WELCOME TO the first-ever Pricing for the Planet Week - DAY 5
From Nov 4th to Nov 8th
Sustainability, where to start and what to do?
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DAY 5 - AGENDA
Welcome to the grand finale of PricingForThePlanet Week! Over the past five days, we've uncovered the powerful ways sustainability can transform businesses - exploring the green premium, pioneering business models, market insights, and so much more. Today, we bring it all together with an impactful session on supply chain optimization, followed by a dynamic wrap-up roundtable featuring emerging leaders and sustainability trailblazers.
Together, we'll revisit the week’s most game-changing insights, share practical strategies to kick-start or elevate your sustainability efforts, and uncover golden nuggets you can put into action right away. From finding the right partners and tools to embedding sustainable practices at every level, today’s sessions will equip you with everything you need to make sustainable progress a reality. Let’s close this week with renewed energy and a bold vision for a sustainable future!
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If you encounter any issues, feel free to reach out to us at info@pricingfortheplanet.com.
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​Part 1
Greening the Supply Chain: Building Eco-Friendly Networks
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Speakers:​
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Key Takeaways:​
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Prioritize Transportation for Maximum Impact:
Nate Chenenko shared research findings underscoring that transportation accounts for over 90% of carbon emissions in supply chain operations. While quick wins can be found in optimizing warehousing and packaging, targeting inbound and outbound transportation is where the most substantial gains in sustainability can be achieved. Transitioning from air to ground transport can cut significant emissions, though it comes with trade-offs in delivery speed.
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Importance of Supply Chain Scope and Focus:
Cedric Deleas emphasized that supply chain sustainability efforts should start with understanding your company’s scope (e.g., Scope 1, 2, or 3 emissions). For industries like food and beverage, agriculture can be a major contributor to emissions, but transportation still plays a vital role. Manufacturing enhancements, like adding solar panels, can also contribute to both reduced emissions and cost savings, demonstrating that sustainability and profitability can go hand in hand.
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Small Steps Drive Big Change:
Jordan Wolf advocated for incremental progress. He noted that while large-scale transformations are admirable, real progress comes from piloting small initiatives, such as limited product runs using sustainable materials. This approach helps lower the cost of new technologies and drives systemic change without overwhelming an organization’s resources.
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Data and Optimization are Key Enablers:
Alexis Gerogiannis highlighted the need to incorporate CO2 metrics into strategic decision-making and reporting. Optimization software can now help balance inventory management with CO2 reduction goals, offering tangible insights on emissions based on transportation mode, distance, and weight. This transparency helps companies track their progress and identify opportunities for further improvement.
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Build Cross-Functional Buy-In and Alignment:
Supply chain initiatives must align with a company’s overall strategy to gain support and investment. Cedric pointed out the importance of influencing leadership to integrate sustainability targets into the corporate vision and setting clear, focused goals that can drive significant change.
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Technology and Decentralization:
Jordan explored the potential of decentralizing supply chains with smaller, tech-driven production hubs. Advances in robotics, automation, and 3D printing make it feasible to shift from centralized, carbon-intensive manufacturing to localized, efficient production models. Nate added that even large automotive companies are exploring micro-production to reduce emissions and lead times, showing that technology can play a pivotal role in evolving supply chains.
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Practical Advice for Companies Starting Sustainability Initiatives
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Integrate Data and Technology Foundations: Establish robust data systems to collect and analyze both internal and external supply chain metrics. This helps companies measure current performance and set clear sustainability targets.
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Pilot Small-Scale Projects: Companies should not shy away from experimenting with smaller-scale initiatives to test feasibility and build a case for larger rollouts. This approach can demonstrate impact, reduce risk, and encourage buy-in from stakeholders.
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Optimize for Sustainability in Inventory Planning: By slightly increasing stock levels for high-demand products, companies can reduce the need for emergency air freight, thus saving costs and lowering emissions.
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Leverage Green Credentials: Cedric emphasized using sustainability efforts as a market differentiator. Companies that successfully integrate and communicate their green credentials can attract conscious consumers and stand out from competitors.
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Invest in Circular Economy Practices: Alexis pointed out that remanufacturing and incorporating recycled materials into supply chains can significantly minimize emissions and enhance sustainability metrics.
