Tag Archives: Sustainability Forum

AmCham Sustainability Forum – Walking the Line Amidst Uncertainty

AmCham News

AmCham Sustainability Forum: Walking the Line Amidst Uncertainty & Sustainability in Higher Education

Cross-industry member companies convened at Sustainability AS for the latest Sustainability Forum, with presentations and discussions addressing the evolving landscape of sustainability communication and the pivotal role of higher education in driving societal impact.

Aasaaren

Ingrid Aasaaren

Partner & Senior Advisor

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Dammann

Daniel Dammann

Senior Advisor

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Sinnes

Astrid T. Sinnes

Vice Rector Sustainability

NMBU

Communicating Sustainability in Uncertain Times

Ingrid Aasaaren, Partner and Senior Advisor and Senior Advisor and Daniel Dammann, Senior Advisor at Sustainability AS, outlined the challenges organizations face today, ranging from regulatory uncertainty and fast-changing expectations to conflicting compliance frameworks.

They emphasized that companies navigating these conditions successfully tend to share several key traits. These include a communication strategy that is consistent yet adaptable, a deep understanding of both external stakeholders and internal audiences (particularly employees), thorough risk analysis, a strong long-term perspective, and data-driven storytelling to substantiate sustainability claims.

Aasaaren also addressed organizational ownership of sustainability communication. While traditionally housed within communications or government affairs teams, this responsibility is increasingly shifting toward financial departments – driven by the growing influence of financial institutions and regulatory requirements tied to sustainable finance.

Both speakers urged participants to adopt a long-term, “infinite game” mindset in their approach to sustainability communications. Unlike a finite game—with clear players, rules, and outcomes—an infinite game recognizes that sustainability is an ongoing, dynamic process without a defined end. To remain credible and relevant, businesses must evolve continuously and embed sustainability into the core of their operations and messaging.

"Elevated uncertainty is a feature, not a bug"

Daniel Dammann

Sustainability in Higher Education – Business & Societal Impact

Higher education institutions play a vital role in preparing the next generation of leaders to address complex sustainability challenges. At the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU), this mission is pursued through a deeply interdisciplinary approach that combines biosciences, social sciences, and technology to develop holistic, forward-thinking solutions for a more sustainable future.

Astrid T. Sinnes, Vice Rector Sustainability at NMBU, shared how she redefined the university’s strategic direction by positioning sustainability not as an add-on, but as the central pillar of institutional strategy. From day one, Sinnes advocated for embedding sustainability at the highest levels of leadership and across campus operations. She spearheaded an ambitious initiative to equip NMBU employees with cutting-edge knowledge and competencies in sustainability, ensuring that expertise is distributed and embedded across disciplines and departments.

Sinnes highlighted the importance of collaborative innovation, especially during periods of global uncertainty. She emphasized that lasting, scalable sustainability solutions depend on strong partnerships between academia, industry, and society at large. By leveraging these synergies, universities can serve as powerful drivers of both business innovation and positive societal impact while providing value to companies.

"We can’t do everything, but everyone can do something"

Astrid T. Sinnes

About AmCham Sustainability Forum

Future success is dependent upon running a sustainable business – for people, planet, and profit. Hence, AmCham brings select, cross-industry member company representatives together on an ongoing basis to discuss opportunities, facilitate open exchange and determine how AmCham members can best contribute to Norwegian and US sustainability agendas going forward.

Please read more about our Sustainability Forum and contact Margrethe.Harboe@amcham.no for interest in future meetings.

AmCham Sustainability Forum: Digital Efficiency & Human Rights Policies

AmCham News

AmCham Sustainability Forum – Digital Efficiency & Human Rights Policies

Cross-industry member companies convened at Cisco’s Norway HQ for the latest Sustainability Forum, with presentations and discussions addressing digitization as a means towards sustainable solutions and pitfalls of human rights policy implementations, or lack thereof.

