Synopsis

Green consumerism refers to a state in which consumers demand products and services that have undergone an eco-friendly production process or one that involves recycling and safeguarding the planets’ resources. Worldwide, corporations have seen a rise in consumer concerns regarding packaging and the possible detriment it is according to the environment.  A study conducted in 2021 established that in regard to sustainable packaging, both consumer lifestyle and the environmental reputations of retailers have considerable influence on purchasing practices and trends. 

Closer to home, a 2020 study, titled Sustainability in Singapore – Consumer and Business Opportunities, conducted by Accenture and WWF Singapore shows that Singaporean consumers are unable to make consistent green choices due to insufficient sustainable options. Consumers have also displayed a certain degree of distrust towards the companies and their claims of eco-credentials as they find these claims confusing and difficult to verify.

It is clear that the Green Consumer and their move towards sustainable consumption are, in part, a major driving force behind the socially responsible policies enacted by many organisations today. However, there is still much dialogue to be had on what direction Green Consumerism is taking the Packaging sector here in Singapore and in the ASEAN region.

Programme

3.45 pm Webinar Waiting Room Opens
4.00 pm Welcome Remarks by EuroCham
4.05 pm Opening Remarks by Corrado Forcellati, Chair of EuroCham Sustainability Committee
4:10 pm Presentations
– Dr Marika Lindstrom (Unilever) 
4.40 pm Moderated Q&A and Panel Discussion by Marjolein Oyen, Innoboost
5:10 pm Closing Remarks by EuroCham

Speakers

Marika Lindstrom, PhD
VP, Procurement Packaging
Unilever

Marika Lindstrom is Vice President of Packaging Procurement globally. Central to the agenda is plastics reduction, better plastics and new business models for more sustainable packaging. Unilever’s Procurement strategy is Procurement with Purpose, focusing on Value, Sustainability and Growth.

Marika’s previous role was Supply Chain for Unilever Philippines.  The role included end-to-end responsibility for all Supply Chain activities in-country for the FMCG company and she is also a member of the local business board. 

She joined Unilever in October 2009 in Schaffhausen, Switzerland as VP Indirect Procurement, and relocated to Singapore in June 2010 as VP for Packaging Procurement and then completed her tenure in Procurement with Procurement Operations role in January 2014, based in Dubai. All Procurement roles at Unilever have been globally executive roles. 

Prior to her career at Unilever, Lindstrom worked at Nokia and Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), forming a strong background in telecommunications and consumer electronics. She has held various positions in both direct materials and indirect procurement in Europe and the Americas, as well as Product Marketing while with Nokia. She holds a Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Technology in Lappeenranta, Finland and a PhD in Supply Chain Management from the University of Technology in Helsinki, Finland. Lindstrom also completed a Master of Business Administration at the University of Dallas, USA.

Natasha Saini
Accenture Strategy, Senior Consultant
Accenture

Natasha is a Senior Consultant with Accenture’s strategy practice in Southeast Asia. In her role, Natasha works with organizations to design and implement solutions to drive growth, sustainability, and innovation. She specializes in the areas of downstream energy and is passionate about sustainable consumption and every person on Earth having access to clean and affordable energy.

Natasha is a former oil trader and journalist and has worked across the UK, Middle East and Southeast Asia.
She also actively supports Meraki – an India-based NGO working to improve early education for children from low-income households.

Panellist

Sonia Gupta
Accenture Growth & Innovation Managing Director
Accenture

Sonia is a Managing Director in the Growth & Innovation services of Accenture in Asia. In her role, Sonia works closely with the C-suite and Boards of clients to improve their competitiveness and performance. Sonia specializes in the areas of innovation, corporate strategy and sustainability. Sonia is passionate about social change and supports organisations focused on education, enabling elders to live with dignity and organisations that improve the lives of those less fortunate. She works closely with various social impact ventures in APAC.

Moderator

Marjolein Oyen
Partner, Marketing & Innovation Consultant
Innoboost 

After an extensive corporate career at companies like Philips and Kao, Marjolein joined Innoboost 1.5 years ago to set up their Asia hub. Innoboost is a boutique consultancy firm, focusing on driving sustainable impact through innovation, by closely connecting consumer insights with technical feasibility and business needs. They strongly believe that solutions should, and can, create a positive impact for businesses, customers and society altogether.

In her last corporate role, Marjolein headed the Global Marketing activities for Philips for its Kitchen Appliances business, for which she was based in Shanghai. Here she has also been driving the category’s sustainability agenda, in the product, packaging as well as through new business model innovation. 

Overall, she has a strong personal passion to deliver value to the world through sustainability building on her extensive experience in translating consumer insights into compelling, innovative propositions and creating seamless consumer experiences. 

Marjolein currently is also the President of the Dutch Chamber of Commerce and Vice President of the EuroCham in Singapore. 

Registration

Should you wish to join this session you could register via the EuroCham website directly.