Supply Chain Partnerships - Change to Stay Ahead

Welcome to the Industry 4.0 Club's fireside chat. The club's purpose is to engage the power of diverse worldwide talent to accelerate the global evolution to Industry 4.0. We accomplish this by hosting and supporting respectful, thoughtful, and interdisciplinary open conversations and creating quality content on wide-ranging Industry 4.0 topics to expand the reach of our community. My name is Mike Ungar, and I am the CEO of the Industry 4.0 Club. I have over 40 years of management and leadership experience, most of that at Michelin in manufacturing. I'm joined today by my co-host, Mike Yost. Mike, would you mind introducing yourself, please?

Not at all.

Thank you, Mike.

As Mike said, my name is Mike Yost. I am one of the co-founders of the club, the volunteer chairman, and Mike's co-host on these regular events. I've been in industry a little over 35 years, with the last 15 or so on the industrial nonprofit side, trying to do exactly what we're doing here today. with getting input and sharing ideas with people with valuable experience to share. So we are really excited that today we get to speak with Ashley Campbell, who is the Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability Manager of the Volvo Group. Ashley's going to be presenting at the MX.O Greenville event on April 8th, 2026, and the title of her presentation is Supply Chain Partnerships: Change to Stay Ahead.

Thanks, Mike. Just to talk about the event coming up a little bit, the MXO Southeast event is the go-to gathering for manufacturers in the region to connect, collaborate, and learn from real-world examples of successful digital transformation, talent management, and sustainability shared by those who are making it happen today. Beginning in 2021, this event has empowered local manufacturers to advance their careers and businesses through valuable knowledge exchange and impactful networking opportunities.

So to more formally introduce Ashley, she grew up in Florida on a farm riding horses and raising animals and being out in the country, and that helped form who she is and her love of all things green and the wild spaces where they thrive. So these passions led her to become a Visionary sustainability leader with over a decade of experience in driving transformational initiatives in sustainability, supplier diversity, and operational excellence. Ashley has a proven track record of aligning corporate goals with ESG principles to achieve measurable impact in global supply chains. I'm sure she's going to be a phenomenal guest with us here today and also at the show. So We welcome you, Ashley. And just one other point I would say is that if you are following us, joining us live on LinkedIn, if you have any questions for Ashley or you want to contribute to the conversation in any way, please go ahead and put it in the comments section, and we will do our best to address them live during the broadcast. So welcome, Ashley.

Thank you, Mike and Mike. Should I call you Mike squared? I don't know. So happy to be here, and I'm always honored to talk about the things that I'm passionate about.

Fantastic.

So I wanted to maybe start by just learning a bit more about yourself, Ashley, I think, just to give her up, get her, let her on to get to know you better. So looking back on your career, I noticed that you've worked in a variety of roles, accounting, sales, and procurement in particular. How do you— did you seek out your current role in corporate responsibility and sustainability? Or did this sort of come to you? Because I know you mentioned your background in Florida as well.

Yeah, so it's, it's interesting when we're talking like this and we, we look back and we identify the opportunities that aligned, um, that you have handed to you professionally that kind of snowball and to put you where you are today, right? Um, I actually, you know, started my career in, um, non-traditional accounting, a little bit of forensic accounting, cost accounting, which tied in heavily with, you know, inventory control and compliance and That just sort of became an evolution that I enjoyed, but I wanted to turn away from that career path. You know, I didn't want to end up being a controller. That wasn't really what I wanted to do. And I kind of launched myself into some, you know, utility-scale solar development. And that then became, you know, large energy portfolio management, where I really had a deep dive into the United States, you know, power grids and the complexities around that. And that was a great education. I really enjoyed that. And then about the time that we started seeing a rise in sort of greenhouse gas accounting and reporting standards being rolled out globally, I was working in an opportunity where I pivoted into that sort of a compliance piece of the puzzle. And I just, you know, launched myself into the whole sustainability piece. And fast forward today, I'm now a Scope 3 leader in global supply chains working for a fantastic organization that has sustainability-dominant conversations and drive across the world. So it's a fabulous turn of events, long convoluted road, but I feel like I'm where I'm supposed to be today.

Well, excellent. Thank you. Thank you for that. And just a note, we see some back and forth in the comment sections already. So just to encourage folks, if you have questions, please go ahead and ask them. So Ashley, to me, it's interesting that corporate responsibility and sustainability are listed separately in your job title.

Yeah.

Could you maybe explain the umbrellas for us? What's included under corporate responsibility as Volvo defines it? And then maybe what are some of the key sustainability efforts that are underway?

I think a really good way to look at this is corporate responsibility is that umbrella. You just used the perfect word. Underneath that umbrella, we've got different pockets of areas that need to be dealt with. Sustainability is so much more than just decarbonization. Everybody gets stuck on decarbonization, but we've got other topics. We've got people topics, we've got resource management topics, we've got business and compliance topics. Then those unfold and you can get even more granular topics like resource management or biodiversity. It just goes on and on. But where the corporate responsibility piece ties in becomes the governance, the compliance, the making sure that everybody is aligned and doing what's required and being responsible. If you think about it, at Volvo Group, we have like 3 pillars. We've got our people, resources, and climate. You've got all these sort of subtopics, but they're really managed along that responsible purchasing umbrella. And that's how I see the world, right? And how we look at things internally.

