industry. Very fascinating. I was also able to meet customers, stakeholders, and old colleagues. It’s a great event, I like it a lot"
Tommi Bjornman, President & CEO of Suominen
“The sustainability topic is so important that it’s very good that EDANA is bringing us together and discussing it across the whole value chain.”
Jörg Schöner, Senior Manager Global Business Creation Textile Fibers at Kemira
Special thanks to our sponsor
Mike is a sustainable business transformation agent, committed to helping business big and small, new and established to prepare for and succeed in the great sustainability disruption that will wash through the economy in the 2020s. He’s worked with organizations such as Tata Consulting Services (TCS), Consumers International, Bloomberg NEF, ITV, Chanel, Ahold Delhaize, Sainsburys, PwC Japan, Unilever, SAP, Panasonic, Grosvenor GB&I, Haleon, Kite Insight’s Climate School, Ball, Nestle, Danone, Microsoft, CCEP, Lidl, Ikea, IBM, Nomad Foods, The Climate Pledge, the Environment Agency, Royal Society of Chemistry, British Retail Consortium, Edrington and Lagardere.
Mike was until 2019 Director of Sustainable Business at Marks & Spencer, spearheading its ground-breaking Plan A (because there is no Plan B for the one planet we have) sustainability program. He co-chaired the Consumer Goods Forum’s sustainability work bringing the world’s largest retailers and fast moving consumer goods brands together to work on issues such as deforestation, plastics and forced labour.
Ana Rovzar is an international energy professional with experience in policy and advocacy on sustainable energy in emerging economies. Ana’s speciality is in public relations and international partnerships. She has provided strategic advisory to
executive management, led senior representation missions and served as focal point for cooperation initiatives.
Prior to becoming head of international partnerships at RES4Africa Foundation, Ana was Africa Programme Officer at the Paris-based
International Energy Agency (IEA-OECD) and International Relations and Communications manager at RES4Africa Foundation in Rome. Until 2016, she was based in Cairo as international relations advisor with the Regional Center for Renewable Energy and Energy
Efficiency (RCREEE), and was part of the Pemex Trading team in Mexico City.
Ana is a national from Belgium and Mexico, speaks 7 languages, and has lived and worked across Latin-America, Europe, North- and Sub-Saharan Africa. She graduated
magna cum laude in B.A. Political Science from Ghent University and holds an M.A. in International Energy from SciencesPo Paris.
Working since 3,5 years for Beaulieu Fibres, a key supplier of staple fibres for durable and disposable nonwoven applications with a strong focus on advancing sustainability through partnership.
Alexandre Butté joined the ANDRITZ group in 2000 and became General Manager of ANDRITZ Laroche SAS in 2021.
Alexandre has been graduated in mechanical engineering from INSA Lyon and business education at INSEAD. Thanks to his background in textile and nonwoven industries, Alexandre will introduce how building insulation market is facing the perfect momentum for a green transition thanks to nonwovens.
The last 10 years I have supported several companies to put sustainability into practice in their organization. Since January 2024 I started in the role of sustainability coordinator at UZ Leuven.
As the General Manager of EDANA, the leading global association and voice of the nonwovens and related industries, I am responsible for overseeing the strategic direction, operations, finances, and marketing of the organization. I have more than 15 years of experience in association management and consulting, with a proven track record of delivering value and results for international societies and associations across various sectors, including mobility, healthcare, energy, and media.
I am an entrepreneurial, results-driven, and innovative thinker who thrives in fast-paced and challenging roles, where I can make a lasting contribution to the advancement and sustainability of the industry. I hold an MScom and the ASAE Certificate Program in Association Management, which demonstrates my commitment to the highest standards of professional excellence and ethical conduct. I am also a multi-lingual professional who speaks French, Turkish, and Arabic, and who enjoys working with diverse and multicultural teams and stakeholders.
Jens is the Managing Director of Raguse Gesellschaft für medizinische Produkte mbH, he is responsible for sales, market development & innovation.
He previous positions include Director for Sales and Marketing at Henry Schein, Managing Director at curea medical and Director for Sales and Marketing at McAirlaid´s.
Jens has studied Economics at University of Cologne and graduated with a diploma.
The major milestone in his career is business development in particular: design new products and introduce them in the market such as product development & implementation of a fresh pad to give shelf life extension for food in fresh food containers in private households.
Dr. Martijn Gipmans is Director Sustainability Consulting and Lead for the Chemical and Life Science sectors at Sphera. He has over 15 years of experience in sustainability strategy development, Life-Cycle-Assessment, GHG accounting and Portfolio Sustainability Assessment.
