Samuele Murtinu, professor of International Business at Utrecht University School of Economics, opened the event by delving into the topic of Global Value Chains (GVC). He emphasized their complex dynamics and mutual benefits for locations and firms. Samuele’s engaging presentation provoked a discussion about the presence of the GVC components in different countries around the world.

Following Professor Murtinu’s presentation, Michiel Deurwaarder, Category Manager Finance at Vattenfall, delivered a thought-provoking presentation on Sustainable Supply Chain Finance at Vattenfall. He highlighted the importance of environmentally and socially responsible behavior in corporate practices, with a focus on Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) issues. In addition, Michiel presented a compelling video about the current work of Vattenfall and gave a crash course on building wind farms.

Furthermore, Luca Gelsomino, our Academic Director, showcased our latest research findings. During his presentation, he focused on updates in Supply Chain Finance (SCF) disclosures and the analysis of the top 1000 publicly listed companies in FORBES, highlighting an increasing trend in quantitative information reporting while new disclosures are decreasing. He emphasized the need for a shift of mindset related to standardization in discussing SCF and underlined the rising concerns about the growing complexity in the network of companies. His talk sparked further discussion on the topic.

The event continued with an intriguing presentation by Fabrizio Pallini from Hilti Italy, a family-owned leader in construction technology. Fabrizio emphasized several key points, including the importance of adapting to customer needs for business sustainability, focusing on business impact, customer experience, and organization. According to Fabrizio, credit insurance is the new digital payment solution that Hilti Italy has already started implementing on local-level initiatives.

Considering the importance of sustainability in improving supply chains, the next speaker Federico Caniato – Chairman of the SCF Community, addressed the topic further by delving into Sustainable Supply Chain Finance (SSCF). He discussed the main issues with SSCF and future developments. The event continued with an interactive workshop from Bart Ras, Researcher at Windesheim University of Applied Sciences, and Michiel Steeman, Founder of SCF Community. The workshop explored Carbon Financing with a particular focus on climate litigation and capital markets risks, as well as the 3 scopes of the world resources institute regarding the greenhouse gas protocol.

During the last part of the event, Patrik Marklund, Head of Trade Finance and Working Capital Solutions at Volvo Cars, discussed the topic of sustainability linked SCF even further. He emphasized that sustainability is a key factor for the future success of the company. In addition, Patrik presented a 3-level program for implementing new practices, and the lessons learned during the process.

To conclude the event, an insightful panel discussion moderated by Luca Gelsomino reflected upon the discussed topics bringing together the theme of sustainability within the realm of Supply Chain Finance. Our panelists, Bart Ras (Windesheim University), Fabrizio Pallini (Hilti Italy), Michiel Deurwaarder (Vattenfall) and Patrik Marklund (Volvo Cars), shared their perspective on ESG standards, the challenges around it and the solutions for the future.

Finally, Luca Gelsomino (SCF Community) concluded the presentations by emphasizing the link between supply chain finance and sustainability, and the importance of integrated thinking in the supply chain.

An intriguing day with thought-provoking presentations winding up this year’s corporate events. Did you miss this event and would like to learn more about these topics? More corporate events are to follow next year in different locations, so make sure to keep an eye on our website and sign up for our Newsletter to be the first one to hear about any upcoming events.