Sustainability LIVE: CW NYC Q&A With Blue Yonder CSO
Sustainability LIVE returns to New York for Climate Week 2025.
Taking place on 22 September, Sustainability LIVE: Climate Week NYC is the ultimate sustainability leaders forum.
Bring together the world’s most influential minds and forward-thinking organisations driving the future of sustainable business.
Join together with our close-knit community of leading CSOs to listen, learn and network on how we can formulate our responsible business plans, harness the power of our operations and supply chains, influence our brands and customer behaviour, and use technology, data and AI for a better tomorrow.
At Sustainability LIVE: Climate Week NYC, you’re not just part of the conversation—you’re helping define the future. Register your interest today for the exclusive event.
Saskia van Gendt, Chief Sustainability Officer at Blue Yonder
Saskia van Gendt serves as the Chief Sustainability Officer in Blue Yonder.
In this role, she is responsible for developing and executing Blue Yonder’s sustainability strategy and driving sustainability initiatives in product roadmaps and across the company.
Saskia is an environmental scientist with 17 years of experience in sustainability working across consumer products, retail, government and manufacturing.
Most recently, Saskia was Head of Sustainability for Rothy’s, where she pioneered the brand's commitment to circular production and net zero carbon.
She also implemented programs for footwear recycling, zero waste manufacturing and decarbonising shipping.
Here we speak to Saskia ahead of her taking part in the CSO Strategy Summit at Sustainability LIVE: Climate Week NYC.
What inspired you to get involved in the event?
Sustainability LIVE is a cornerstone event on the global sustainability calendar, bringing together some of the most influential minds, forward-thinking organisations and visionary leaders who are driving the future of sustainable business practices.
Attending this summit aligns with Blue Yonder’s mission to help businesses reduce carbon emissions and waste by embedding sustainability into the core of their operations and technology.
Blue Yonder’s participation presents a valuable opportunity to:
- Benchmark its sustainability strategy against global leaders.
- Stay at the forefront of emerging ESG trends and evolving regulatory expectations.
- Contribute to and help shape the dialogue on the future of sustainable supply chains.
- Engage with fellow CSOs and sustainability experts to share insights, innovative approaches, and best practices across industries.
- Forge strategic partnerships that can accelerate and scale impactful sustainability initiatives.
Provide an overview of what your panel will focus on.
At the CSO Summit during Sustainability LIVE: Climate Week NYC, the panel will delve into the evolving role of sustainability leadership within large organisations.
The discussion will centre on the challenges and opportunities CSOs encounter in driving sustainability strategies, engaging stakeholders and integrating sustainability into core business operations.
Attendees can expect to gain practical insights into aligning sustainability goals with business objectives, overcoming obstacles and scaling impact across industries.
This panel provides a platform for sustainability leaders to share their experiences and strategies, offering valuable perspectives on how to effectively embed sustainability into business practices.
As the CSO of Blue Yonder, participation in this session presents an opportunity to contribute to and learn from discussions that are shaping the future of corporate sustainability leadership.
What do you hope to achieve through the event?
Influential events like this give Blue Yonder a platform to demonstrate how innovation and sustainability can – and must – go hand in hand.
It’s a valuable opportunity to learn from others facing similar challenges, explore new ways of integrating ESG across global operations and bring back actionable insights to strengthen our own sustainability roadmap.
Building partnerships is a key goal for me. I’m hoping to connect with peers and potential collaborators to explore joint initiatives – whether it’s around decarbonisation, circularity or technological innovation for sustainable business practices.
Working together is how we can really drive systemic change across industries.
Being part of this panel also gives me a chance to contribute to the broader sustainability conversation. I want to help shape how companies across sectors align sustainability with core business strategy, to scale impact while still driving growth.
And finally, I hope to inspire both our internal teams and external stakeholders.
Representing Blue Yonder at this summit is a way to reinforce our role in the global sustainability movement – and to attract like-minded partners, customers and talent who share our commitment to a more sustainable future.
What emerging trends do you believe will shape the future of sustainability over the next decade?
1. Climate-driven digital transformation
Sustainability will increasingly be powered by data and AI – from carbon accounting to predictive supply chain optimisation. Digital tools will help companies forecast climate risks, measure impact in real-time and make smarter, faster sustainability decisions.
2. Circular economy and zero waste
Linear models are fading. Businesses will shift toward circular systems – rethinking product design, reuse and waste. Supply chains, in particular, will be restructured for efficiency, traceability and zero waste.
3. A paradigm shift in reporting – climate risk as financial risk
Investors, insurers and regulators now view climate and nature risk as material financial risk.
The European regulations, Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), look set to catalyse transformational changes around how companies align on disclosure standards and improve transparency around meeting environmental and social objectives.
6. AI & Automation
AI won't just be a tech tool – it will become central to automating ESG reporting, predicting sustainability risks and scaling smart energy and resource use.
7. AI Agents supporting sustainability
AI agents will help drive sustainability by making supply chains more intelligent, efficient and adaptive. These AI-powered systems operate autonomously and continuously learn from real-time data to optimise decisions across the supply chain.
Unmatched networking opportunities
Sustainability LIVE: Climate Week NYC is where meaningful connections happen.
From rooftop receptions to coffee-fuelled breakout chats, every moment is designed to spark collaboration, insight and opportunity. This is your chance to meet the people shaping the future of sustainable business.
Rub shoulders with global decision-makers. Trade ideas with purpose-driven startups. Connect with sustainability leads from the world’s biggest brands. These are the partnerships that drive real change—and they’re all happening here.
Looking to find investors, clients, collaborators or simply a fresh perspective? You’ll find it in every handshake, session and conversation. It’s not just networking—it’s a launchpad for action.
This is your space to be seen, heard and remembered.
Join the conversation. Join the movement. Join us at Sustainability LIVE: Climate Week NYC—where the right people and the right ideas come together to make a difference.
Essential diary dates for 2025
Discover the essential diary dates for Sustainability Magazine and its sister publications – Procurement Magazine and Supply Chain Digital.
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- Sustainability LIVE London | 9-10 September
- The Global Sustainability & ESG Awards | 10 September
- Sustainability LIVE: Climate Week NYC | 22 September
- Sustainability LIVE: COP 30 Brazil | 11 November
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