Martijn joined Sphera after almost 16 years with BASF, where, in his last position, he was Global Sustainability Manager for the division Bioscience Research. He has served on the advisory councils for the International Life Science Institute (ILSI, Washington DC, USA) and as co-chair of the FBA working group of The Sustainability Consortium (TSC, Arkansas, USA).
Dr. Gipmans holds an MSc from Wageningen University and a doctoral degree from the Max-Planck-Institute for Molecular Plant Physiology, and is based in Berlin, Germany.
Małgorzata Gołębiewska has been working on EU environment and climate policy within the European Commission since 2008. In her current position of Team Leader for Environmental Footprint and Green Claims in DG Environment (since 2022) she is responsible for the preparations and negotiations of the Green Claims Directive proposal and for coordination and promotion of application of EF methods, and a life-cycle perspective, across EU policies.
Prior to current position at DG Environment Małgorzata worked in: (1) the Secretariat-General on policy co-ordination of the European Green Deal with a focus on circular economy, waste management and chemicals policy, (2) DG Environment’s waste management unit on implementation of the Waste Framework Directive, and (3) DG CLIMA where she was responsible for preparations and negotiations of legislation on CO2 emissions from passenger cars and light commercial vehicles.
As sustainability leader/director of Procter & Gamble’s Baby Care sector in Europe, Paolo Haeusermann is responsible for overseeing the sustainability strategy of Pampers, P&G biggest brand in Europe, with the ambition to fully embed sustainability into the innovation, brand-building and everyday business practices of the Baby Care sector across Europe.
Paolo joined P&G in 2006, after graduating from the Faculty of Business and Economics of the University of Lausanne. For nearly two decades, Paolo has occupied various positions in the Feminine Care and Baby Care sector, developing a strong expertise in the Absorbent Hygiene Products (AHP) category, with a successful track record in designing and executing marketing and sustainability strategies for iconic brands such as Always, or Pampers, to bring to life innovations and campaigns that truly impact and support the everyday life of parents and women across Europe.
Passionate about sustainability, Paolo had the opportunity to strengthen his expertise by graduating from renown Cambridge and Harvard sustainability trainings, helping to get a deep understanding of the current and future issues, to continue make sustainability a force for good and a force for growth in his job and beyond.
Paolo lives in Lausanne, Switzerland, with his wife and 2 children. // As a father of two young children Paolo knows firsthand how AHP, starting with diapers, can help improve families’ life every day life, which is why he is committed to continue deliver strategies and innovations that are superior, sustainable and accessible for all parents & babies in Europe.
Education
Professional Experience:
Responsible for New Business Development, Product Management and Strategy within a global vision
Albert is the happy father of three and loves hiking in the alps
Brieuc Lits is the Public Affairs Director at EDANA, joining the organization in June 2024. In this role, Brieuc oversees the advocacy activities of the association, including fostering relationships with EU stakeholders.
Prior to this, he worked in public affairs and communications at various European associations, focusing on sustainability, chemical legislation, energy, and employment.
Brieuc holds a PhD in Political Communication from the Université libre de Bruxelles, where his doctoral dissertation centered on EU lobbying. Additionally, he holds two master's degrees: one in Public Relations and another in Management from UCLouvain.
Martin Michelot is the Executive Director of TIC Council, Europe, where he leads the organization's advocacy and communications work towards the European Union, focusing on digitalization and ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) issues.
A graduate in international relations and European Affairs from Sciences Po Lyon, Michelot was previously the Deputy Director of EUROPEUM Institute for European Policy, a Prague-based think tank focusing on European affairs, where he provided strategic advice to governments on various EU issues.
He has also worked for the Institut Jacques Delors, the German Marshall Fund of the United States, and the Brookings Institution in various research positions on transatlantic relations and European integration issues.
Prabhat Mishra is currently a Board Member and Director of Sustainability at Nonwovenn Ltd. in the U.K. Previously, he held senior sustainability and materials technology roles at Johnson & Johnson, Mondelez International, PA Consulting, and British Petroleum across various global locations.
He holds a master’s degree in Physics, Chemical Engineering, and Plastics Technology, along with a Post Graduate Diploma in Management. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Materials, Minerals, and Mining (IOM3), a Chartered Scientist, a Gold Level Member of the Society of Plastics Engineers, and actively involved in several professional organizations.
