Next Frontier

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Today I'm talking to Matthew Yamatin. I found him through the Sustainable Procurement Pledge.

He published a case study on how Thermo Fisher engages with both customers and suppliers on renewable electricity adoption. Fascinating and a great topic for the show. So I invited him on to discuss all things renewable electricity. Matt has a background as an environmental engineer. He has worked with sustainability and renewable electricity across the US and China, and he's now sustainability program director at Thermo Fisher.

He's both passionate and incredibly knowledgeable about renewable electricity. So this was a fantastic discussion and we really got to nerd out. We talk about how to adopt renewable electricity programs in the supply chain, both power purchasing agreements and suppliers installing on-site generators. We'll touch on the state of the renewable electricity sector, what's going on with SBTI and the greenhouse gases protocol when it comes to recognizing renewable electricity.

We'll talk about something called the DUCT Curve, and we'll even comment on geopolitics and China versus the US, which is particularly interesting, as it was only a few weeks ago when we recorded this that China announced their first ever climate targets and the US abandoned the Paris Agreement.

This is a really good one.

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In this conversation, Thomas Johnsen discusses the evolving landscape of sustainable procurement and its implications for academia and industry. He highlights the impact of recent regulatory changes, the importance of sustainability in procurement decisions, and the various research themes being explored in academia. The discussion also delves into the complexities of supplier relationships, compliance strategies, and the need for a broader definition of sustainable procurement that encompasses environmental and social factors. Thomas also discusses the complexities of sustainable procurement, emphasizing the importance of understanding supply risk, compliance, and the role of procurement in driving sustainability initiatives. He highlights the pressures from stakeholders and regulations that compel companies to adopt sustainable practices. The discussion also covers best practices for ensuring supplier compliance, the challenges of managing sub-tier supply chains, and the significance of collaboration and data triangulation in achieving sustainability goals. Johnsen concludes with advice on starting a sustainable procurement journey, stressing the importance of gradual progress and collaboration with peers.

Takeaways

• Sustainable procurement is increasingly relevant in academia.
• Regulatory changes are impacting discussions in sustainable procurement.
• Monitoring compliance in supply chains is a key research area.
• Supplier relationships are crucial for ensuring compliance.
• Power dynamics affect how companies enforce sustainability standards.
• Collaborative practices can enhance sustainability efforts.
• Visibility of research in the business world remains a challenge. Supply risk varies based on the number of alternative suppliers.
• Procurement's influence on sourcing decisions can be limited by other departments.
• A significant portion of emissions is linked to procurement activities.
• Best practices include systematic monitoring and supplier training.
• Collaboration with suppliers is essential for developing eco-solutions.
• Cascading strategies can help manage sub-tier suppliers effectively.
• AI and data analysis are crucial for sustainability compliance.
• Starting small and collaborating with others is key to sustainable procurement.

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In this conversation, Thomas and Sree discuss various aspects of sustainability, focusing on the impact of regulations, the importance of traceability in supply chains, and the challenges faced in quantifying human rights issues. They explore the differences between EU and US regulatory landscapes, the role of innovation and operational efficiency in driving sustainability, and the significance of consumer demand in shaping business practices. The conversation highlights the need for collaboration and the integration of technology in achieving sustainable outcomes. Sree and Thomas also explore the intricate relationship between lobbying, regulations, and corporate responsibility in America, particularly in the context of sustainability and social equity. They discuss the pushback against DEI initiatives, the influence of political figures like Elon Musk, and the impact of pop culture on politics. The conversation also delves into the challenges of addressing poverty within supply chains and the importance of innovative business models that empower local communities. They emphasize the need for corporations to balance financial returns with social impact, especially in the face of evolving regulations and market demands for sustainability.

Takeaways

• US elections will significantly impact sustainability discussions.
• EU regulations are influencing US companies' sustainability strategies.
• Traceability in supply chains is complex and multifaceted.
• Consumer demand is driving companies to adopt sustainable practices.
• Operational efficiency can lead to cost savings and sustainability.
• Regulations are a catalyst for changing business models.
• Collaboration with NGOs is essential for effective traceability.
• The regulatory landscape in the US is becoming more stringent. Lobbying significantly influences regulations in America.
• DEI initiatives are facing backlash in the current political climate.
• Addressing poverty in supply chains requires innovative business models.
• Empowering local communities can lead to sustainable practices.
• Financing is key to transitioning to regenerative agriculture.
• Corporations must balance impact with financial returns.
• Consumer demand can drive corporate sustainability efforts.
• Regulations can be seen as opportunities for better business practices.

