Jan Francis: Visa’s sustainable supply chain strategy

April 2022, Procurement Magazine, Supply Chain Digital and Bizclik Media Group returned to the Tobacco Dock (London) to host our second Procurement & Supply Chain LIVE. 

Dubbed ‘The Risk & Resilience Conference’ the two-day hybrid event was held on the 27th and 28th of April, featuring keynotes, roundtables, Q&As, and 1-2-1s from inspirational and knowledgeable leaders in the procurement and supply chain space.

Building a supply chain sustainability strategy in a new reality

When it comes to sustainability “there are a lot of decisions to make,” says Jan Francis, Director and Head of Procurement Operations and Supplier Management, Europe Sourcing Visa.

When it comes to sustainability efforts Francis stresses that “the time has been ‘now’ for 50 years!” Quoting Larry Fink’s 2022 letter to CEOs, Francis adds: “Every company and every industry will be transformed by the transition to a net zero world. The question is, will you lead, or will you be led?”

Visa’s sustainability strategy 

Walking the audience through Visa’s top-level multi-year goals for its sustainability efforts, Francis highlights three core areas: 

• Carbon neutral operations now
• Net zero by 2040
• Climate positive on-going

The multinational financial services company aspires to “be the engine of sustainable commerce and the transition to a low-carbon economy.”

Specifically, when it comes to Europe Sourcing Visa, Francis details the business function’s key focus areas when it comes to sustainability:

1. Gain greater visibility of our supply chain sustainability 
2. Strengthening sustainability stance in supplier-facing documents
3. Increasing the number of diverse suppliers
4. Increase the diversity of supplier teams
5. Collaborating with suppliers to reduce the environmental impact of the supply chain 

Concluding his keynote, Francis highlights the top challenges he has experienced during the creation of sustainability strategies and his top tips for overcoming them. 

Top challenges

1. Stakeholder education 
2. High expectations 
3. Strategic alignment
4. Regulation and legislation
5. Data 

Top tips

1. Identify your sponsors
2. Communicate and educate 
3. Set your strategy and multi-year plan
4. Leverage external resources - but be specific 
5. Actively engage your suppliers - collaborate 

Did you see Jan Francis’s keynote when attending Procurement & Supply Chain LIVE 2022? Watch on-demand Francis’s keynote on ‘Building Supply Chain Sustainability Strategy in a New Reality’:

To watch any of our other speakers from Procurement & Supply Chain LIVE: The Risk and Resilience Conference, click here. 

PROCUREMENT & SUPPLY CHAIN LIVE 2022

This October, Supply Chain Digital and Procurement Magazine return to London for an all-new event - PROCUREMENT & SUPPLY CHAIN LIVE LONDON 2022.

Click here, to find out how you can attend PROCUREMENT & SUPPLY CHAIN LIVE LONDON 2022.

Held at the QEII Centre between the 12th and 13th of October 2022, BMG’s all-new hybrid event incorporates two zones - SupplyChain LIVE and Procurement LIVE - to create a single EXPO-style event. 

PROCUREMENT & SUPPLY CHAIN LIVE LONDON 2022 will give those attending the chance to showcase their values, products and services to partners and customers.

To find out more about PROCUREMENT & SUPPLY CHAIN LIVE LONDON 2022, click here.