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Elisabeth Brandasu
Sustainability Lead EMEA-North

Cisco
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Oliver Stern
Managing Director – Investigations, Diligence and Compliance practice / Head Business Intelligence team (London)

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Enabling a Competitive and Resilient Energy Transition

Steinar Iversen, VP of Engineering & Head of Collaboration Devices Engineering at Cisco welcomed participants, introducing the venue that includes their Oslo Experience Center, housing Europe’s largest Cisco R&D hub, with 500 employees comprised of engineers, the supply chain team, customer center, and other functions. A key attribute of the digital tools and services delivered is their intrinsic facilitation of remote work that ultimately lessens the environmental impact of transportation.

Elisabeth Brandasu, Sustainability Lead EMEA-North at Cisco, presented a report co-written with Global Counsel that can serve as a framework to address the opportunities that digital technologies can play in supporting EU and global energy efficiency goals, while operating amidst monumental geopolitical uncertainty and large policy shifts.

At the core of Cisco’s strategy of moving toward a more regenerative future is an inclusive approach to digitizing the world, as outlined in Cisco’s Purpose Report. Brandasu explained how the company is maintaining laser-focus on their technology becoming the catalyst for other organizations to become more sustainable using circular design principles. Technology underpins progress, and “AI is the promise of this era,” but, as noted by Brandasu, represents an associated increased energy usage.

“AI is the promise of this era.”

Elisabeth Brandasu

Brandasu presented four main critical enablers; ‘Electrification,’ ‘Sustainable AI and Data Centers,’ ‘Energy Efficient Hardware and Digital Infrastructure’ and ‘Digital & Sustainability Skills’ – stressing the increasingly important role of academic institutions on qualifying the future generation to be equipped to confront sustainability challenges.

Celebrating its 40-year anniversary last year, Cisco is a global leader within IT and network operations, developing, manufacturing, and selling networking hardware, software, telecommunications equipment and other technology services and products. 

Creating a Procurement Strategy That Works

Kroll is a leading provider of financial and risk advisory solutions and performs proactive, deep dive human rights diligence work in challenging markets as well as litigation support cases for clients facing allegations of wrongdoing.

What is the importance of human rights related risk identification and mitigation as part of commercial decision making? To answer this, Oliver Stern, Managing Director in the Investigations, Diligence and Compliance practice and Head of the Business Intelligence Kroll team based in London, drew from his extensive experience leading a wide range of investigations for corporations and financial institutions to prevent adverse human rights impacts for companies and investors.

Kroll views their work through the prism of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, assessing the real impact of communities on a granular level. The EU CSRD and CS3D requires consideration not only of product manufacture in the supply chain, but also the impact of economic activities on the communities in which one operates.

Though human rights policies are in place for companies to adhere to and operate by, “the policy itself is not the determining factor,” Stern concluded, as some businesses will rather be driven by cost and availability of capital for decision-making, only implementing the human rights policies if they increase access to capital.

“The policy itself is not the determining factor."

Oliver Stern

Companies may find themselves in a precarious situation, risking fines, if they rely on agencies to find labor, combined with making claims related to their human rights policies. The policies can be communicated, but also need to be integrated, tracked, and assessed to avoid being faulted by auditing bodies. Opting for an opaque supply chain is associated with high risk.

About AmCham Sustainability Forum

Future success is dependent upon running a sustainable business – for people, planet, and profit. Hence, AmCham brings select, cross-industry member company representatives together on an ongoing basis to discuss opportunities, facilitate open exchange and determine how AmCham members can best contribute to Norwegian and US sustainability agendas going forward.

Please read more about our Sustainability Forum and contact Margrethe.Harboe@amcham.no for interest in future meetings.

AmCham Sustainability Forum: Battery & Solar Energy & The Blue Economy

AmCham News

AmCham Sustainability Forum – Battery & Solar Energy & The Blue Economy

Member companies representing a wide range of industries gathered at FREYR Battery for the latest Sustainability Forum, where topics spanned from the crucial role of electrification and battery technology in advancing sustainability initiatives to the deployment of data- and technology strategies to mitigate environmental impact.

