Collaborating for Impact: Driving sustainability in complex supply chains

Sourcing from complex environments presents unique challenges and opportunities for companies committed to sustainability. This webinar explores practical approaches to advancing environmental and social goals in global supply chains.

Participants will learn from real-world examples, gain insights into how cross-sector partnerships can drive measurable impact, and discover tools and strategies for implementing sustainability at scale.

The session will feature a case study on the collaboration between global agricultural merchant and processor Louis Dreyfus Company (LDC) and the NGO Swisscontact, showcasing how regenerative agriculture practices were integrated into coffee supply chains across multiple countries simultaneously. Speakers will share lessons learned, discuss the potential for replication across sectors, and highlight strategies for building resilient, low-carbon value chains.

Key questions include: 

• What are the main considerations when implementing sustainability strategies in complex environments?

• What sustainability challenges arise in opaque, and price-volatile supply chains such as those for agricultural commodities?

• What practical tools and frameworks enable companies to implement sustainability strategies effectively across multiple countries and at scale?

• How can partnerships between companies and development organizations accelerate progress?

Target group

• This webinar is open to everyone interested.

• It is particularly relevant for professionals in sourcing and procurement, sustainability and ESG strategy, supply chain management, corporate responsibility and compliance.

About the speakers

Ross Jaax is a Senior Technical Advisor at Swisscontact, specializing in sustainable agriculture, value chains, and public-private partnerships. With over 15 years of experience in agribusiness development and sustainability, he has worked extensively on food security, agricultural productivity, biofuels, and digital solutions for agriculture. Ross designs scalable strategies for inclusive and resilient supply chains in collaboration with multinational corporations, donors, and development agencies.

Olga Gormalova is the Global Stronger Coffee Initiative Manager at Louis Dreyfus Company, leading efforts to scale regenerative and sustainable practices across coffee supply chains worldwide. She draws on over a decade of experience in sustainability leadership roles, including at Barry Callebaut and ECOM, and combines that with a background in humanitarian aid. She has particular expertise in program design, rural development, and multi-stakeholder partnerships.

The discussion will be moderated by Elizabeth Goodwin, Corporate Partnerships Manager at Swisscontact. Elizabeth brings over 15 years of experience in both the corporate and non-profit sectors, including time at Reckitt and WWF. Elizabeth specializes in building partnerships that align business objectives with environmental and social impact.