Roundtable A

The 3.6% Premium: Resilience and ROI Through Shared Intelligence and AI

11 Sep (Fri) Day 2 : 10:00 – 11:30

Full Programme
Roundtable A

Hong Kong enterprises are operating in an era of permanent volatility, where supply chain resilience has become a commercial necessity. Yet many still treat sustainability as a compliance burden rather than a source of value. Drawing on EcoVadis’ 2026 Barometer (1,000 multinationals and 2,000 suppliers), this session shows how proactive procurement teams earn a measurable 3.6% revenue-growth premium by shifting from an “assess and chase” model to one built on shared network intelligence, supporting real ROI through cost avoidance, revenue protection and supplier-enabled innovation. It also looks at the role of AI, applied to verified supplier data, in bringing clarity to these decisions rather than adding noise. Delegates will hear from three local EcoVadis customers on their practical experiences, before moving into interactive roundtable discussions to work through shared challenges with peers.

Session Learnings:

  • Key findings from EcoVadis’ 2026 Barometer, covering 1,000 multinationals and 2,000 suppliers, including the 3.6% revenue-growth premium observed among proactive procurement teams
  • How a shared network intelligence model differs from the traditional “assess and chase” approach to supplier sustainability management
  • Three areas where sustainable procurement can generate measurable ROI: cost avoidance, revenue protection and supplier-enabled innovation
  • The role of AI applied to verified supplier data in procurement decision-making, and why data quality determines whether AI adds clarity or noise
  • Practical experiences from three EcoVadis customers in the region on putting these approaches into practice

Post-Event Actions:

  • Assess how their organization currently engages suppliers on sustainability and identify where a collaborative, network-based model could apply
  • Identify where cost avoidance, revenue protection and supplier-enabled innovation can be measured within their own procurement program
  • Review the quality and verification of the supplier data that informs sourcing decisions before extending AI use cases
  • Take one shared challenge worked through at the roundtables and test the peer approaches discussed against a live situation in their own supply chain
  • Compare their organization’s current approach with the practices described in the 2026 Barometer findings

Speakers

Richard Bourne

EcoVadis Hong Kong Limited

Head of APAC

Richard Bourne is the Head of APAC and a member of the Senior Leadership team at EcoVadis. Over his 16-year tenure, Richard has played a pivotal role in expanding the company’s sustainability network, significantly contributing to the growth of its global rated network, which now includes over 150,000 companies. His leadership has been instrumental in engaging both requesting and rated companies, promoting sustainable business practices across SMEs and large corporations alike. Richard’s expertise continues to shape the future of sustainability in the APJ region and beyond.

My Sustainability Goals for 2025:

  1. Fostering transparent collaboration between the public and private sectors.
  2. Making sustainability practical and accessible for small and medium-sized businesses.
  3. Moving from promises to progress.

Speaking at 2026 sessions:

Day 2

The 3.6% Premium: Resilience and ROI Through Shared Intelligence and AI

Adlane Gharnaout

EcoVadis Hong Kong Limited

Head of Customer Success APAC

Speaking at 2026 sessions:

Day 2

The 3.6% Premium: Resilience and ROI Through Shared Intelligence and AI

Agnès Pondaven

EcoVadis Hong Kong Limited

Sustainability Leader

Agnès Pondaven leads APAC business development for Ulula, an EcoVadis company, whose worker voice technology helps companies engage workers and communities directly and gather social, labor, and community impact data across their supply chains. Based in Taipei, she works with clients across fashion, luxury, agriculture, manufacturing, and logistics, and has led sector programs including Ulula at Sea and Ulula’s work in palm oil.

She brings over 20 years of experience in responsible sourcing and supply chain sustainability, including 12 years at Carrefour, where she led the group’s first RSPO-certified product launch in Indonesia and served on the RSPO Executive Committee as retail representative. She also lectures on ESG and sustainability at universities across Asia.

My Sustainability Goals for 2026:

  • Exchange with peers on how companies in the region are approaching human rights due diligence in their supply chains
  • Share practical lessons from worker voice programs in APAC, including maritime and palm oil supply chains
  • Hear what’s working and what isn’t for others, from grievance mechanisms to worker engagement on the ground

Speaking at 2026 sessions:

Day 2

The 3.6% Premium: Resilience and ROI Through Shared Intelligence and AI

Valerie Wang

EcoVadis Senior Sustainability Solution Consultant

Valerie Wang is the Senior Sustainability Solution Consultant at EcoVadis, a purpose-driven company partnering with global customer base to drive positive impact in the supply chain through trusted data and robust supplier risk & engagement intelligence.

In her role, Valerie guides businesses to strategize and maximize EcoVadis’ solution suite value for each customer’s specific use cases and objectives. Her passion and main focus areas are modern slavery, living wage, and Scope 3 value chain emissions.

Prior to her current role, Valerie worked as a Senior Sustainability Analyst and Team Lead focusing on labor and human rights Ratings methodology and engagement with the rated companies.

Valerie obtained Master’s Degree in Sustainability and Social Innovation from HEC Paris.

Speaking at 2026 sessions:

Day 2

The 3.6% Premium: Resilience and ROI Through Shared Intelligence and AI

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