Sonia Gilde S. Rathscheck
Chief of Staff, FREYR Battery  

Stig Martin Fiskå
Global Head, Cognizant Ocean

Isabella Lindholdt
Delivery and Operations Director, Cognizant Ocean 

Meeting the Future’s Energy Demand

FREYR Battery is an energy solutions provider building an integrated solar- and battery supply chain headquartered in the US. Chief of Staff Sonia Gilde S. Rathscheck presented how batteries, combined with solar energy, offer durable, efficient, and renewable energy solutions. On the exponential energy-storage needs of the future, Rathscheck explained that batteries will be essential, proclaiming, “everything that can be electrified, will be electrified”.

“Everything that can be electrified, will be electrified.”

Sonia Gilde S. Rathscheck

Solar energy – the cheapest form of energy – paired with wind, represents an infinite source of clean energy, that can ultimately be stored in rechargeable batteries that are crucial to the world’s energy mix.

Ocean + Technology: The Blue Economy

Representing Cognizant Ocean, Global Head Stig Martin Fiskå, alongside Delivery and Operations Director Isabella Lindholdt, shared their expertise on digitalization as a driving force to solving sustainability challenges and transforming the blue economy, which fundamentally starts with understanding the ocean. By leveraging AI to solve operational challenges and adopting a holistic approach, their clients and partners are better equipped to “plan for the unplanned” in a series of complex operations.

“The plan goes out the window the moment the logistics-change starts."

Isabella Lindholdt

Through compelling case studies, Fiskå and Lindholdt showed how their work on Blue Food (aquaculture, wild fishing), Blue Transport (shipping, maritime transport), Blue Life (Water health, carbon apture) and Blue Energy (offshore wind and offshore oil & gas) supports their quest in protecting the ocean’s resources.

About AmCham Sustainability Forum

Future success is dependent upon running a sustainable business – for people, planet, and profit. Hence, AmCham brings select, cross-industry member company representatives together on an ongoing basis to discuss opportunities, facilitate open exchange and determine how AmCham members can best contribute to Norwegian and US sustainability agendas going forward.

Please read more about our Sustainability Forum and contact Margrethe.Harboe@amcham.no for interest in future meetings.

AmCham Sustainability Forum: Space as the Enabler for Sustainability Initiatives and the Ministry of Trade on Accelerating Transatlantic Green Transition.

AmCham News

AmCham Sustainability Forum: Space as a Sustainability Enabler and Accelerating the Transatlantic Green Transition

Cross-industry member leaders gathered at Kongsberg Satellite Services for an afternoon Sustainability Forum focusing on how KSAT´s services play a key role in Norway’s global sustainability initiatives and a discussion with the Ministry of Trade State Secretary Tomas Norvoll (Ap) on the eagerness of accelerating the transatlantic green transition.

Space as the Enabler for Sustainability Initiatives

Maja-Stina Ekstedt, EVP Sustainability, Public Relations & Communication, shared KSAT’s global operations within ground network services, earth observation services and government programs. KSAT is collecting and utilizing data for various coastline initiatives – monitoring greenhouse gas emissions, detecting oil spills, tracking vessel movements, and observing changes in natural environments. Additionally, KSAT collaborates with NASA to enhance these efforts. 

KSAT plays a pivotal role in the global sustainability value chain as the leading provider of ground network services, propelling Norway’s sustainability initiatives. This includes collaboration with the Norwegian Ministry of Climate in Norway’s International Climate and Forest Initiative (NICFI), which focuses on monitoring the world’s rainforests. Additionally, KSAT supports the Ministry of Trade’s Blue Justice Initiative by monitoring fisheries crime and promoting collaboration among over 60 countries.

“In space there are no borders, we need to collaborate”

Maja-Stina Ekstedt

With over 400 employees, Kongsberg Satellite Services is a global technology leader and is increasing the availability for fast and reliable information as evidenced in their Annual & Sustainability Report 2023.

Maja-Stina Ekstedt
EVP Sustainability & Communication

Tomas Norvoll
Ministry of Trade State Secretary

Strengthening our Alignment: How Can We Speed Up the Transatlantic Green Transition?

