Apparel product compliance/product integrity seminar - Toronto

Madi is a practical and solution-driven lawyer, advising clients on a range of Environment, Social, and Corporate Governance (ESG) matters. Madi advises on opportunities and risks relating to ESG topics and assists clients to fulfill their ESG strategies. Madi has both private practice and in-house legal experience, and prior to joining KPMG, served as ESG Legal Counsel to one of Canada's largest banks. 

Madi has experience in advising various business functions on topical ESG issues, including disclosure risks (e.g., greenwashing and disclosure due diligence), ESG governance (e.g., policy development and training), and ESG regulatory and legal compliance (e.g., Modern Slavery Act reporting). Madi has also advised clients on environmental compliance matters, environmental litigation, energy law, and Indigenous legal issues. As an environmental litigator, she supported clients from start-to-finish through the litigation process and represented clients before Ontario Courts and Tribunals. 

Madi has experience working with a variety of clients across multiple industries including forestry, financial services, and transportation. Clients she has worked with include businesses, municipalities, First Nations, Crown corporations, and individuals.

As the Lead Business Development and Sales at TrusTrace, I am passionate about creating positive impact in the fashion industry by enabling brands and retailers to track and measure the environmental and social performance of their products. With over 10 years of experience across enterprise sales, program management, new product development, pre-sales, and strategy development, I have the skills and knowledge to deliver value to our clients and partners.

SVP Group Sustainability and Innovation at ITL

Jimmy is a seasoned sustainability and innovation leader with over five years leading ITL’s global sustainability efforts, along with a background in climate change consulting in the mining industry. He brings hands-on experience in environmental and social audits, as well as driving large-scale sustainability programs in manufacturing environments. Throughout his career, Jimmy has focused on supply chain engagement, sustainable materials and packaging, carbon accounting, and corporate sustainability strategy. His passion for sustainability is deeply rooted in a lifelong love of nature and the outdoors — shaped by years spent fishing, surfing, and trail running. He combines this personal connection to the planet with a strong operational mindset and a solid academic foundation, holding a Master of Science in Climate Change and Sustainable Development from the University of Cape Town and a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering.

Senior Technical Manager -SGS

Debbie is an energetic, results driven, highly experienced professional with a strong background in pre-production & post-production quality assurance, regulatory compliance, product integrity and sustainability.

Debbie’s vast experience of working with the different retailers makes her an expert in seeing testing through the client’s perspective to provide clear, efficient technical guidance & solutions to challenges.

Core Strengths and Expertise:

• 20+ years of laboratory and retail experience. Specializing in intimates, apparel, and accessory

 end to end quality and compliance.

• Risk analysis, regulatory, chemical and sustainability expertise. Able to translate technical knowledge to a variety of partners to resolve issues.

• Development of products and processes end to end. Defect analysis and testing non-compliance review to make recommendations to correct and decrease failures through Corrective Action Plans.

• Comprehensive knowledge of fabrics, yarns, fibers, finishes, defect analysis, regulatory requirements (safety, chemical and claims), protocols, test methods and garment construction.

• Assures compliance with laws and specifications. Create and audit standards and protocols. Experienced with standardized test methods (AATCC, ISO, ASTM, CAN/CGSB etc.), laboratory procedures, requirements, and testing equipment.

Contact: Debbie.Hodgson@sgs.com   + 1 (614)-226.8707

Isabel is a Senior Associate with Marten Law, and head of the firm’s Toronto office. Isabel specializes in advising clients in the consumer product and energy sectors, and in helping clients find sustainable waste management solutions.

Her Canadian practice focuses on helping consumer product companies in the apparel, furniture, footwear, and outdoor gear industries comply with federal and provincial requirements for green marketing, emerging contaminants, and product end-of life management. She advises clients on reporting obligations arising out of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA), and helps clients craft effective and substantiated environmental marketing claims, particularly in response to the recently amended Competition Act. Isabel also counsels clients on evolving obligations under provincial and territorial extended producer responsibility (EPR) frameworks for managing packaging and other products at their end-of-life. Outside of the consumer product space, she has experience with the Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act (GGPPA), the Impact Assessment Act (IAA), and the predecessor to the Canada Energy Regulator Act.

She works with the broader Marten Law consumer product team to support clients with U.S. regulatory needs as well. A co-author of the PFAS Deskbook (Environmental Law Institute Press, 2023), she co-hosts the Monthly PFAS Briefing webinar, presented in collaboration with the Environmental Law Institute, which addresses legal and policy developments addressing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).

Prior to Marten, Isabel clerked for Justice Willcock and Justice DeWitt-Van Oosten of the British Columbia Court of Appeal. She graduated from New York University School of Law, magna cum laude, Order of the Coif.