Building a Green Supply Chain Together: SDA Makes a Splash at the ACE SiMPL 2024 Summit, Leading the New Trend in ESG Management
Recently, SDA participated in the 14th Supply Chain Innovation Summit (SiMPL2024), hosted by ACE, featuring the SDA Low-Carbon Supply Chain & ESG Management Forum—a landmark event on sustainability. Industry leaders gathered to explore practical approaches and future trends in low-carbon supply chains and ESG management.
Lance Huang, Supplier Sustainability Lead, Global Supply Chain Procurement, Schneider Electric
Lance shared Schneider Electric’s strategies for driving green transformation in supply chains through sustainability initiatives and supplier collaboration. He highlighted key efforts, including:
- Implementing strict supplier codes of conduct
- Promoting eco-friendly production practices
- Providing technical training to enhance suppliers’ sustainability capabilities
- Advancing renewable energy, energy efficiency, and circular economy solutions to cut costs, boost competitiveness, and combat climate change
His insights showcased Schneider Electric’s leadership in sustainable supply chain management, offering valuable lessons for other businesses.
Helen Fu, Founder, Yangtze River Delta ESG & Zero-Carbon Research Institute
Helen emphasized the growing role of ESG principles in supply chains, noting their impact on risk mitigation, brand value, and attracting sustainable investments. She explained how integrating ESG into supply chain management can:
Improve transparency and ethical labor practices
Drive innovation and green transformation
Foster industry-wide collaboration for a greener, more equitable future
Zhong Qinghong, Chongqing Zhizhonghe Low-Carbon Technology
Zhong Qinghong outlined best practices for sustainable factory planning, underscoring its dual benefits for business growth and environmental protection. Key steps include:
Energy audits to identify inefficiencies
Smart automation to optimize resource use
Circular economy models to minimize waste (e.g., recycling/reusing materials)Case studies demonstrated how these measures deliver both economic and environmental gains.
Phil Xu, SDA Council Chair & 4flow VP
Panel Discussion: Digitalization & ESG in Supply Chains
Moderated by Phil Xu, SDA Council Chair & 4flow VP, experts—including Lance Huang, CarbonTech CEO Chen Long, Zhong Qinghong, and ex-Fortune 500 procurement lead Yoko—debated how digital tools can enhance ESG performance. Highlights:
IoT and big data reduce delays, energy waste, and emissions
ESG must be embedded end-to-end, from supplier selection to logistics
Corporate responsibility (e.g., eco-projects, community engagement) strengthens brand trust
Lance Huang, Supplier Sustainability Lead, Global Supply Chain Procurement DepartmentSchneider Electric
Chen Long, CEO & Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO)CarbonTech
Zhong Qinghong, Chongqing Zhizhonghe Low-Carbon Technology Co., Ltd.
Yoko, Former Senior Procurement ManagerFortune 500 Company
First, digital transformation serves as a crucial driver for sustainable supply chain development. Digital technologies enable enterprises to better monitor and manage their supply chains, enhancing efficiency while reducing costs and carbon emissions. For instance, IoT solutions facilitate real-time cargo tracking to minimize unnecessary delays and waste, while big data analytics optimize production planning to decrease energy consumption and material waste.
Secondly, ESG principles must be comprehensively integrated throughout the entire supply chain management process. Companies should embed environmental protection, social responsibility and corporate governance considerations across all stages – from supplier selection and product design to manufacturing processes and logistics distribution. Practical applications include:
Partnering with suppliers demonstrating strong environmental and social responsibility records
Developing more eco-friendly product designs
Implementing low-carbon, high-efficiency logistics solutions
Enterprises should proactively embrace social responsibility to advance sustainable supply chains. This approach not only mitigates risks and enhances competitiveness, but also generates positive societal and environmental impacts. Demonstrative actions include supporting environmental initiatives and participating in community programs to showcase corporate citizenship and strengthen brand reputation.
Only through collective industry-wide efforts can we achieve truly sustainable supply chains and contribute to building a greener, more harmonious future. We extend our sincere appreciation to all participants and look forward to jointly advancing green supply chain and ESG development initiatives!