Blog
Aufbau der nächsten Generation von Kommunikationsnetzen und einer nachhaltigeren Zukunft
We live and work in an interconnected world, which is true for individuals and businesses alike. An organization’s influence does not begin and end within its walls, especially when it comes to Nachhaltigkeits impacts and outcomes. Every link in a chain either contributes to or hampers progress towards an organization’s overall sustainability goals and a more sustainable future.
Risk mitigation demands that companies remain accountable and transparent as they speak to their long-term roadmap. This requires a deep understanding of how every part of the business — including the suppliers and vendors that organizations partner with — potentially impacts overall risk. For instance, a company may ensure fair labor practices for all employees but rely on a supplier with a track record of human rights issues. This will present a high degree of long-term risk, which could include financially material consequences and a negative impact on brand reputation, if misaligned with the company’s stated values and goals.
Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions classifications by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change are a key consideration for how value chain partners can affect sustainability performance. Scope 1 and 2 emissions refer to a company’s direct greenhouse gas emissions and the emissions associated with its purchase of power or fuel. Scope 3 goes further, extending to the emissions from other segments of a business’s value chain. This includes suppliers, freight providers, and end-of-life partners, among others. Given climate science’s guidance that we must reach net zero by 2050, the most environmentally responsible companies recognize that they cannot stop at Scope 1 and 2 emissions; they need to set their sights on net zero by addressing Scope 3 emissions as well.
These examples demonstrate how regulatory bodies, investors, and customers are now taking a broader view of a company’s sustainability performance. As companies build out their sustainability roadmaps and programs, they will need to team up with value chain partners to measure and assess their own sustainability metrics and environmental impacts.
Mit Zielen und Kennzahlen auf den gleichen Stand kommen
In a previous post, we discussed how early in our sustainability journey at Flex, we were careful to prioritize the scope of initial activities. As a starting point, we focused on identifying facilities that we needed to track and collecting baseline environmental data.
Das Gleiche gilt auch für die Zusammenarbeit mit Partnern in der Wertschöpfungskette. Bei der Bewertung von Lieferanten und Anbietern anhand von Nachhaltigkeitskennzahlen besteht der erste Schritt darin, die aktuelle Leistung zu messen, um eine Grundlage für die zukünftige Zielsetzung zu schaffen.
Questions to ask value chain partners to understand where they stand in their sustainability journey and goals:
- Verfügen sie über eine Nachhaltigkeitsstrategie oder Kennzahlen, die sie verfolgen?
- Do they report their sustainability data to any regulatory bodies or use an established framework?
- Wie passt ihre Nachhaltigkeits-Roadmap zu Ihrer eigenen? Wo divergiert es?
- Stimmen Sie zu, dass dieselben Ziele, Verpflichtungen und Schlüsselkennzahlen verfolgt werden?
It can take considerable time and resources to implement robust, reliable reporting systems for an organization, especially when including value chain partners. The key is to seek consensus with partners about the critical areas to track, while also being mindful of cost and resource limitations. Sharing best practices and learnings from the sustainability journey can also ease the way for value chain partners. In addition, companies can advise value chain partners on methodologies and metrics that will be easy to implement while setting a foundation that allows for future scalability.
For example, if an organization works with smaller suppliers, it may not be reasonable to have them report to an intensive framework that is targeted towards larger, publicly traded companies. But it does make sense to establish a baseline reading of their emissions, water usage, and waste management to assess the business’s overall environmental impact. Another critical area is labor practices and ensuring that workers have access to safe working environments.
At Flex, we collaborate with our preferred suppliers to participate in CDP’s environmental disclosure and scoring process because it is both cost-effective and appropriate for our shared goal of mitigating value chain emissions and reaching Netto-Null-Treibhausgasemissionen bis 2040. Da Flex darüber hinaus seit vielen Jahren an CDP berichtet, können wir unsere bevorzugten Lieferanten durch den Prozess führen und bewährte Verfahren aus unserer jahrzehntelangen Nachhaltigkeitsreise weitergeben.
Partnerschaft durch Transparenz und Kommunikation
Aligning with suppliers and vendors on sustainability goals isn’t about making demands. At Flex, we view our value chain partners as just that — partners who share our values, vision, and desire to improve lives and the world.
By keeping in close communication with suppliers, vendors, and customers, businesses are better equipped to take next steps on their sustainability journey without running into unpleasant surprises, like discovering that a preferred supplier has a less than favorable environmental track record that will raise investors’ concerns. Working with suppliers and vendors who are excited about sustainability and take pride in their own sustainability performance will make for a smoother and stronger partnership. As environmental regulation continues to grow, having established relationships with trusted value chain partners will be vital. It is also important to acknowledge that sustainability is evolving every day, and we are learning together on this journey. We do not have all the answers, but through true partnerships, we can figure it out together.
Ich freue mich auf
Creating a more sustainable future demands action, accountability, and collaboration across governments, nonprofit organizations, companies, and communities. In the case of businesses, it also requires that we take a broad and critical view of our entire value chain and whether our partners are in alignment with our sustainability ethos and roadmap.
Bei Flex arbeiten wir aktiv mit unseren Lieferanten, Verkäufern und Kunden zusammen, um kontinuierliche Fortschritte zu erzielen und Nachhaltigkeit zu einem Teil des gesamten Produktlebenszyklus zu machen. Egal, ob wir gemeinsam daran arbeiten, Emissionen zu senken, Abfall zu minimieren oder das Richtige zu finden Rückwärtslogistik und Aftermarket-Dienstleistungen im Bereich Kreislaufwirtschaft Für die Bedürfnisse unserer Kunden sind wir bestrebt, einen offenen Kommunikationskanal und Transparenz aufrechtzuerhalten.
True partnership on a sustainability journey cannot be achieved without ensuring that the organizational partners and people in the business ecosystem are aligned on the same goals, vision, and overall mission to make the world a better place.