Tomas Norvoll (Ap), State Secretary at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries, emphasized the increasing importance of the transatlantic green transition. He highlighted that increased collaboration is essential for enhancing focus on sustainability and advancing industrial development, as well as fostering more robust dialogue among companies. Tomas encouraged the group to align our transatlantic initiatives more closely to build a future proof sustainable economy.

Among the topics discussed was the importance of fostering closer collaboration between industry and government from the early stages of projects to expedite progress. The US Commercial Service also contributed valuable industry insights. All parties are dedicated to enhancing dialogue and strengthening cooperation as part of the broader US-Norway Comprehensive Dialogue on Commerce and Sustainability.

‘’We are in it together’’

Tomas Norvoll

About AmCham Sustainability Forum

Future success is dependent upon running a sustainable business – for people, planet, and profit. Hence, AmCham brings select, cross-industry member company representatives together on an ongoing basis to discuss opportunities, facilitate open exchange and determine how AmCham members can best contribute to Norwegian and US sustainability agendas going forward.

Please read more about our Sustainability Forum and contact Janice.Gundersen@amcham.no for interest in future meetings.

AmCham Sustainability Forum: Plastics & Aviation

AmCham News

AmCham Sustainability Forum: Plastics & Aviation

AmCham’s latest Sustainability Forum, hosted by NHO, brought together members representing diverse industries to learn about the NHO’s newly launched single-use plastic products partnership and from Avinor on how Norway is ideally suited as an international test arena for zero and low-emission aircraft.

 

Plastics and the Business Sector: The Norwegian Plastic Partnership

Andreas Pihlstrøm, lawyer at NHO and board member of the Norwegian Packaging Association, discussed the newly launched partnership between the Ministry of Climate & Environment and a number of business organizations to reduce the consumption of single-use plastic products. He illustrated how Norwegian businesses can take lead on the ambitious sustained reduction in the consumption of certain plastic products (SUP art. 4). Next is implementation of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) – setting legally binding goals and deadlines. 

He also presented on legal trends within plastics and shared resources for public access to information  and documentation on the different environmental acts and directives:

  • The Environmental Information Act, imposes a duty for companies to have and to give environmental information
  • The Transparency Act: Responsible business conduct in the supply chain, due diligence duties: Åpenhetsloven

Zero and Low Emission Aviation in Norway

Energy Transition Lead Erik By and Infrastructure & Drone Program Manager Terje Orskaug from Avinor unpacked Norway’s integral initiatives and political ambitions set in motion to advance the development of zero and low emission aviation in Norway. These include government actions, promising new technologies, and the creation of an ecosystem to facilitate innovation and establish Norway as an international test arena for new technologies. Furthermore, they discussed the government’s plans and ambitions laid out in the National Aviation Strategy 2023 and the National Transport Plan 2025-26. The aviation industry, with its high political and social importance, has established five main important work packages:

  • Market Dialogue
  • Airports, Infrastructure & Airspace
  • Energy Supply
  • Regulatory Sandbox
  • Communication & Knowledge Sharing
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About the AmCham Sustainability Forum

Future success is dependent upon running a sustainable business – for people, planet, and profit. Hence, since 2018, AmCham has brought select, cross-industry member company representatives together to discuss opportunities, facilitate open exchange and determine how AmCham members can best contribute to Norwegian and US sustainability agendas going forward.

Read more about our Sustainability Forum and please contact Janice.Gundersen@amcham.no for interest in future meetings.

AmCham Sustainability Forum: Regulation as Opportunity & Operationalizing Across the Organization

AmCham News

AmCham Sustainability Forum: Regulation as Opportunity & Operationalizing Across the Organization

Cross-industry member leaders gathered at Lucid Motors’ studio for a morning Sustainability Forum focusing on how organizations can best orient themselves toward climate accounting and the methodical integration of sustainable practices across departments. 

Jack Huiman, Head of Retail & Marketing, shared Lucid Motors’ journey from the start – from modular battery innovations to producing EV’s that travel farther using less energy. This positions Lucid as EV industry leaders, with technology at the core of the expanding California company. 

Position Green’s Executive Chairman Joachim Nahem and Managing Director Morten Skodbo shared insights on how sustainability disclosure regulations present opportunities for business efficiency action. For its part, Position Green’s own software is designed for processes and systems to operate within digital taxonomy – enabling businesses to keep up with regulations and sustainability documentation.