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In this conversation, Thomas and Philipp von Bieberstein, co-founder and CRO of Climatiq, delve into the intricacies of sustainable procurement, focusing on decarbonization and emission factors. Philipp shares his journey in founding Climatiq, a company dedicated to providing a tech stack for emission calculations. They discuss the importance of emission factors, the complexities of calculating emissions across various activities, and the challenges of ensuring comparability in data. The conversation also highlights the evolving landscape of emission factors, the role of local energy infrastructure, and practical advice for sustainability managers. Ultimately, they emphasize the need for action over perfection in the pursuit of sustainability.

Takeaways

• Decarbonization is a key focus in sustainable procurement.
• Emission factors serve as multipliers for calculating carbon footprints.
• Comparability in emission data is critical for effective procurement decisions.
• Local energy infrastructure significantly impacts emissions calculations.
• Engaging suppliers is essential for obtaining accurate emission data.
• Automation in carbon accounting is necessary to reduce manual data collection.
• Understanding hotspots in the supply chain is crucial for effective decarbonization efforts.

Host: Thomas Buch Andersson

Guest: Philipp von Bieberstein

Producer: Cristina Souto

Music: Kiholm

Join the conversation, give us feedback, suggest people we should speak to and areas we should cover, and become part of the Next Frontier community: https://linktr.ee/nextfrontierearth

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In this conversation, Thomas and Luká Yancopoulos, founder and CEO of Pandemic Relief Supply and Grapevine Technologies, discuss the challenges and opportunities in the medical supply chain from a sustainability perspective. They highlight the inefficiencies caused by middlemen and unnecessary shipments, leading to increased costs and carbon emissions. They also touch on the issue of waste, including the disposal of expired medical supplies. Luká shares insights into Grapevine, a company that aims to optimize the medical supply chain by connecting medical practices directly with suppliers and reducing unnecessary shipments. They also discuss the need for better inventory management and the potential for passive monitoring to reduce waste. Luká emphasizes the importance of making sustainability an easy and obvious choice for businesses and consumers.

Takeaways

• The medical supply chain faces challenges in terms of inefficiencies caused by middlemen and unnecessary shipments, leading to increased costs and carbon emissions.
• Waste is a significant issue in the medical industry, with a large amount of expired medical supplies being thrown away.
• Grapevine is a company that aims to optimize the medical supply chain by connecting medical practices directly with suppliers and reducing unnecessary shipments.
• Better inventory management and passive monitoring can help reduce waste and improve sustainability in the medical supply chain.
• Making sustainability an easy and obvious choice is crucial for driving change in the industry.

Host: Thomas Buch Andersson

Guest: Luká Yancopoulos

Producer: Cristina Souto

Music: Kiholm

Join the conversation, give us feedback, suggest people we should speak to and areas we should cover, and become part of the Next Frontier community: https://linktr.ee/nextfrontierearth

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In this conversation, Thomas and Neil D'Souza, CEO at Makersite, touch on personal experiences, the changing landscape of sustainability, the role of regulations, and the challenges of communicating sustainability to consumers. Neil explains how Makersite helps companies make better products faster by constructing digital twins of products and analyzing their environmental impacts, costs, and regulatory compliance. They also discuss the levers that can be pulled to design more sustainable products, including material changes, sourcing strategies, and product lifecycle considerations.

Takeaways

• The sustainability landscape has changed significantly in recent years, driven by factors such as geopolitical shifts, changing consumer demographics, and regulations.
• Companies are increasingly recognizing the business sense of sustainability and the importance of transparency in their supply chains.
• Designing more sustainable products involves considering material changes, sourcing strategies, and product lifecycle considerations. Material choices, manufacturing processes, and supply chains are the three primary drivers of sustainability in product design and supply chains.
• Designing products for their specific context of use and end-of-life considerations is crucial.
• Companies should focus on defining their materiality and specific sustainability goals to drive meaningful change.

Host: Thomas Buch Andersson

Guest: Neil D'Souza

Producer: Cristina Souto

Music: Kiholm

Join the conversation, give us feedback, suggest people we should speak to and areas we should cover, and become part of the Next Frontier community: https://linktr.ee/nextfrontierearth

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Thomas talks with Fabian Diaz, LCA and EPD Project Manager at Climate Earth, about sustainability on the product level and the use of life cycle assessments (LCA) to evaluate environmental impact. Fabian shares his journey into sustainability, starting as an engineer in the oil and gas sector and transitioning to LCA. They also touch on the maturity and awareness of sustainability in Europe compared to other regions, discussing the challenges and opportunities of implementing life cycle assessment (LCA) and environmental product declarations (EPDs) in supply chains.

