Cutting Scope 3: How AI and Data Are Driving Sustainable Supply Chains

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Supply chains are responsible for the majority of global emissions, yet they remain the hardest to decarbonise. In this episode of the Sustainable Supply Chain podcast, I sit down with Saskia van Gendt, Chief Sustainability Officer at Blue Yonder, to explore how data, AI, and end-to-end visibility are changing that equation.

Saskia brings two decades of sustainability experience across government, retail, and manufacturing. We dig into the urgent challenge of Scope 3 emissions - why they make up 60%+ of global carbon output, why they’re so difficult to measure, and how regulatory pressure is finally starting to unlock action.

We discuss how AI-powered supply chain platforms can optimise sourcing decisions on the fly, set carbon budgets, and reduce waste, from manufacturing to reverse logistics. Saskia shares real-world examples, from cutting a million transport miles in South America to reducing food waste by 15% through demand-supply optimisation.

We also cover the overlap between resilience and sustainability, the impact of tariffs and CBAM, and how leaders can align sustainability targets with operational KPIs. The big takeaway? Sustainability isn’t a compliance box, it’s a strategic advantage for retailers, manufacturers, and logistics providers willing to integrate it into core supply chain decisions.

If you’re a supply chain leader looking to make measurable progress on emissions reduction, waste management, and resilience, this conversation is packed with actionable insights.

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