Workshops

Boost the return on your education investment at PSX 2024 by adding a preconference workshop to your registration. Learn from some of the top thought-leaders in product stewardship, and connect with fellow attendees in a casual and intimate setting. Workshops have limited space and fill up fast, so don't miss out.

*A separate registration fee applies to pre-conference workshop

Half-day Workshops:

Key Product Stewardship Concepts – Toxicology

Monday, October 14, 2024: 8:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. MT

Toxicology is a foundational element of one of the product steward's core competencies—understanding and mitigating human health hazards. This workshop will present the principles of toxicology as they relate to product stewardship. It will start with a systems approach to toxicology to provide participants with an understanding of the mechanisms by which chemicals alter the structure, function, or capacity of normal cells, organs, and systems, resulting in some type of effect. From this foundation, the workshop will cover the practical details of toxicology tests and understanding the reported results. Finally, the instructors will discuss incorporating the results and observations from toxicology tests into human health risk assessments for ingredients and products.

The instructors' goal is for the participants of this workshop to understand the information and decisions that go into human health hazard determinations and classifications. This workshop will focus on the principles of toxicology and the collection and interpretation of toxicology data. This is a basic course with no prerequisites. However, the instructors recommended that participants have a basic understanding of vertebrate biology.

Personal Responsibility When Engaging With Your Diverse Workforce

Monday, October 14, 2024: 8:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. MT

The goal of instructor Nelva Lee, PhD, is to help workshop participants create cultures of personal responsibility when engaging with diverse workforces at their organizations. Creating a culture of personal responsibility may improve an organization's communication with employees and employee retention rates. The instructor will outline the RETAIN (retention, engagement, training, assessments, inclusion and diversity, and networking) process.

Toxicology Principles - A Deeper Dive

Monday, October 14, 2024: 1:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m. MT

This half-day workshop will review toxicology basics and then dive deeper into toxicological principles essential to product stewardship. The instructors will use a mixture of lectures, discussions, polls, and quizzes to discuss the absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion of toxicants—that is, toxicokinetics. They will also cover the effects of toxicants on major organs; toxicant classifications such as carcinogens and persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic chemicals (PBT); and endocrine disrupters. The instructors will explain how exposure limits and toxicity reference values are derived using experimental doses, uncertainty and modifying factors for use in product risk assessment, and how qualitative and quantitative structural activity relationships (QSARS) are applied when empirical data are not available.

The course will include a section on ecotoxicology and its relevancy to product stewardship. This will take the form of a discussion on how exposure can cause adverse effects from individuals up through the food chain via trophic transfer. The instructors will also request examples of toxicological issues confronting product stewards from students for discussion during the workshop.

Establishing an Effective Global Product Stewardship Surveillance and Advocacy System

Monday, October 14, 2024: 1:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m. MT

One of a product steward's core responsibilities is to ensure the marketability and compliance of products, but the number and complexity of global chemical management regulations is increasing. Establishing strategies to track, interpret, advocate for, and prepare for emerging and changing regulations is challenging. This workshop will examine options for each of these steps and discuss their pros and cons. The goal of this workshop is not only for participants to develop strategies for ensuring marketability and compliance but to also become engaged partners in developing effective, science-based, and fit-for-purpose chemical management regulations. This half-day workshop is specifically designed for mid-career professionals who want to enhance their core competencies and who can participate in these discussions. It is also appropriate for new and early-career product stewards looking for new responsibilities; for product stewards, industrial hygienists, and other environmental health and safety professionals who want to better understand regulatory surveillance and advocacy; and for aligned professionals involved in advocacy activities in the legal field, public affairs, and business.

Full-day Workshop:

Introduction to Product Stewardship

Monday, October 14, 2024: 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. MT

This highly interactive workshop provides a comprehensive overview of the fundamentals of product stewardship including product compliance, risk management, sustainability, and toxicology. Perfect for those new to product stewardship or with less than 5 years of experience, each section will led by industry experts within their respective areas, including several Certified Professional Product Stewards®.