Leveraging the Power of Sustainable and Circular Procurement
Thursday, July 8th – 1:15 to 2:45 PM EDT
Technology is an essential and valued aspect of our lives, yet it comes at a price. The carbon footprint of our devices, the internet, and the systems supporting them account for about 3.7% of global greenhouse emissions, about as much as produced by the airline industry. Moreover, technology products continue to consume unsustainable amounts of materials and natural resources, be a source of hazardous substances, add to the largest growing waste stream in the world, e-waste, in addition to negative climate impacts.
While the technology sector is making strides to address their products’ environmental and social impacts, there continues to be sourcing from conflict zones, worker exposure to toxic substances during the manufacturer and assembly processes, and unacceptable labor and human rights behaviors throughout the supply chain. The Global Electronics Council works towards creating a world of only sustainable technology products and services through programs and partnerships to address these negative environmental and social impacts while maximizing the many positive benefits that technology brings to our daily lives. Join GEC and SSF in a 90-minute webinar addressing how sustainable purchasing practices can accelerate the technology industry’s pathway to net-zero energy and planet friendlier products and waste management practices.
Topics include:
- Trends in technology uses and Earth impacts
- Importance of consistent customer demand signals
- Getting to scale by aggregating the individual and private sector sustainable purchasing commitments
PANELISTS
| Mathis Wackernagel Founder, President Global Footprint Network  Mr. Wackernagel is co-creator of the Ecological Footprint and President of Global Footprint Network. Using data to measure human impacts on nature and biocapacity, Mr. Wackernagel has worked on sustainability with governments, corporations and international NGOs on six continents, and has lectured at more than a hundred universities. He previously served as director of the Sustainability Program at Redefining Progress in Oakland, California, and ran the Centro de Estudios para la Sustentabilidad at Anáhuac University in Xalapa, Mexico. He has authored numerous papers and books. | Reinier Guijt Senior Policymaker Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management  Mr. Guijt promotes sustainable public procurement in the Netherlands and abroad, using government spending as a tool to achieve sustainability goals, promote a circular economy and social justice, and fight climate change. Mr. Guijt is an Organizing Member of the Circular & Fair ICT Pact (CFIT) under the UN One Planet Network SPP Programme. As a trained writer, Mr. Guijt frequently writes and edits major policy papers, letters to parliament or news articles, translating complex policy content into a clear, succinct and convincing narrative. | Nancy Gillis, ModeratorCEO Global Electronics Council  As CEO of GEC, a mission-driven non-profit that seeks to achieve a world of only sustainable information technology. GEC manages EPEAT, the leading global ecolabel for IT products. For the past 20 years, Ms. Gillis has leveraged sustainability to increase competitiveness, reduce risk, and foster innovation in public and private sector organizations. Ms. Gillis has led Resilient and Responsible Supply Chains with Ernst & Young (EY) and managed sustainable procurement for Fortune 100 companies and as Director of the GSA Federal Supply Chain office. |
