Miller Magazine Issue: 152 August 2022

82 ARTICLE MILLER / AUGUST 2022 Representing companies that between them feed 4 billion of the world’s population, and who move 2 billion, delegates attending the Bühler Networking Days 2022 event on June 27-28, heard from leading academics, business leaders, en- trepreneurs, and innovators about how businesses can best meet today’s global challenges. Opening the event, Bühler Group CEO, Stefan Scheiber, told guests from the food, animal feed, and mobility sectors that despite businesses recently facing myriad obstacles, the examples of vaccine research, advances in digitalization and the development of communication at scale during the lockdown all demonstrated the capacity of business to rise to global challenges when required. “We have experienced the power of science and innovation with industries collab- orating at a new scale,” said Scheiber. “In our industries – in animal nutrition, food, and mobility – the innovation rate has never been as high as it is today, which creates impact be- cause we need new technologies and widespread collabo- ration to tackle new challenges, and at the same time secure the future of our businesses in a responsible way. We need technologies, we need collaboration, and responsible lead- ership to shape the future.” Bühler Group Networking Days was launched in 2016 and is held every three years. The 2022 event with the motto “accelerating impact together” focused on leadership, the need for corporate purpose, education, technology, and innovation, along with examples of how companies are le- veraging technology to protect biodiversity, improve food security, and promote social equality. IMPACT THROUGH PURPOSE Ranjay Gulati, Harvard Professor of Business Administra- tion, and author of “Deep Purpose: The Heart and Soul of High-Performance Companies”, warned company leaders not to get wrapped up in complex metrics around Environ- mental, Social and Governance (ESG) and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) when companies achieve far more im- pact by having a clearly articulated social purpose. “The first way in which purpose can accelerate impact is by providing direction,” explained Gulati. “Purpose creates a compass and an oriented framework around where you are going in turbulent times when you have lots of things going on around you.” He added that focusing on social purpose also motivates and inspires employees while a clearly expressed business motivation often provides useful clarity and orien- In a demonstration of the commitment of businesses to be at the forefront of tackling the climate crisis to protect and restore nature and biodiversity, and close the gap in wealth distribution, 1,000 representatives of the world’s leading companies from 95 countries gathered in Uzwil at the Bühler Group’s global headquarters this week to discuss the ur- gent need for business to come together to accelerate the transition towards sustainability. Rising to global challenges together