Jack Huiman

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Kerry M. Bommen

Joachim Nahem

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Morten Skodbo

PositionGreen-Logo-rgb

What Does Success Look Like for Your Organization?

Kerry M. Bommen, Director Sustainability at Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace, presented on integrating sustainable practices into the core processes and future-proofing the business. With 4,635 employees in 16 countries, Kongsberg is a global technology leader and at the forefront of sustainable industry standards, as evidenced in their Annual & Sustainability Report 2023. Bommen emphasized collective responsibility with purpose – and a top-level leadership mandate. 

 About AmCham Sustainability Forum 

Future success is dependent upon running a sustainable business – for people, planet, and profit. Hence, AmCham brings select, cross-industry member company representatives together on an ongoing basis to discuss opportunities, facilitate open exchange and determine how AmCham members can best contribute to Norwegian and US sustainability agendas going forward. 

Please read more about our Sustainability Forum and contact Janice.Gundersen@amcham.no for interest in future meetings. 

AmCham Sustainability Forum: Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation and DNB’s New Transition Plan

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AmCham Sustainability Forum: Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation and DNB's New Transition Plan

AmCham’s recent Sustainability Forum, hosted by Bull & Co Advokatfirma, brought together engaged members for insights on the upcoming EU Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) – as well as for business implications, investor expectations, and regulatory demands in DNB’s recently released Net-Zero Transition Plan.   

Empowering Businesses for Sustainable Compliance

“We advise businesses to evaluate tools that enable them to report on the entire lifecycle of their products, to facilitate compliance with existing and upcoming regulations – such as the Transparency Act and the proposed Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR),” explained Magnus K. Hagem, Senior Attorney at Bull & Co Advokatfirma. He highlighted that the Digital Product Passport (DPP) is one new and powerful tool for businesses to be able to take lead in sustainable production and enhance transparency in their operations. The proposed DPP regulation, set to be implemented by 2030, will challenge various industries, and Magnus stressed the importance of making informed choices for businesses.   

DNB's Transition Plan

“Sustainability is an opportunity,” stated Gine Wang-Reese, EVP of Public Affairs & Sustainability at DNB, as she unveiled DNB’s Transition Plan and presented the report in detail to our group. Gine delved into the detailed work and insights underpinning the Transition Plan’s framework, covering aspects from methodology to incentives for businesses. She also discussed the plan’s governance, foundations, metrics, and targets. Gine emphasized that “collaboration is key” in the realm of sustainability and, with identified external dependencies, positioned DNB as a driving force behind the sustainable transition. 

Gine Wang-Reese
EVP Public Affairs & Sustainability

Magnus K. Hagem
Senior Attorney

About Sustainability Forum

Future success is dependent upon running a sustainable business – for people, planet, and profit. Hence, AmCham brings select, cross-industry member company representatives together on an ongoing basis to discuss opportunities, facilitate open exchange and determine how AmCham members can best contribute to Norwegian and US sustainability agendas going forward.

Read more about our Sustainability Forum and please contact Janice.Gundersen@amcham.no for interest in future meetings.

AmCham Sustainability Forum: New Rules for Sustainability Communication & Scaling EV Learnings from Scandinavia to North America

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AmCham Sustainability Forum: New Rules for Sustainability Communication & Scaling EV Learnings from Scandinavia to North America

AmCham’s latest Sustainability Forum hosted by Kruse Larsen brought together members representing diverse industries to learn about the new EU Directive on Green Claims and lessons learns from Circle K’s ambitious EV buildout in North America

New Rules for Sustainability Communication

Anne Therese Gullberg presented how several companies convey misleading impressions, knowingly or unknowingly, of their environmental impact or benefits to market actors and customers, defined as greenwashing. She illustrated how it’s difficult for consumers, companies, and other market actors to make informed and considered choices. In response, the EU has introduced new rules for companies’ green claims with the goal of consumer empowerment. Gullberg unpacked what these new rules from Brussels say about sustainability communication, how communications should focus on companies’ main impact, and discussed these new regulations might influence companies with commercial activities in Norway.  

