Participants of the TfS Strategy workshop 2023

In 2020 TfS developed its Grow&Deliver Strategy 2025 to guide the initiative from measuring to delivering tangible impact. In early February 2023, TfS hosted a workshop with representatives of all five TfS Work Streams to assess progress towards the Grow&Deliver Strategy vision and objectives.

Let’s refresh our memory and look at the 4 fundamental pillars of TfS Grow& Deliver:

1. Higher Standards – We will be custodians of high sustainability standards for suppliers to the chemical industry, while recognising that the world is changing and our need to respond effectively to an evolving agenda of responsibility.
2. Strategic Extension – We will seek to strategically extend our work, reaching into vital and growing markets around the world and building membership in economies where TfS can play the greatest role. We will work with potential members to raise standards and build capability, while establishing mutually beneficial links with other initiatives that share common goals and challenges.
3. Collaborative Action – We will build shared approaches to deliver tangible impact. We will define and deliver meaningful projects in areas where real impact is expected.
4. Stronger Community – We will not only be a group of companies collaborating, but we will also be a community of peers and individuals committed to sharing knowledge, expertise, and resources to create positive impact.

We have put in a lot of effort over the past few years, so where are we now? What have we achieved? Where do we see gaps and what are we going to do to close them?

Workshop participants found value added to the TfS initiative through the following initiatives:

• Creation of Work Stream 5, focusing on Scope 3 GHG Scope 3 emissions
• The launch of the TfS Academy, supporting both members and suppliers with knowledge for continuous improvement.

It is also very encouraging to see all the great work and effort put into the TfS global and regional teams, and the significant impact they are making. TfS is increasing impact by actively using the results of Assessments and Audits to follow up with suppliers, implementing training for members and suppliers, further strengthening the TfS community and incorporating additional member companies.

Workshop participants identified more than 50 specific ongoing projects related to each of the strategic pillars of the Grow&Deliver Strategy.

Under the Higher Standards pillar, we have exciting projects that will take the standards of member companies and suppliers to the next level. These include:

• The Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) Guideline that has been published and will be further enhanced
• An approval list for PCF consultants and Auditors
• A digitalisation project to create a data lake to provide access to various data sources via a plug-in
• Improvement of the reporting dashboard
• A review of the Audit questionnaire
• A complete KPI review project

For Strategic Extension, we have projects to build stronger Work Stream interaction in the regions and to partner with regional and national associations with similar views and objectives. Work Stream 1 (Governance and Partnerships) leads a project in close collaboration with the TfS Steering Committee to look at the future scope and structure of the TfS organisation.

Some of the projects for Collaborative Actions include building and improving the TfS Academy to support members and suppliers in their continuous improvement. The PCF Guideline also plays a fundamental role in our collaboration, and there are some good ideas around a decarbonisation model and multi-tier transparency within our value chain.

Under the Stronger Community pillar, we have the TfS Coordinator Roundtable initiative where TfS Coordinators can learn and share best practise. We are also looking at enhanced peer learning models and opportunities for the TfS Academy. Our partnership with other initiatives will also create opportunities for a Learning and Development Community of Practise.

The list of project goes on and on, and is broad in scope.  It is very encouraging to see that the future of TfS is in good hands with so many actively contributing member companies working together to create a community that makes tangible impact.  The full comprehensive list of projects can be accessed via the TfS SharePoint.

The review of the Grow & Deliver Strategy was a very successful exercise, and we are pleased to report that we are well on track to realise our vision and objectives.

For more information on what has been achieved over the last years, see the TfS Activity Reports https://www.tfs-initiative.com/how-we-do-it/links-downloads

Author: Morné Labuschagne, Lanxess, Co-Chair Work Stream 1 (Governance and Partnerships)