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Commit to Ongoing Education: The panel underscored that education is key to successful sustainability integration. Organizations need to invest in training teams to understand the full scope of sustainability metrics, optimization strategies, and the business case for green initiatives.
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Watch the full video:​​​
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Conclusion & Recap​
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Speakers:​
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Start Where You Are and Leverage Immediate Opportunities
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Surat Lozowick (Syncron): Emphasized that companies should start their sustainability initiatives by assessing their current position and looking for immediate ways to optimize their operations. This includes reducing emissions in existing processes like supply chain logistics and incentivizing customers to make more sustainable choices through strategic pricing.
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Big Insight: Sustainability should be integrated into daily business operations rather than treated as an external initiative. You don’t need to be a Chief Sustainability Officer to make impactful changes—individuals at any level can contribute.
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2. Partnerships and Consulting: Aligning Strategy with Purpose
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Claude-Henry Pignon (Ducker Carlisle): Highlighted the complexity of integrating sustainability into every part of an organization. He stressed the importance of a clear company purpose and aligning all functions to that purpose to avoid conflicting objectives.
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Advice: Seek external consulting support when needed to gain an objective perspective and assistance in navigating the intersection of tools, data, people, and processes.
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Data is Key: Establishing a baseline by assessing current data and understanding the organization’s footprint is essential for measuring progress and planning future actions.
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3. Empowering the Workforce through Education
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Victor Bocquillon (Join Next): Stressed the need for comprehensive training programs that create “sustainability natives”—employees who naturally incorporate sustainability thinking into their roles. Companies need to develop human capital that understands sustainability’s impact and can drive change from within.
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Collective Intelligence: Fostering a bottom-up approach, where employees share knowledge and collaborate on sustainability projects, can amplify efforts and create a culture that embraces long-term thinking.
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Quote to Remember: “We protect only what we love, we love only what we understand, and we understand only what we are taught.”
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4. Finding Low-Hanging Fruits and Building Momentum
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Victor Bocquillon (Join Next): Companies often become overwhelmed trying to tackle too much at once when regulations come into play. He advised focusing on low-hanging fruits that provide tangible, short-term results to build momentum and demonstrate value.
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Strategic Tip: Identify the easiest areas to improve that can make a noticeable impact, such as reducing emergency shipments in logistics or optimizing inventory to minimize air freight.
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5. The Role of Shared Value and Long-Term Vision
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Panel Consensus: While concepts like shared value and long-term thinking (e.g., “cathedral thinking”) are often mentioned in sustainability discussions, they haven’t fully taken root in many boardrooms. Leaders often struggle to prioritize long-term sustainability over immediate financial returns due to their short tenure in leadership positions.
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Insight: To overcome this, companies need to balance inspiring leaders with personal stakes in sustainability (e.g., future generations) and setting business-oriented KPIs to create a compelling case for change.
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6. Monetizing Sustainability as a Business Accelerator
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Fabien Cros: Reinforced the idea that monetizing sustainability isn’t about exploiting it but aligning it with business goals to prove value to shareholders and stakeholders. Sustainability should be seen as a strategic investment that can drive profitability and competitive advantage, not as a cost center.
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Top Skills for Sustainability Transformation:
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System Thinking: Understand how different parts of the business are interconnected and the long-term impacts of decisions.
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Data Proficiency: Learn to gather and analyze sustainability-related data to establish baselines, track progress, and make informed decisions.
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Communication and Advocacy: Be able to communicate the business and environmental value of sustainability efforts effectively.
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Regulatory Knowledge: Familiarize yourself with laws like the CSRD and carbon accounting to ensure compliance and strategic advantage.
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Final Thought: Sustainability is a long-term journey that starts with individual actions, solid data, and a unified organizational purpose. By integrating sustainability into daily operations and fostering a culture of education and collaboration, companies can turn sustainability into a true business accelerator.
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Watch the full video:​​​
Continue the journey with us!
We’re excited to launch our community-driven learning platform, The PricingForThePlanet Leanring Platform, designed to fill the critical skills gap at the intersection of business and sustainability.
Extensive research and conversations with leading headhunters have shown that the ability to monetize sustainability will be one of the most highly valued skills in the near future.
Join us as we empower professionals to turn sustainable practices into profitable strategies, driving both environmental impact and business growth.
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