Prabhat Mishra is renowned for his compelling keynote presentations and his ability to curate in-depth thematic sessions, drawing on his profound expertise. He has also adeptly moderated and presided over numerous global forums. His professional acumen encompasses the realms of sustainability, innovation, novel product creation, CBRN, and sustainable packaging solutions. On a personal level, his vegan lifestyle underscores his commitment to fostering a harmonious relationship between humanity and the rich tapestry of life on Earth.
With more than 30 years’ experience in the adhesive industry, I can safely say that I know a bit about glue for woodworking, hygiene, packaging and converting. With a strong scientific background, I started in R&D and moved to marketing. Later in my career, I connected this marketing role with my passion for sustainability topics, to help steer our portfolio of products towards more sustainable solutions and to support our, and our customers’ strategy for a more sustainable future.
I’m a strong believer that an adhesive should not be defined only by its raw materials or the materials that it bonds, but as what it does within the final product to meet the consumers’ needs. In that sense, I fully embrace the vision of Bostik that adhesives are sustainability enablers.
Jean-Michel has more than 15 years of experience in Strategy consulting focused primarily on the Manufacturing industry. Jean Michel started his career at Marc and Co in 2008 where his main clients were large electric equipment manufacturers in the context of the energy transition, before joining Deloitte in 2019. At Deloitte, he lead the Automotive consulting practice in France and the Automotive sustainability and climate practice at global level.
Through his career, Jean- Michel has primarily helped large industrial groups and conglomerates - especially automotive OEMs and tier-1 suppliers - adapt their business models in the context of fast-moving industry transitions. His experience covers extensively sustainability-related strategic projects from Sustainable transformation programme design and implementation to Circular strategy and business casing.
Marta Roche Díez is the Sustainability and Technical Affairs Manager for EDANA, the leading global association advocating the benefits of nonwovens for society, a position she has held since January 2022.
Based in Brussels, Marta manages EDANA’s sustainability and technical affairs work across all nonwovens applications. This includes updating the Nonwovens Standard Procedures, as well as supporting the development of international standards – both ISO and CEN – including technical work as necessary. This work is key, as standards provide a reference point for the nonwovens industry and help to ensure fair trade.
Prior to joining EDANA, Marta spent four years in the Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) industry, primarily dealing with homecare products. There she gained experience in product development, consumer understanding, and packaging technology. Having originally studied environmental science, Marta is currently finalizing a second master’s degree in Sustainability and CSR.
Marta Roche Díez is the Sustainability and Technical Affairs Manager for EDANA, the leading global association advocating the benefits of nonwovens for society, a position she has held since January 2022.
Based in Brussels, Marta manages EDANA’s sustainability and technical affairs work across all nonwovens applications. This includes updating the Nonwovens Standard Procedures, as well as supporting the development of international standards – both ISO and CEN – including technical work as necessary. This work is key, as standards provide a reference point for the nonwovens industry and help to ensure fair trade.
Prior to joining EDANA, Marta spent four years in the Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) industry, primarily dealing with homecare products. There she gained experience in product development, consumer understanding, and packaging technology. Having originally studied environmental science, Marta is currently finalizing a second master’s degree in Sustainability and CSR.
Carsten is currently QEHS Manager at Nitto AFS. He is esponsible for systems development and reporting of 5 international sites (forming the Nitto AFS BU) in the fields of Quality, Safety and Environment.
He has worked 15 years for P&G as Technical Engineer, Project Leader, Project Manager and Material Group Leader as well as 9 years for Nitto as P&G key customer Quality manager, then being part of Global Quality Team.
I work as a Nordic product manager in Nordic Ecolabelling. Nordic Ecolabelling has offices in each Nordic country and I work in Helsinki, Finland. My main tasks are related to product development of Nordic Swan Ecolabel paper-based criteria but I also coordinate Nordic Ecolabelling’s intern expert groups working with overall environmental themes related to chemicals, materials, energy etc.
I have originally studied environmental sciences in the University of Helsinki and has PhD in forest ecology, so my studies and previous work in the field of research and waste management, among other things, provide a broad basis for working with life cycle-based ecolabels.
As a dedicated sustainability sector lead, I am passionate about delivering third-party assurance services, GHG verification and auditing sustainability schemes, that have a positive impact on our world.
With extensive international experience spanning the US, Canada, China, India, Argentina, Australia, South Africa, and many European countries, I bring a global perspective to my work.
I am specialized in ISO standards relevant to sustainability and Net Zero pathways, key account management and serve clients across a diverse range of industries, including food and drink, agriculture, animal feed, chemical, plastic and rubber, and gas & oil. My current focus areas are sustainability, GHG, energy, and safety, where I help organizations drive meaningful change and achieve their sustainability goals.
