Making the Case for Sustainability in the Flavor Industry – A FEMA Workshop

Valerie Wieman is an Assurance Partner in PwC’s U.S. National Office with over 30 years of experience and currently serves as one of the sustainability reporting technical leaders. She is part of the leadership team responsible for crafting PwC’s response to various U.S. and international environmental, social, and corporate (ESG)-related proposals and developing the interpretations and communications about final ESG-related rules and standards as they are issued. Valerie co-led the development of the firm’s positions and drafting of the firm’s response to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)’s 2022 climate disclosure proposal and participates on several PwC global working groups to discuss interpretations of the global sustainability frameworks.

Prior to her current role, Valerie was a part of PwC’s U.S. National SEC Services group, helping clients navigate SEC rules and regulations in periodic and transaction-based filings, and spent 20 years serving audit clients in a variety of industries. Valerie is a graduate of Villanova University and a member of the Sustainable Business Management Committee of the Institute of Management Accountants, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, and New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants.

Sven Ballschmiede is Executive Director of the International Organization of the Flavor Industry (IOFI). Before joining IOFI, Sven had been the Executive Director for the European Flavor Association (EFFA), while simultaneously serving as Executive Director for the German Flavor Association (DVAI) and the German Fragrance Association (DVRH). A native of Saarbrücken (Germany), Sven is a lawyer by training who studied in both Germany and Switzerland.

Prior to his career in the world of associations, Sven worked at the International Law Firm Gide Loyrette Nouel in Brussels specializing in International Trade Law and WTO Dispute Settlement. He assisted multinational companies in the context of anti-dumping and anti-subsidy procedures and advised different national governments in dispute settlement procedures at the WTO in Geneva.

Chisara Ehiemere is the Senior Research Lead, Return on Sustainability Investment (ROSI™) at the NYU Stern Center for Sustainable Business, where she oversees ROSI research and partnerships. She has over 20 years of experience building sustainable supply chains and roles, including Senior Assurance Director with Field to Market and Vice President of Certification at Fair Trade USA. Chisara holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Michigan and an MBA from the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University.

Mike Troupos is a Vice President at Foresight Management with Certified Energy Manager (CEM) and Certified Procurement Professional (CEP) designations from the Association of Energy Engineers. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering. Mike is a self-declared "energy nerd" who has spent the last ten years learning everything he can about the energy management industry. He thrives off the complex, rapidly changing nature of energy and sustainability. Mike is in his element when empowering industrial companies to strategize reductions in energy consumption and utility costs.