Sustainability LIVE London 2024- Sanofi's Strategy In Action

December 03, 2024

undefined mins

Heath Dancey, Global Procurement Category Head for POSM & Sales at Sanofi, explores the complexities of moving from sustainability strategy to execution

Delivering a fireside chat at Sustainability LIVE London Global Summit, Heath Dancey, Global Procurement Category Head for POSM & Sales at Sanofi, explored the challenges and triumphs of translating corporate sustainability goals into tangible outcomes.

Heath describes his role in overseeing point-of-sale (POS) materials, which primarily involve cardboard and other materials with sustainability considerations.

He acknowledges the initial disconnect between strategy and implementation, revealing, “when I started working, I realised no one was using our global partner, HH Global. The sustainable catalogues that had been developed were not fit for purpose.”

To address this, Heath prioritised leveraging partnerships like HH Global, Sanofi’s sustainability supplier.

This involved uniting teams across multiple countries under a cohesive governance structure and utilising “regional business partners and commercial regional business partners. We needed somebody on our side that could speak to the countries in their language and rebuild the catalogues that we wanted them to use.”

He continues to highlight how they won stakeholders by integrating “minimum 80% recycles material - up to 100%.”

Heath Dancey at Sustainability LIVE London Global Summit 2024

Tackling challenges and achieving measurable impact

Heath shares the difficulties of implementing sustainability initiatives within a multinational organisation.

Local teams often resisted change, citing the need to maintain traditional practices, such as producing printed materials for pharmacists.

“By getting that governance and regional plan with that person [...] you started to win them over a little bit. And that was the first gain,” he explains, emphasising the importance of executive support and clear communication.

One notable success involved reducing printed materials.

By questioning established practices and measuring their necessity, Sanofi achieved a “plus 70% reduction in printed material versus 2021.”

“That's a revolution in the way that we've been working,” Heath says proudly.

Additionally, the company reduced the carbon footprint of its POS materials by 25%, demonstrating the tangible benefits of sustainability efforts.

Heath Dancey, Global Procurement Category Head for POSM & Sales at Sanofi

Sustaining momentum and driving future ambitions

Sustainability programmes often risk losing focus over time, but Heath shares how Sanofi maintained engagement.

“We set a three-year ambition at the end of 2021 and it is finishing next year.

"So how to we keep the pace over three years? I would say there's obviously the governance and I can't get away from how important that is. You've got to have top-level regional and down to country governance all speaking,” he explains.

Regular recognition, such as internal awards, helped sustain enthusiasm and reinforce the programme’s value.

Looking ahead, Heath notes the final stages of achieving Sanofi’s sustainability goals would be the most challenging.

The company aims to ensure 90% adoption of its sustainable catalogue and achieve further reductions in materials used for displays.

“It's those last little percentage points that are pretty hard.

"That's where you’ve got to go deeper and that's why governance becomes even more [...] why you’re doing it,” he says, acknowledging the need for continuous effort and innovation.

When asked about the financial implications of sustainability, Heath reveals an unexpected benefit.

“We have paid a little bit more for recycled paper versus non but overall we've delivered good cost savings as a nice secondary benefit from this program as well, he shares.

This dual benefit underscores the business case for sustainability as both an environmental and economic advantage.

Heath Dancey explores how organisations can transition from sustainability strategy to reality