Transitions

Snorre Skeie presented remotely from Raleigh, NC taking us through Circle K’s EV journey from Norway to the United States. Circle K has been heavily exposed and an early adopter, responding to the fast-paced transition to Electric Vehicles in the Nordics. Based on these learnings, Circle K has started an EV offering buildout in North America and Skeie shared his reflections from the ongoing implementation, innovative site designs, and energy management solutions.

Anne Therese Gullberg – Partner and Head of Sustainability

Arendalsuka logos kruse larsen (24)

Snorre Skeie – Director of E Mobility, North America

circle k

About Sustainability Forum

Future success is dependent upon running a sustainable business – for people, planet, and profit. Hence, AmCham brings select, cross-industry member company representatives together on an ongoing basis to discuss opportunities, facilitate open exchange and determine how AmCham members can best contribute to Norwegian and US sustainability agendas going forward.

Read more about our Sustainability Forum and please contact Janice.Gundersen@amcham.no for interest in future meetings.

AmCham Sustainability Forum: CSRD-Reporting Standards & Wind Turbine Decommissioning

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AmCham Sustainability Forum: CSRD-Reporting Standards & Wind Turbine Decommissioning

Overlooking the Oslofjord, AmCham’s latest Sustainability Forum hosted by Wikborg Rein convened members for a timely briefing on sustainability reporting standards and an introduction of a novel service designed to solve a renewable energy conundrum.  

Presenters

Elise Johansen – Partner

Tonje Hagen Geiran – Associate & Special Adviser

Matthew Geraghty – Founder and Venture Lead 

Kate Butchart – Strategic Advisor 

Managing Risk Through CSRD-Reporting Standards

Celebrating 100 years, and one of Norway’s largest full-service law firms, Wikborg Rein boasts of a team with comprehensive expertise on sustainability-related matters. On that team is Partner Elise Johansen, who invited participants to take a step back and consider the intention behind sustainability reporting.

In essence, sustainable development still encompasses the decades-old recognition of connectivity between social, economic, and environmental issues. As a response, a set of policy initiatives has been systemized into The European Green Deal to ensure sustainable development with defined goals such as no net emissions of greenhouse gases by 2050. Through reporting obligations, the objective is that private investments will be steered towards sustainable activity, thus making ESG risk an actual financial risk.

Associate & Special Adviser Tonje Hagen Geiran then presented reporting obligations as defined by the newly adopted Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) that requires companies to report on the impact of corporate activities on the environment and society, in turn, making businesses more accountable. CSRD reporting is applicable to approximately 1700 business in Norway that meet a set of criteria including number of employees and revenue. This reporting standard is expected to become applicable to a larger number of businesses as soon as 2026. To conclude, Geiran urged businesses to get a good grip on risks to remain attractive for investors.

Photo: Wikborg Rein

Solving a Historic Challenge

Wind farming is hailed as one of our time’s reliable sources of clean and renewable of energy. Not being addressed with the same level of observation, however, is wind turbines’ impact once they reach end-of-life. For lack of a better solution, wind turbine components are currently buried underground. To solve this challenge, ReWind, a digital service that facilitates the planning of sustainable decommissioning and recycling of wind turbines has been formed. The innovative offering is a collaboration between DNV and Reodor Studios.

Founder and venture lead Matthew Geraghty explained that projected waste per year generated by wind turbines by 2025 is 25,000 tons. DNV is the world’s leading classification society and also advises customers within the wind farming sector. Geraghty explained how a recent call for a ban on the use of landfills for all turbine components has been called for by WindEurope and that new EU taxonomy will require wind asset owners to ensure turbine components are recycled responsibly.

“Design is one of the key pillars that will help the (energy) transition.”

Matthew Geraghty, DNV

Reodor Studios is a corporate venture and innovation agency helping leading firms improve existing products and services, or as in this case, create new ones. Strategic Advisor Kate Butchart started with acknowledging that sustainability is arguably the biggest innovation driver and business opportunity of our time. A shift beyond a traditional linear economy, to a “triple-line”-approach (social, environmental, and economic) will progress to a regenerative economy, where principles from ReWind can be applied.