That's fantastic.

Thank you for that.

Yeah, that's really neat. Can you highlight some of the key sustainability efforts that you're involved with today? If we narrow in a little bit and talk about those.

Well, what I can tell you is being a global organization, we're always looking at ways to reduce our carbon footprint globally. That opens a Pandora's box of projects. You have lightweighting, you've got alternative materials, you've got so many different opportunities that you can change the footprint of a And again, you know, that is kind of governed by what's happening in the world. When we're looking at compliance, we're looking at regulations, you know, which direction do we need to move? It's all kind of being pushed in that direction. So I think our overarching goals at Volvo Group are decarbonization in harmony and alignment, right, with global regulatory compliance. in making sure that we can hit targets that we've set as an organization. And I think one of the things that we committed to as a group is 100% safe products, 100% fossil-free, and 100% more productive. So anything that we embark on is going to fall underneath those categories, and it aligns squarely with what we want to accomplish and where we're going to accomplish it. And I'm not going to get into a lot of specifics here. But if you wanted to learn more, you could go to volvogroup.com and look at our corporate sustainability report where you've got so much information and numbers. And we're currently reviewing our 2025 CSR, which is going to be great when it comes out. So I highly recommend everybody look for that in the upcoming weeks.

You're right about With a large company, there's so many different things that you focus on to make it happen. I mean, it sounds crazy, but it's— if my recollection in my time at Michelin, you know, it goes all the way down to recycling on the production floor, which is, you think it's just an activity that each person has to do, all the way up to strategic partnerships with suppliers. on certain materials. I mean, so the range is quite dramatic, which leads me really to my next question, because I know one of the areas that you want to talk— we want to talk about supply chain, right? Um, how do you help your, your partners, your supply chain partners, really, um, move forward in this area of sustainability?

Well, I'll tell you, that's a great question, right? Because we have a massive supply chain and it's all over the world. So how do you bring everybody together and align and make sure you're pointed in the right direction? Well, the way that we handle that is we have a robust supply partner code of conduct that we've developed. And we have embedded in that requirements and expectations that clearly define what we need our suppliers to do. And it's a great, great living document. It'll grow and change over time, but it's the foundational language that we use not just in that code of conduct, but in our communications with our suppliers, in our trainings with our buyers, in master pricing agreements, in appendixes. Once you're on board with us and you sign that supply partner code of conduct, you really never get the opportunity again to say, well, I didn't know. You knew what you signed up for because we spell it out. And I think that piece of the puzzle is so critical, and, and I would highly recommend it for any, you know, supplier out there. Document it. Document your ethos. Document where you stand, what you stand for, what your expectations are, because that is the, that is the piece that you can come back to over and over and over again. So that is like the foundational piece that we share with our supply partners. But then there's also like this great goal of knowledge growth and competency, not just internally, but sharing that knowledge externally. So on our supplier portal, we have a library, like a knowledge library where we can really share information from small to mid-sized suppliers or even large suppliers who are just launching their sustainability programming. We've got tips and resources. We've got Lots of information embedded that our supply partners can look at. And then, you know, we also have, because we're such a large global entity, we basically have professionals available 24/7 in the sustainability area. So if you have questions, you reach out to your buyers, they can get you an answer usually pretty quick.

Yeah.

So I think that really builds on our partnerships. That agility, ability to be there, having that not just a static flat piece of paper, but ambassadors and experts really engage on the topics. It's critical.

What I like about that is what you're describing is you come alongside and work with the suppliers. You don't just send them a piece of paper and say, accomplish this.

It's continuous coaching. Continuous coaching. Because we set the bar, And then we set the bar again next year and then next year.

Yeah, I was going to get to that. I'm guessing— I was going to say, even though you, you're there to help and you're willing to provide them support, I was going to say I'm guessing that a couple things are there with respect to sustainability. One is that it's a differentiator when you're choosing between suppliers to some degree. It's an input, if I'm not mistaken. I would guess— I don't know, looking for your feedback on that. And then secondly, Do you give suppliers, I'll say, a grade, a sustainability grade as well?

We do have some tools that we use. There are surveys and questionnaires that gives us some really good visibility into the maturity of an organization. It's not just on sustainability, but maybe business ethics, company management, human resources, human rights. And so yeah, that is a scored document and we have like a, we have a minimum that you have to reach, right? And then there's stopping parameters. So let's say you, you score a 90, but you've got a stopping parameter. We're going to coach you on how to, how to fix that stopping parameter, right?

Right.

So, and let's say you don't hit that minimum score, but we really want you bad. We want you to be a supplier for us, right? So then that involves coaching and helping to understand where those gaps are and what they need to do to fix it and be a stronger supply partner, not just for us, but for anybody out there. Right. And so we've got tools that we use at the onboarding kind of sourcing part of the puzzle. And then we've got continuous improvement tools and live audits that we can do once you're onboarded so that you stay Stay involved. It's not just one and done.

