The ESG Imperative: Getting Smarter About Sustainability and Supply Chains

In the current economic climate, many companies are trimming budgets and cutting back on hiring, but their environmental, social and governance (ESG) initiatives are not slowing down. That’s because consumers, business partners, and regulators alike are asking more questions about carbon footprints, product sustainability, climate risks, content origins, and conditions for workers and local communities across the supply chain. To do more with fewer resources, companies are getting smarter about their ESG commitments, focusing on the most impactful goals and measures, and forging closer and more demanding ties with suppliers. They’re also educating executives, departmental leaders, and front-line workers, all of whom are now helping to change how companies do business to drive sustainability.

To hear more about how companies are getting smarter about sustainability and supply chains, join Doug Henschen, VP and Principal Analyst at Constellation Research, Michelle Boockoff-Bajdek, Chief Sustainability Officer at Skillsoft, and Asha Palmer, SVP of Compliance Solutions at Skillsoft, as they discuss:

Why organizations need sustainability strategies, not just ESG reports

Why supply chain insights are crucial to understanding end-to-end ESG risks

Why emerging regulations require fresh assessments of supplier labor practices; occupational health and safety standards; diversity, equity and inclusion programs; and environmental practices

How emerging regulations are driving changes in business models and product design

Why education is crucial to sustainability innovation and ownership across every organization.

Speakers:

Doug Henschen VP and Principal Analyst, Constellation Research

Doug Henschen is Vice President and Principal Analyst focusing on data-driven decision making. Henschen’s Data-to-Decisions research examines how organizations employ data analysis to reimagine their business models and gain a deeper understanding of their customers. Henschen's research acknowledges the fact that innovative applications of data analysis requires a multi-disciplinary approach starting with information and orchestration technologies, continuing through business intelligence, data-visualization, and analytics, and moving into NoSQL and big-data analysis, third-party data enrichment, and decision-management technologies.

Michelle Boockoff-Bajdek Chief Marketing & Sustainability Officer, Skillsoft

As Chief Marketing Officer/Chief Sustainability Officer, Michelle leads a global marketing organization, focused on transforming today’s workforce for tomorrow’s economy. Since joining the company, she has been responsible for Skillsoft’s global marketing strategy, which includes generating awareness, driving preference, and building affinity for Skillsoft. Additionally – and perhaps most importantly – Michelle serves as the company's brand evangelist, helping to build a vibrant community of passionate learners.

With more than 25 years of marketing, branding, and strategy experience, Michelle has made it her personal mission to support the advancement of women in business. Prior to Skillsoft, she served as Chief Marketing Officer of IBM Watson, where she was instrumental in developing the first “Women Leaders in AI” program, which honors women who put AI to work across industries and around the globe. She also served as the global head of marketing for The Weather Company, an IBM Business, helping companies understand how to anticipate, plan for, and ultimately make better decisions – with greater confidence – in the face of weather.

Michelle is a prolific speaker on a range of topics, including the war for talent, digital transformation, and marketing in a post-pandemic world. She covers these topics and more as the host of Skillsoft's podcast, The Edge, now in its second season. She has authored countless papers covering a range of business and marketing topics, was at the center of Skillsoft’s leadership role in DEI through free “Leadercamps,” and has taught two Percipio courses on the Pink Pandemic and Public Speaking.

Michelle is also a founding member of CMO Huddles, a group dedicated to bringing together and empowering highly effective B2B CMOs to share, care, and dare each other to greatness. Michelle holds a Master’s degree from Simmons University and sits on the pro side of the Oxford comma debate.

Asha Palmer SVP Compliance Solutions

Asha Palmer is Skillsoft’s senior vice president of compliance solutions. Throughout her career, Asha has developed, enhanced, and optimized effective ethics and compliance programs for hundreds of companies worldwide. Her passion and expertise are in program development & enhancement, training & engagement, anti-bribery & corruption, risk assessments, and making compliance -- dare we say it?! -- fun. Asha pushes compliance out of the box. As a former Assistant United States Attorney and litigator, Asha is extremely passionate about making training & engagement stick and be meaningfully embedded in and with business and its leaders.