Free resources from the EU to get up-to-speed with LCA, as mentioned by Fabian in the episode:

• https://eplca.jrc.ec.europa.eu/uploads/ILCD-Handbook-General-guide-for-LCA-DETAILED-GUIDANCE-12March2010-ISBN-fin-v1.0-EN.pdf
• https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC58190
• https://eplca.jrc.ec.europa.eu/permalink/PEF_method.pdf

Takeaways

• Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a methodology to evaluate the environmental impact of a product, process, system, or service.
• LCA covers activities such as energy consumption, materials, and waste generation throughout the life cycle.
• LCA and Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions calculations have similarities and differences, but they can provide complementary information for decision-making.
• Environmental product declarations (EPDs) can enhance comparability by following specific product category rules and providing standardized information.
• Buyers should read EPDs carefully to understand the assumptions and limitations of the data and make informed decisions.
• Implementing LCA and EPDs in supply chains requires effort and time, but it is necessary for transitioning to a sustainable society.
• The construction, food, energy, automotive, and chemical sectors are among the industries where LCA and EPDs are more prevalent.
• LCA data can be used to support product redesign and procurement optimization strategies.
• The allocation of environmental impacts in LCA can be based on production volumes, economics, or energy content.
• LCA should not be seen as a standalone tool but as part of a holistic approach to sustainability.

Host: Thomas Buch Andersson

Guest: Fabian Diaz

Producer: Cristina Souto

Music: Kiholm

Join the conversation, give us feedback, suggest people we should speak to and areas we should cover, and become part of the Next Frontier community: https://linktr.ee/nextfrontierearth

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In this episode, Thomas and Tim Grunow, Co-Founder of Archlet, discuss various topics including the tradition of burning a snowman in Zurich, the history of Archlet, and the role of sustainability in procurement. They explore how Archlet helps businesses make sustainable sourcing decisions and the challenges they face in implementing sustainability strategies.

They emphasize the importance of leadership buy-in and education in driving sustainable procurement strategies. They also discuss the need for procurement teams to collaborate with suppliers and foster innovation in order to achieve sustainability goals. Tim encourages organizations to start somewhere and communicate the value of sustainable procurement internally.

Takeaways

• The sustainability landscape in procurement is evolving, with some categories being more advanced than others.
• Strong leadership is crucial in driving sustainability initiatives in procurement.
• Educating businesses about sustainability and providing clear metrics is important for progress.
• Procurement plays a key role in achieving sustainability goals in businesses.
• Collaboration with suppliers and fostering innovation are key to achieving sustainability goals.
• Sustainable procurement extends beyond emissions reduction to include topics such as Diversity & Inclusion and Compliance.
• Organizations should communicate the value of sustainable procurement internally.
• There is potential for incentivizing supplier performance on sustainability.

Host: Thomas Buch Andersson

Guest: Tim Grunow

Producer: Cristina Souto

Music: Kiholm

Join the conversation, give us feedback, suggest people we should speak to and areas we should cover, and become part of the Next Frontier community: https://linktr.ee/nextfrontierearth

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In this episode, Thomas interviews Luke Abbott, CEO and Founder of Equipoise, about sustainable procurement. They discuss Luke's journey to specializing in this field, the definition of sustainable procurement, and the challenges and trends within. They also explore the drivers for sustainable procurement, including marketing, employee pressure, investor pressure, and cost savings.

In this conversation, Luke highlights the importance of understanding scope 3 emissions and the risk of focusing solely on carbon emissions. Other environmental and social topics, such as nature, biodiversity, and supply diversity, are also important considerations. Luke notes that different industries and regions have varying priorities in sustainable procurement. He emphasizes the need for global regulations and collaboration with suppliers to reduce emissions. The conversation concludes with a discussion on the changing focus of sustainable procurement and the impact of regulations.

Takeaways

• Sustainable procurement involves understanding and addressing the negative environmental and social impacts of the supply chain.
• Drivers for sustainable procurement include marketing and branding, employee pressure, investor pressure, and cost savings.
• Sustainable procurement can elevate the role of procurement within organizations and contribute to the achievement of environmental and social goals.
• Regulations are becoming stronger, leading to an increased focus on sustainable procurement. Understanding scope 3 emissions is crucial.
• Sustainable procurement should not focus solely on carbon emissions but also consider other environmental and social topics.
• Different industries and regions have varying priorities in sustainable procurement.
• Collaboration with suppliers is essential for reducing emissions and driving sustainability.
• Embedding sustainability throughout the procurement process is key to successful sustainable procurement.

Host: Thomas Buch Andersson

Guest: Luke Abbott

Producer: Cristina Souto

Music: Kiholm

Join the conversation, give us feedback, suggest people we should speak to and areas we should cover, and become part of the Next Frontier community: https://linktr.ee/nextfrontierearth

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.