Dirk joined EURATEX as a Director General in September 2019, representing the interests of over 200,000 European companies in the textiles and clothing industry. His mandate is to promote a competitive, sustainable and innovative European Textiles and Clothing industry. Prior to EURATEX, he worked for EUROCHAMBRES, the European Chamber of Commerce lobby. Dirk has an economic background and holds a Masters degree from the College of Europe, Bruges.
Rebecca Weicht is a sustainable procurement manager in LYB's Procurement team. She is a communications and capability-building strategist with 10 years of experience across industry, academia, and the social sector. Rebecca leads LYB's sustainable procurement L&D programmes and CSR reporting developing supplier engagement and development frameworks. Rebecca holds a PhD in Entrepreneurship, communications and teaching degrees, as well as diverse agile project management and leadership certifications.
Philippe Wijns is a global leader and expert in nonwovens and filtration, specializing in spunbond and meltblown technologies, hydroentanglement, carding, and needle-punching. With a prosperous career at various global market leaders in these fields, Philippe recently launched his brand, CleverSustainability. As a sustainable business development advisor, he successfully helps mid-sized and smaller companies develop sustainable strategies, comply with Green Deal and CSRD reporting, and grow their businesses and market visibility.
Philippe holds a bachelor’s degree in medicine and chemistry from the Catholic University of Leuven, a Master’s in Strategic Marketing from Maastricht School of Management, and a postgraduate degree in International Business and Transfer Pricing. He is also a certified expert in Sustainable Finance from the Frankfurt School of Finance and Management, where he in addition studies Renewable Energy. Frankfurt is his hometown
Luca Zampori is a team lead at PRé. He has more than 15 years of experience in environmental and carbon footprint, life cycle thinking and sustainability. His core expertise lays in addressing them from a technical point of view and provide advice by balancing scientific and practical needs. At PRé Luca is coordinating the team which focusses on sustainability methodological developments.
Before joining PRé, Luca worked for many years at the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission where he has been a reference contact person for LCA methodology development. Luca has coordinated the project to develop the OEFSR of the copper producing sector (2013-2018) and the Data Working Group of the EF transition phase, which included all of the major LCA software and data providers. He represented the EC in several international meetings.
Since 2013 he has led many activities at the JRC in relation to the methodological development of the Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) and Organisation Environmental Footprint (OEF) (Rec 2021/2279) where, among other activities, he also led the development of IT tools routinely used by the Joint Research Centre for quality assurance purposes.
5 & 6 November will take place at the KBR - The Royal Library of Belgium - which is the national scientific library.
Mont des Arts 28
1000 Brussels
5th November in the evening, we welcome you for the Cocktail Dinner at the Autoworld from 19.00
Parc du Cinquentenaire 11
1000 Brussels
On 7th November, we will wrap up the Forum with a visit to the European Commission, where discussions will continue to address sustainability policies.
European Commission - Building Charlemagne
Rue de la loi 170
1000 Brussels
Delegate fees: Fees include entrance to the conference, lunches, coffee breaks, 1 evening cocktail, a networking drink, a visit to the European Commission, as well as the conference presentations in digital format. Fees exclude 21% Belgian VAT.
| EDANA Member | Non-member |
| 1.320€ | 1.760€ |
Discount: Benefit from a 10% discount by registering a minimum of 3 delegates. Registrations must be done simultaneously to benefit from the discount.
Become an official sponsor of the second edition of the EDANA Sustainability Forum and enhance your company's visibility. This is a prime opportunity to keep your brand at the forefront of attendees' minds.
Sponsorship opportunities include:
Check our sponsorship brochure for details and price.
The Forum takes place at the KBR, The Royal Library of Belgium, located in the center of Brussels. Please note there is a paying parking available.
To facilitate your stay, we have secured rooms in 4 hotels. We strongly recommend you book your room as soon as possible, since they will be released closer to the date. Then, it will be subject to availabilities. Click here for hotels presentation and booking links.
In November 2023, EDANA organized the first edition of the EDANA Sustainability Forum. Established in Brussels, Belgium, this new event gathered just under 150 nonwovens professionals to address issues from the future of value chain transparency to bioeconomy innovations.
Being held in the heart of the European Union offered participants the unique opportunity to meet with EU officials. The three-day event included presentations from European Commission staff and culminated with a tour of the European Parliament. It was also an opportunity to unveil EDANA’s recently revised sustainability vision. Available on the EDANA website, it is split into three pillars addressing climate action, circular solutions, and a sustainable value chain. Read more.
Download EDANA Sustainability Vision
Participants of the 2023 Forum at the European Parliament:
