Miller Magazine Issue: 117 September 2019

65 COVER STORY MILLER / SEPTEMBER 2019 The world faces urgent challenges in the com- ing decades as climate change and a growing population make many of our current systems of production unsustainable. Dr. Gro Harlem Brundt- land, former prime minister of Norway and former Director General of the World Health Organiza- tion, addressed the 800 experts, leaders, scien- tists and professionals from 500 companies and over 80 countries attending the three-day event. She said: “There is no turning back. The need for private sector engagement is stronger than ever. We cannot solve all the challenges without the re- sources, the expertise, the technology and brain power of business.” Stefan Scheiber, CEO of Bühler Group, said: “We are ready to accept the challenge and in fact we are convinced that this is a pathway to building sustainable businesses de- livering sustainable solutions. But we are running out of time. That is why we have increased our sustainability goals: our aim is to reduce energy requirements, water consumption, and waste by 50% in our customers’ value chains. No business can do this alone. We need widescale collabora- tion from every sector and part of the world.” Bühler’s second Networking Days in Uzwil took place under the motto “Creating tomorrow together” and provided a forum for manufactur- ers, industry partners, scientists and start-ups to share ideas and inspire each other, focusing on the key questions: How can we feed a global population of nearly 10 billion people and help ful- fill their mobility needs in 2050 whilst respecting the limits of the planet? Industry must become part of the solution “The challenges have accelerated dramatical- ly. The world today is better, in many respects, than ever before. Yet the progress we have made comes at too high a price. We are using nature’s resources faster than our planet’s ecosystems can regenerate. We now have just 10 years to prevent irreversible damage from climate change,” said Stefan Scheiber, CEO of Bühler Group. “But to- day we have the opportunity to make a real differ- ence and shift course. Business has to be part of the solution.” The earth’s population is predicted to grow to 9.8 billion by 2050, with 70 percent living in urban areas. These shifts will put a strain on food and transport systems unless we make fundamental changes. Speaking at the event, Sunny Verghe- se, Group CEO of Olam Internation- al Limited and chair of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, underlined the im- portance of the challenges: “You cannot produce the food, feed, and fiber that all of us need if we destroy the planet,” he said. “There has to be an alternative way to do this on a more sustainable basis. Business as usual will not get us there so do not accept the status quo.” Good reason for optimism The combined potential for change embodied by the businesses present at the Bühler Network- ing Days is enormous. Together they feed 4 billion people and provide mobility for 1 billion every day – a powerful lever for change. The food of the fu- ture could well be grown in the fermentation tank, rather than in the field and ocean. Both disruptive new companies and incumbents are investing to address the consumer needs of today and the fu- ture. They are developing new technologies using biomanufacturing and digital advances to revolu- tionize agriculture and increase yields to meet the world’s nutritional needs within the environmental boundaries. Saint-Gobain, representing the building and construction sector, brought the perspective of heavy industry. “The built environment is one of the most emitting sectors, responsible for one third of the CO2 emissions in the world,” said Patrick Dupin, CEO of Saint Gobain Northern Europe. His company’s approach of pricing CO2 into innovation and investment projects was giv- en as an inspiration for participants from other sectors. In mobility, participants shared ideas on how to achieve sustainability goals with advanc- es in battery technology, shared mobility, and the development of autonomous vehicles, enabled by new digital technologies and increasing con- nectivity. Actions taken by participants at Bühler Net- Sunny Verghese Group CEO of Olam International