SUPPLY CHAIN RESILIENCE

How ready are you for future trade with Europe?

Increase your resilience
as an international supplier of
advanced engineering and technology.

Join our research project and access business support.

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Sign-up to view the recording of the webinar on turning sustainability/ESG from a cost centre to a strategic advantage – and nominate your company for an interview and free consultation.

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Unlocking New Markets with Advanced ESG Strategies

Tap into lucrative UK and EU contracts

With a combined value of USD 4.5 trillion, the markets of the UK and EU represent significant opportunities for engineering and technology companies. However, as global leaders in sustainability, these markets are known for their rigorous Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) standards, making them challenging to penetrate. ESG is seen as a measure of suppliers’ resilience to risk.

Beyond Compliance: The Key to Success

Companies in Europe face increasing costs from carbon in their own supply chains, with importers facing tax through the Cross-border Adjustment Mechanisms, and new regulations arising from the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD).
For market leaders, it is no longer sufficient that suppliers merely comply with regulation and legislation. They want each link in their value chains to demonstrate a commitment to going further, leading and innovating to create resilience and strategic advantage. This means that business-to-business exporters should showcase proactive efforts in environmental stewardship, social responsibility, and strong governance practices. Exporters will also need Digital Product Passports.

Regional importance of ESG

According to a new study from the Thomas Reuters Institute, ESG is an important factor in global trade & supply chain resilience for only 58% of respondents in Asia-Pacific, and 70% in Latin America, while this jumps to 90% in the United Kingdom and European Union.

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Our research

Many companies around the world are already required to report on non-financial risk from changes in climate and society, under pressure from governments, regulators, and investors, as well as staff and consumers. They are demanding their suppliers also demonstrate operations beyond merely compliance.

This research aims to capture the stories of mid-sized companies across global supply chains in key markets for the UK and EU, and to understand some of the challenges in embedding responsible practices.

This image shows how more business issues become more of a risk and an oppportunity as issues become more mature. From research by Simon Zadek published in 2004.

Business risk and opportunity increase as issues mature (Zadek, 2004)

Business expert Simon Zadek showed how companies need to increase the maturity of their response as risks become more established (see diagram). While following laws and regulations is critical, companies that integrate responsible practices into daily core strategies significantly boost resilience by aligning business goals. Organisations where ethical behaviour is the norm are able to adapt to, and mitigate, many risks even more effectively.

With support of a team of auditors, advisors, and academics from the University of Birmingham, UK, our research is initially focused on India and Mexico which are attracting much interest, especially for engineering and technology buyers, as well as the UK. We welcome participation of business leaders from any country.

Our aim is to identify and interview leaders of enterprises who want to find new markets and are prepared to move beyond compliance by developing leadership to integrate environmental and social actions into their business operations and strategies.

Webinar: from cost centre to strategic advantage

We’ve put together a free support package as part of our research project, including a webinar and consulting interview. You can register below to watch the webinar and put forward your name to participate in the research.

Designing your sustainability strategy

Thought-leader Felicia Jackson, Principal Consultant at Contented ESG, introduces key sustainability concepts, including climate change, planetary boundaries, the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and systems thinking. These provide a foundation for effective sustainability planning and she examines how organizations can transform sustainability data from a cost centre into a strategic advantage. Learn about the skills needed to design a robust sustainability strategy and the role of policies and regulations in aligning compliance with innovation. Understand what’s needed for setting long-term visions, defining actionable goals, and leveraging strategic tools like science-based targets and materiality assessments.

Leading sustainability and managing change

Senior consultant Ruth Tank, co-director of Epion Consulting, focuses on leadership, change management, and practical implementation of sustainability strategies. Explore leadership’s role in driving collective action and how tools like design thinking can unlock creative solutions. Learn how to foster a culture of sustainability, engage stakeholders effectively, and use storytelling to communicate impact. The session covers key skills for implementing sustainability initiatives, including project management techniques, strategies for embedding sustainability into business operations, and risk mitigation methods. Discover how to measure progress through monitoring and evaluation, benchmarking efforts, and scaling up successful practices for greater impact.

You can read more about our webinar or sign-up to view it.

Get involved

We are keen to hear from leaders of mid-size companies who are working on their sustainability/ESG. Those who we select for interview (anonymously, if you prefer) will receive a copy of the research report.
Step 1: Sign-up to participate in the research project and we’ll give you access to watch our video From Strategy to Implementation.
Sign-up
Step 2: Once we’ve received your details, we’ll send you a link to the recording and a short survey to complete. During the survey, you’ll have a chance to request an interview with one of our senior sustainability consultants, who can also help you assess your sustainability maturity level.
Step 3: We’ll select a number of you for an online conversation in confidence (we won’t name you or your company if you don’t want us to). After the conversation, we will provide interview notes and recommendations on how you can continue your sustainability journey. We’ll also send you a complimentary copy of the research report.
If you’re interested, we’ll be happy to discuss how we can support you in your efforts to enter the European market.
If you have any questions, please contact us and one of our team will get back to you as soon as possible.
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