Innovation Forum Podcast

This week: CottonConnect CEO Alison Ward speaks with Innovation Forum’s Ian Welsh about the role of enablers in apparel supply chains, and how to build capacity effectively on the ground. They also discuss how water impacts in cotton supply chains are being best tackled with a landscape approach. Plus all details of Innovation Forum’s upcoming conferences and events.

Sarah Rogerson, from Global Canopy Programme talks with Ian Welsh about the latest Forest 500 report that identifies and ranks the biggest companies that have tropical deforestation risks in their operations and supply chains. The report concludes that as a global community we will miss 2020 deforestation targets and no companies will be deforestation free in this time frame. There are some positive signs, in the palm oil sector in particular, but the report concludes that the progress in commitments and their uptake is still not happening fast enough. Please note that this interview was recorded on 20th March 2019.

This week: Anna Turrell, head of sustainability for UK and Ireland at Nestlé on business risks from modern slavery, and how the brand is continuing to develop its commodity supply chains and engage with its consumers’ concerns on plastics. Plus: Aldi goes for 100% sustainable soy, a new open apparel registry from the C&A Foundation, and why Ryanair is the new coal, in the news digest. Hosted by Ian Welsh

Amy Hall, vice-president social consciousness, Eileen Fisher talks with Ian Welsh about why it is so hard for the apparel sector to look deep into its supply chain given companies simply have, traditionally, so little influence beyond tier one. They discuss how brands can reach back to farmers and suppliers to achieve real supply chain traceability, the use of “better” chemistry in the manufacturing process and the potential of circular models in the sector.

This week: Stephen Brunner, global key relation manager for Bayer Crop Science, explains what the future of food supply will look like. He explains why climate change is the great urgent challenge that the entire value chain must address. And: CDP’s new global water report, why central banks need to consider climate risks, global rubber sector deforestation initiative and recognition of environmental human rights defenders by the UN, in the news digest. Hosted by Ian Welsh

In this webinar experts from IINAS, WBCSD, SkyNRG and United Airlines join Innovation Forum’s Toby Webb to discuss the sustainability of biofuels and who will be using them by 2025 and beyond. They debate the scale challenges, and look at how and whether biofuels will play a major role in carbon reduction for business users.

Eleonora Tieri, project leader for circular supply chains at Inter Ikea, talks with Ian Welsh about innovation in circular economy models, and in particular the new pilot projects in Sweden renting furniture to business. Tieri explains the mind-shifts necessary for a company to take responsibility for its products throughout its life so that it can be used by multiple customers. They discuss how connecting customers – business and consumer – with the products is a vital part in the process of developing proper circular economy models, and why suppliers are vital partners to achieve them.

This week: Global Canopy’s Sarah Rogerson, lead researcher on the just-launched 2018 Forest 500 report, on how far companies are implementing tropical deforestation commitments and why even the leading companies are not innovating fast enough. Plus: Malaysia takes on the EU at the WTO over palm oil ban, some evidence that MSC certification prevents seafood fraud, a new plastic recycling incentive scheme in Latin America from PepsiCo, and why recycling rates in the US are collapsing, in the news digest. Hosted by Ian Welsh

Ben Vreeburg, director, sustainability, at Bunge Loders Croklaan, speaks to Ian Welsh about transparency challenges in palm oil supply chains – particularly when moving from the mill to the farm level. Vreeburg argues that the changes to the Roundtable for Sustainable Palm Oil’s principles and criteria agreed in 2018 reflect an industry that wants to reform – highlighting the requirements for independent verification and the “no deforestation, peat or exploitation” supply chains that so many companies want. And they discuss how to achieve the tricky balance between working with suppliers who breach standards to improve versus suspending relationships when necessary.

Leading food companies are continually working on what they think will be the key food trends and shifts in consumer patterns that are likely over the next ten years – eg alternative protein sources such as cellular meat or plant-based alternatives. These may bring about profound change within their business. In this webinar, hear how companies can keep up with changing demands driven by consumer concerns around health, sustainability and clean eating. Panel: Nick Halla, senior vice president, international, Impossible Foods Victoria Spadaro Grant, chief technology officer, Barilla Group Gil Horsky, global director innovation SnackFutures, Mondelēz International Hosted by Ian Welsh, Innovation Forum

This week: Amy Hall, vice-president social consciousness at apparel brand Eileen Fisher, on supply chain impacts and supplier collaboration, and Ashley Allen from Mars, Kati Kaskeala from Kellogg and Dave Stangis from Campbell Soup on agri sector emissions. Plus soy sector monitoring in the cerrado, zero-emissions dairy, and Primark’s 100% sustainable cotton jeans, in the news digest. Hosted by Ian Welsh

Jessica Verhagen, vice-president business development and strategy at Ecosphere+, talks with Ian Welsh about how developing impact investment projects that value natural capital can help companies deliver on their climate targets. She explains how forest credits work to offset corporate emissions, and why the real benefit comes from transformative projects that enhance communities – meaning there is long-term gain across landscapes. They also discuss the consumer-engagement benefits from carbon pricing at the point of sale – something recently trialled by ice cream brand Ben & Jerry’s.

