Lifetime of Achievement: Thomas Udesen
Thomas Udesen is currently serving as the CPO at Bayer, a multinational pharmaceutical and life sciences company.
Launching his career while studying at the Copenhagen Business School, he worked to get a higher diploma in business administration between 1990 and 1993. Before finishing his course, he was already working.
His career started back in 1990 with The East Asiatic Company, where he spent 12 years before moving to Johnson and Johnson in 2003, climbing to the VP and CPO by February 2010.
In 2014, he joined Bayer, becoming the CPO, SVP and Global Head of Procurement and Trading.
He is also the Co-Founder of The Sustainable Procurement Pledge (SPP), alongside CPO of Henkel Bertrand Conqéret. The SPP which is working to make the industry more sustainable by embedding all procurement practices with the UN Sustainable Development Goals and Science-Based Targets by 2030.
The SPP held its third event on World Sustainable Procurement Day in 2024, bringing together procurement professionals for collaboration for the good of people and the planet.
“As procurement professionals, we are holding an incredible decision power which many of our colleagues may not yet realise,” Thomas tells The Climate Choice.
“Using our discretionary decision power for good drives many small changes that ultimately lead to a big change.
“Recognising the power of the crowd, the idea to create a Sustainable Procurement Pledge was born. We wanted it to be a very inclusive pledge, a pledge in which anybody involved in Procurement activities around the globe could find themselves and engage. From intern to CPO, from student to professor, from buyer to supplier – literally everybody who cares deeply about the future of our planet and the next generations.”
As CPO, he was responsible for leading Bayer's global procurement strategy, overseeing the procurement function across the organisation's various business units and regions. Udesen brought with him extensive experience in procurement and supply chain management, having previously held leadership roles in procurement at companies such as Novartis and Maersk. During his tenure at Bayer, Udesen focuses on driving strategic initiatives to optimise procurement processes, enhance supplier relationships and drive value for the company.
He is also a part of Bayer becoming a founding member of the Together for Sustainability initiative (TFS). While at Bayer, he has overseen the company embrace the role which procurement plays in sustainable supply chains for a brighter future. In 2020, Bayer became a part of the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) and established clear objectives to significantly decrease our absolute greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), both from its direct operations across Scope 1 and 2 and those inherited through its supply chain, also known as Scope 3. As part of our commitment to SBTi, it aims to reduce absolute Scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions by 12.3% by 2029 using 2019 as the base year.
“At Bayer, we have formed a specialised team known as our ‘Decarbonization Accelerator’,” Thomas explains in an interview with Beroe. “This team ensures that the subject of decarbonisation stays as a priority among the company’s senior leaders. The emphasis is not on being highly innovative but on executing what is already known to be essential.
“The key is to take action —- to roll up sleeves and get to work. Leadership, setting priorities and having a genuine passion for what one is doing are crucial. When an organisation demonstrates commitment to these values, it becomes apparent to employees, suppliers and customers. This recognition can lead to accelerated efforts and credibility.
“Sometimes, focusing on fundamental actions can lead to innovation. Unfortunately, many companies are still struggling to execute even the basic steps.”
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