Photo: Wikborg Rein

About AmCham Sustainability Forum

Future success is dependent upon running a sustainable business – for people, planet, and profit. Hence, AmCham brings select, cross-industry member company representatives together on an ongoing basis to discuss opportunities, facilitate open exchange and determine how AmCham members can best contribute to Norwegian and US sustainability agendas going forward.

Read more about our Sustainability Forum and please contact Janice.Gundersen@amcham.no for interest in future meetings.

Recent Sustainability Forums

AmCham Sustainability Forum: A Norwegian Agriculture Technology Innovation & Transparency for Positive Change

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AmCham Sustainability Forum: A Norwegian Agriculture Technology Innovation & Transparency for Positive Change

AmCham members representing ten diverse industries convened at Orkla’s Oslo headquarters to learn about transparency in supply chain and packaging and a Norwegian innovation that is reshaping opportunities within agriculture.

Presenters:

Ole Kristian Sivertsen – President & Group CEO

Desert Control logo

Ellen Behrens – Director Sustainability

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Turning Sand Into Soil

Desertification is the degradation of land leading to loss of biological productivity, as soil is unable to retain water and nutrients. Restoring the soil’s capability is one solution to combat desertification and water scarcity issues. With us from Stavanger, Ole Kristian Sivertsen, President and Group CEO of Desert Control, introduced participants to the company’s Norwegian innovation in climate-smart agriculture technology, LNC (liquid natural clay), and how it contributes to combat desertification, soil degradation and water scarcity. The company’s current projects are primarily in the Middle East and western United States.

In brief terms, LNC-treated soil has, as opposed to sandy soil; small particle sizes, a large surface area, and small pore space, leading the treated soil to significantly increase its water retention capacity. On average, according to The World Bank, agriculture accounts for 70% of all freshwater withdrawals globally. With a growing population, there is an acute need to limit water usage. Desert Control is Making Earth Green Again, and has made it their mission to “preserve the prosperity of life.” As Sivertsen said “soil is not dirt, it is grounds for living organisms” underlining the inherent qualities that lie in soil to solve global challenges in agriculture.

"Soil is not dirt, it is grounds for living organisms."

Ole Kristian Sivertsen, Desert Control

Embracing Transparency

Orkla is a leading branded consumer goods company with 300 brands in 22 countries, and it is their mission to improve everyday life with sustainable and enjoyable local brands. Ellen Behrens, Orkla’s Director Sustainability, has since 2009 been integral to the development and implementation of Orkla’s sustainability strategy.

Behrens presented how Orkla is embracing transparency through supply chain due diligence and steps they are taking towards circular packaging commitment. On Orkla’s approach to sustainability, Behrens explained “It must start with understanding impact,” and in turn reduce negative impact and transform that into positive change. For any consumer goods company, challenges include indulgence products’ lifestyle impacts and ensuring an ethical process of sourcing raw materials.

The Norwegian Transparency Act entered into force in July 2022 and requires enterprises to conduct due diligence assessments, including human rights due diligence. Behrens explained that adhering to this type of reporting is necessary to earn trust from consumers and stakeholders, and importantly, that being honest about challenges in the supply chain is ultimately the first step towards improvement.

As for packaging, Orkla requests their suppliers to classify products according to it’s packaging classification criteria. A leader of Emballasjeforeningen’s Forum for Circular Plastic Packaging, Behrens provided some enlightening insight on plastics, including debunking the common misconception that biobased biodegradable or compostable plastics will solve the word’s plastic consumption challenge. The solution, rather, lies in the materials’ recyclability.

About Sustainability Forum

Future success is dependent upon running a sustainable business – for people, planet, and profit. Hence, AmCham brings select, cross-industry member company representatives together on an ongoing basis to discuss opportunities, facilitate open exchange and determine how AmCham members can best contribute to Norwegian and US sustainability agendas going forward.

Read more about our Sustainability Forum and please contact Margrethe.Harboe@amcham.no for interest in future meetings.