This week: Inter Ikea’s circular supply chain project leader Eleonora Tieri on how and why the furniture brand is working hard to develop circular models. She outlines what Ikea hopes to achieve from its new pilot business furniture leasing project in Sweden, and how that might be scaled to other product lines and locations. And another chance to hear from Baroness Lola Young on how companies can move from talk to action to tackle modern slavery. Plus: ETI calls for business model change to protect worker human rights, WWF accused of facilitating violence, Africa cocoa initiative passes commitment milestone, and climate change continues to impact food production, in the news digest. Hosted by Ian Welsh

Louise Nicholls, head of human rights, food sustainability and food packaging at Marks & Spencer, talks with Ian Welsh about the brand’s trial of plastic-free aisles in London stores, and the challenges in encouraging customers to be comfortable with unpacked produce. Nicholls argues that simply demonising plastic doesn’t solve the problem – and that it’s more a question of switching the balance towards alternatives where they make sense. They also discuss M&S’s work on developing transparency on modern slavery in its supply chains, how retailers can connect with workers and farmers beyond tier 1, and why this approach is all part of ensuring long-term security of supply.

Investors and shareholders, amongst other key stakeholders, are showing more and more interest in companies’ climate performance. With the clock ticking on individual and global climate targets, food and drinks companies are under ever increasing pressure to take more comprehensive and immediate action. In this webinar hear from Dave Stangis, chief sustainability officer, Campbell Soup Company Ashley Allen, climate and land senior manager, Mars Kati Kaskeala, corporate communications and sustainability director, Kellogg Company Hosted by Ian Welsh, publishing director, Innovation Forum Join Innovation Forum and hundreds of industry experts at the upcoming Future of Food conferences in Chicago on 22nd-23rd May and in London on 4th-5th June.  

This week: BT's head of governance and sustainability Tony Roy and Total's director of global procurement Christophe Sassolas debate how to make modern slavery risks a procurement priority with Toby Webb. And Jessica Verhagen, vice-president for business development at Ecosphere+ talks with Ian Welsh about how offsetting can help companies deliver on their deforestation and climate goals. Plus the impacts on agriculture from biodiversity loss, WWF and Knorr promote the 50 foods we should be eating, and how consumers can use blockchain to recognise good producer performance, in the news digest. Hosted by Ian Welsh

Sarah Middlemiss, space programme manager at Ecometrica, talks with Ian Welsh about trends in how companies are using satellite and other Earth-monitoring data to counter environmental risks. They discuss how business can monitor compliance with sourcing codes, develop better supply chain strategy identifying the best regions for the commodities they need, and undertake due diligence and evaluation of their suppliers and the impact of sourcing from a particular area. Ecometrica was a sponsor of Innovation Forum’s recent sustainable landscapes conference.

This week: Ben Vreeburg, director, sustainability, at Bunge Loders Croklaan discusses how to achieve transparency to plantation level in palm oil supply chains, the challenges in doing so, and what stakeholders want to see. He outlines how the industry is implementing the new Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil rules, and why these now better represent leading industry practices. Plus: Princes’ innovative food supply chains; smallholder access to new seed technology; Indonesia earns payout from Norway for slowing deforestation rates; pros and cons of plastic deposit return; and, how to pay for circularity in apparel supply chains, in the news digest. Hosted by Ian Welsh  

Geoff Mackey, corporate affairs and sustainability director, BASF, speaks with Ian Welsh about the importance for agriculture’s supply chains of efficiency to maximise outputs while minimising inputs, and how the use of GPS, monitoring and drone technology, for example, can help. Mackey discusses the techniques and technologies that are appropriate for smaller and larger farmers, and what companies need to think about so they target resources in the right way, and reduce waste at the same time.

This week: Jamie Barsimantov from SupplyShift, Stefan Sabo-Walsh and Erin McVeigh from Verisk Maplecroft, and Steven Wuerth from Gilead Sciences on how to use data to proactively identify, quantify and mitigate risks across complex global supply chains. And Canopy’s Nicole Rycroft on why there is deforestation in viscose-based apparel. Plus: the impact of insect population collapse on food supply chains, when energy demand and growth will decouple, EU palm oil as biofuel rules updated, and disconnect between corporate targets and their pension fund’s risk-exposure, in the news digest. Hosted by Ian Welsh