Procurement leaders prioritize sustainability, but action lags behind ambition and strategy.
We gathered an expert panel from our NEXT100 young talent community to discuss how sustainability can impact talent attraction.
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Amanda Davies
Chief Procurement & Sustainability Officer
Mars Wrigley
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Matthew Spencer
Procurement COE Manager, Supplier Management
Bekaert
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Philipp Gerstenberg
Purshasing Excellence Manager
Trelleborg
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Luke Abbott
Co-Founder
Equipoise
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Kathrin Adam
CMO
CircularTree
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Stefan Reith
Team Leader Procurement Policies and Sustainability
Porsche Holding
The link between sustainability and talent acquisition is ever-increasing. Now more than ever, employees want to work for companies that are actively trying to make the world a better, more sustainable place.
As we enter a “new era of recruiting,” in which employers are increasingly asked what their company stands for, we put together an expert panel comprised of NEXT100 members, along with NEXT100 founding partner and Chief Procurement and Sustainability Officer of Mars Wrigley, Amanda Davies, to share their thoughts on how sustainability can impact talent attraction.
Here is what they had to say:
When it comes to talent attraction, sustainability matters.
The talent gap has increased the pressure to build unique talent strategies, one that includes sustainability.
Comparing employer selection to a buying decision, Kathrin Adam, Chief Marketing Officer at CircularTree, highlighted how a competitive job market has made sustainability a core differentiator when it comes to job selection.
One member recalled hearing of a candidate rejecting an offer due to the only option for a mandatory company car being diesel.
As Stefan Reith, Team Leader of Procurement Policies and Sustainability at Porsche Holding, well stated, the times of procurement concerning itself with just three bids and a buy are long gone. Today, procurement professionals are looking to address societal and enterprise issues such as decarbonization, diversity, volatile markets, circular economy, and digitization.
While the competition for talent continues forces companies to create unique talent attraction strategies, and procurement is increasingly tasked with delivering a brighter, more sustainable tomorrow, there is no question that sustainability offers a massive opportunity to attract talent and enable progress.
There is much to do, and you’ll need the right talent with a shared commitment to the future to do it.
Purpose is a pillar of motivation.
Luke Abbott, Co-Founder of Equipoise, pointed out the essentialness of connecting with talent through purpose, reminding us of the three pillars of motivation: “Mastery, autonomy, and purpose are the three core pillars of motivation, and talented people seek to max out on all three. Offering a role where there is no opportunity to make a positive impact on the environment or society leaves the purpose box unchecked.”
Phillip Gersttenberg, Purchasing Excellence Manager, Trelleborg GroupCompanies that have sustainability deeply embeded into their bussiness agenda alows employees, irrespective their department, to act on these topics. This allow emplyees to work in an area of real consern for them (both privately and professionally), making then value their employment more deeply, leading to better talent attraction and retention.
