BPMA Sustainability Conference 2024: Pioneering the Path to a Greener Future
Following the first BPMA Sustainability Conference last year, we are back to help chart the next part of the journey
The BPMA’s first Sustainability Conference last year revealed the hunger for information on this subject, and the desire to find out how to help promotional merchandise be fit for the sustainable future.
A year on, the sector is set to meet again to take stock of where we have got to and what we still have to achieve.
New CEO, Phil Goodman, has highlighted the existential nature of sustainability for the merchandise industry. As he puts it in the interview on p10: “What we do it the easiest thing for firms grappling with their own sustainability to say ‘no’ to as they look to tackle their own footprints. They say, ‘Do we really need those T-shirts, flags and bottles?’”
Our industry needs to stop, think and challenge ourselves in every aspect of our businesses now to ensure we are fit for the future and for our customers. Considering every aspect of what sustainable business means to BPMA members is central to this year’s Annual Sustainability Conference.
The conference will arm members with information, insight and actionable takeaways, exploring the goals we need to address as an industry and companies, supply chain resilience, marketing tools to ensure you get your sustainable messages right plus AI, research and more.
With networking, expert speakers, workshops, debate and discussion, it is a must attend event for anyone interested in learning more about the sustainable future of the industry.
What’s on?
The Conference starts at 9am with a networking breakfast to fuel the day before the conference starts with new BPMA CEO Phil Goodman sharing his vision and summary of the day ahead.
BPMA net zero partners, Planet Mark will be providing an overview of where the UK is now in the current sustainable and economic climate, giving a view on the impacts of a possible new Government and what this means for 2050 NetZero goals.
Following this will be Elle Chartres from AdNetZero to give members a unique end user insight into where advertisers are aiming and what the promotional merchandise industry can do to meet expectations.
Members will then have a chance to get involved with our workshop – Stop, Think, Action – as we welcome back popular speakers Sarah Duncan and Kevin Duncan. Sharing a one-year update on industry progress, attendees will be asked to contribute their actions, discuss and debate to agree a way forward.
After this, we welcome regular speaker Jodie Newman, specialist SME B2B marketer, to look at how those actions can be taken forward to promote and progress member business.
After a well-earned break for lunch, the afternoon session kick starts with powerful sessions to look at overall business sustainability, stability and success. Procurement expert Mike Lander will kick off discussion of the macro context on challenges facing buyers in this market and why procurement’s role is ever more critical when uncertainty and risk increases.
Interviewed by Phil Goodman, Mike will reveal what the Kraljic matrix is and why BPMA members need to understand it. Covering negotiation success factors when dealing with procurement, this deep dive into procurement is an important discussion every member should hear.
AI is a topic that we have all heard a lot about this year, and we are joined by Henry Smith of Sentium Consulting. Taking supply chain and product information as his theme, he will be sharing how AI applied to particularly challenging areas of the industry can help resolve and open opportunities.
As members know, last year the StepForward Pledge was launched and with now over 35% committed and new Pledges being submitted daily, Board Director Melissa Chevin and Phil Goodman will be sharing some of the incredible progress members have made in the last twelve months, explaining why the BPMA has made the Pledge mandatory for all members.
Wrapping the day up with an exciting member panel to discuss a view from new members coming into the BPMA and comments from the floor, the Conference will set the agenda for the year ahead.
This is an exciting, as well as a challenging time for the industry. Like all sectors of business we are having to wrestle with an issue that will define the future decades, and it is in our hands now.
To find out more about the conference, go to bpma.co.uk/events.
