Events | Workshop | Driving Real Climate Action: Finding the Supply Chain Carbon Lever

Supply chain carbon reduction is the most effective way to meet climate goals for many companies. Yet while many are proactively measuring supply chain impacts, they have found that translating their actions into real greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions is a challenge.

A BSR-WRI Workshop

BSR and WRI bring a set of shared leading perspectives on how to make the supply chain climate lever work. We invite you to a co-hosted roundtable event—part of a series organized by BSR's Supplier Carbon Performance initative—to discuss obstacles and new ways forward in supply chain carbon reduction. In this event, we will share insights from working with companies and hundreds of their suppliers in China. We will also offer an opportunity for companies to share experiences. 

The roundtable will convene companies from BSR’s member network and WRI’s Greenhouse Gas Protocol that have achieved carbon reductions in the supply chain and those just starting to plan the way forward.

Audience

This private forum is for BSR members, WRI partners, and special guests that seek to meet GHG goals by driving reduction in their supply chains. We invite leaders responsible for climate and energy programs and their supply chain colleagues (up to two individuals from each invited company).

Benefits for Participants

This workshop will inform participants about new insights, approaches, and techniques to use supply chain as a lever for climate change action through brief presentation and company discussion. Participants will:

• Understand the potential of supply chain as a lever for climate action
• Identify practical tools to drive supplier carbon reductions
• Learn how to effectively partner with suppliers in China
• Share and learn from each other during discussions
• Network with industry and other peers with experience using supply chain to address climate and energy objectives

BSR and WRI will share experience on key themes, followed by a facilitated discussion with the participants. Participants will discuss climate and supply chain issues with the Chatham House Rule in effect (participants may use information received but not reveal the identity or affiliation of speakers).

Agenda

10:00-10:30 | Coffee and Tea

10:30-11:00 | Introductions

• Cynthia Cummis, Deputy Director GHG Protocol, WRI
• Ryan Schuchard, Manager, Climate and Energy, BSR
• Edward Cameron, Director, Partnership Development and Research, BSR

11:00-11:30 | Discussion #1: The Scope 3 Impact Opportunity

• Samantha PuttdelPino, Director, Sustainable Business Initiatives, WRI

Sharing of common challenges and themes from a WRI survey of companies on value chain GHG management. Provide an overview of the business case for Scope 3 emissions management and the GHG reduction potential of managing value chain emissions. Questions and discussion.

11:30-12:30 | Discussion #2: Approaches to Driving Supplier Reductions

• Ryan Schuchard, Manager, Climate and Energy, BSR
• Edward Cameron, Director, Partnership Development and Research, BSR

Summary of tools that drive performance, including understanding suppliers’ aspirations, collecting information that is actionable, and determining how to improve suppliers’ ability to take the next step – the “three A’s” of measurement. Facilitated discussion will cover challenges and what companies need to overcome barriers to drive reductions.

12:30-1:30 | Lunch

1:30-2:30 | Discussion #3: Experiences with Supplier Engagement—Focus on China

• Ryan Schuchard, Manager, Climate and Energy, BSR
• Edward Cameron, Director, Partnership Development and Research, BSR

Sharing of insights on how companies are engaging suppliers in China on carbon reduction, approaches that are leading to real and demonstrable reductions, and the myths and misnomers around working with suppliers in China to improve energy and carbon performance. Facilitated discussion will address how companies engage Chinese suppliers to meet carbon reduction targets.

2:30-3:00 | Conclusions

• Samantha PuttdelPino, Director, Sustainable Business Initiatives, WRI
• Ryan Schuchard, Manager, Climate and Energy, BSR

Review of themes and discussions of an agenda for future action, with an opportunity to ask about WRI’s Greenhouse Gas Protocol and BSR’s Supplier Carbon Performance Initiative.

About BSR’s Supplier Carbon Performance Initiative

BSR’s Supplier Carbon Performance (SCP) initiative brings companies and their China-based suppliers together to drive real, visible emissions reductions by identifying energy-saving opportunities on the ground, coaching suppliers to develop energy management programs, resolving barriers that stand in the way of taking further action, and driving senior support within suppliers.

SCP complements existing disclosure initiatives such as CDP’s supply chain program and Scope 3 reporting by providing real tools and engagement opportunities to drive demonstrable GHG reductions with energy and carbon management on the ground.

SCP builds from the two-year Energy Efficiency Partnership (EEP) pilot project that developed management capability for energy efficiency with over 400 suppliers in China, established 70 action plans with suppliers, and delivered 12 million kWh of energy savings. 

Over the past five years, BSR has worked with leading multinational manufacturers, retailers, and consumer products companies to coach over 3000+ suppliers on energy management in China since 2005, applying a “beyond monitoring” approach that moves beyond supplier disclosure to advancing carbon performance.

About WRI

WRI focuses on the intersection of the environment and socio-economic development. We go beyond research to put ideas into action, working globally with governments, business, and civil society to build transformative solutions that protect the earth and improve people’s lives.