#stf2018

[sustainablebusinessblog]

From pilot to scale and partner-up! Take-aways from the Scania Sustainable Transport Forum 2018.

To keep the global warming at a 2 degree level is crucial for the future of our planet. This was the key message of the former U.S. Vice-President, climate activist and Nobel Peace Laureate Al Gore as he entered the stage at Scania Sustainable Transport Forum 2018 in Stockholm addressing over 300 invited guests from all over the world. An important part of achieving this target is a fossil-fuel free transport system by 2050.

Professor Johan Rockström of Stockholm Resilience Center presented “The Carbon Law” as a tool to work towards this target. It states that by halving our CO2-emissions every decade until 2050 we can contribute towards a 2-degree world. This is a powerful tool which can be used by any organization at any level in any industry – even at a personal level.  

A major take-aways from this event was “from pilot to scale” and “a focus on partnerships” in order to drive the shift towards a sustainable fossil-fuel free transport system by 2050.

“It is time to go from pilot to scale”. This conclusion of a prominent panel moderated by Johan Rockström including members like Mikael Damberg, Christiana Figueres, Georg Kell, Sabine Schlorke, and Drew Kodjak points at that It is not enough with demonstrators and pilots, we now need implementations at a larger scale.  

For this to happen, partnerships is key. The main obstacle to a fossil-fuel free transport system is not technological but organizational and societal. To face this kind of problems a systematic approach towards working with some strategic partners becomes crucial. No one can do anything alone but everyone can do something together.  

As Scania CEO Henrik Henriksson concluded: “Sustainability and profitability goes hand in hand”. Sustainability has become bankable. If you want to be in business tomorrow you must be sustainable. Your customers, employees, partners and shareholders expects you – indeed, requires you – to be. Otherwise you are truly on your own. Define your ecosystem and make sure you partner up with other likeminded in that network if you want to stay in business. It is time to partner-up.  

We can all make a difference. Use your voice, your vote and your wallet to drive the change towards a sustainable world. Be a teacher and lead by example. It begins today. Right now.

Frans Prenkert

Professor of Business Administration at the Örebro University School of Business

Head of Örebro University Center for Research in Sustainable Logistics | ORULOG

Associated Expert at Forever Sustainable