That's critical. That sounds great. Real quick, just to summarize, what I appreciate, what I think I heard you say was a combination of both clear expectations and accountability for those expectations, but also support to help people achieve them, which what a great balance of things and it really helps make progress in this area. Sounds like, yeah.

Yeah, I agree. And, you know, I've been with Volvo Group for a little over 3 years, and I can say my personal opinion, I've seen a lot of progress. And, you know, building these relationships with supply partners who may feel a little vulnerable coming out of the box and saying, hey, we want to do these things, but we're really not even sure where to start. I think when you take the time to listen and build those relationships, you're forging a partnership that goes beyond just an invoice, right? Because they've— they're leaning on you to guide them in a rather tumultuous, you know, landscape. And when you are able to provide that stability and that knowledge, there's a real— you can't define that level of partnership, I don't think.

Yeah, it sounds like a good partnering relationship. I just want to break in for a second and remind everybody that we're talking with Ashley Campbell, who's the Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability Manager with the Volvo Group, ahead of her presentation at the MX Auto Southeast event. And her title— the title of her session will be Supply Chain Partnerships: Change to Stay Ahead. We certainly encourage all of you to meet her there and participate and learn more. with Ashley. But again, if you have questions, we can certainly take them. So go ahead and put them in the comments field. I guess just a couple things that jump out to me, Ashley. One, you mentioned being a global organization, which is obvious, and that takes you, you know, all around the world with different regulations. And, you know, there's obviously— there are changes happening right here in the US with regard to, you know, environmental regulations and things like that. So just wondering, what trends do you see? Well, I guess To finish, finish the thought, sorry. Obviously, you need to maintain a level of consistency because there will be potentially changes in regulatory requirements around the world. So, you know, I guess, do you end up not responding as— I guess I'm thinking about how big the changes could be. Based on some of the things that we're seeing. But as a global organization, maybe 2 things. How are you responding to such changes? And then also, are there trends that you see happening over the next 3 to 5 years when it comes to corporate responsibility and sustainability? What are those trends that you're monitoring?

So I think there's 2 answers to your question. All right. One, how do you handle all the changes? Then what do you think will be critical to those changes moving forward? There's 2 things. One, having this solid core, the center, the stability in your organization where something like sustainability becomes part of your DNA. It's like who you are, you're aligned with it, it's part of how people see you. I think that's critical. You've got to have that foundation. You can't constantly change with the wind, or you'll never get anywhere. And in fact, that'll make you very weak, right? So, so for, for Volvo Group, you know, this huge, beautiful company, very clear in their core beliefs and what they stand for. So when you have that concrete core, you're able to weather what comes around. And you're able to then adopt business agility, right? Because you know that there's not going to be someone at the center seat going, wait, we can't do that, we have to do this instead. You have that continual support of, no, this is what we believe in, and yes, we can be agile as long as we remember those core beliefs, right? So that's one piece.

Yeah.

And I want to speak to that. I think business agility is going to be critical to manage global trends. and regulations and, you know, supply chain disruptions.

Sure.

I don't think that any organization can be complacent right now. I think you've got to be on your toes. And I think that this is really going to continue to take center stage as supply chain transparency becomes more relevant in the C-suites, right? Because you've got to know all the way down to that raw material what's happening with these components, with these parts, with these ingredients. So you don't get surprises, you don't have any risk issues pop up, right? So that you can complete those due diligence reports that you need completed, and you can make swift, smart, agile business decisions to support anything that comes your way. So you're able to do that because you've got that solid foundation and you know what your organization believes in, and then you're able to utilize all of your people and all of your resources in your supply chain. to make those quick decisions. I think that's super critical. And so when we talk about trends over the next 2, 3, 5 years, I think the only trend that we can probably anticipate is change, right? Constant change and evolution. So focusing on your agility, focusing on your transparency, your reporting, and also being solid in what you believe in as an organization. I think that's That's going to be the bellwether for everybody to move forward.

Well, I appreciate that, and I appreciate you making sense out of my long-winding way of trying to ask a question. So, but I mean, I agree, certainly all my time in industry has been spent talking about responsiveness and agility and, you know, banging the drum for that. And it's really encouraging to see people living that day to day because of you know, the values of the organization, but then also the business return that you get for, you know, being consistent there and delivering and being a good supply chain partner and such. So thank you for sharing that.

Yeah, I want to talk about that for just a second. I had somebody ask me once about 2 and a half years ago, like, what is the difference between responsible purchasing and ESG? And I want to tie that to my last answer.

Please.

And I'm gonna, at the risk of irritating people, I have found that ESG historically has been doing the minimum requirements, doing the basics to get by. Like, really, like, this is what we got to do to hit this level. Right? And we're gonna, we're gonna just kind of do the bare minimum and coast along and make sure we hit those kind of metrics that are required of us. Responsible purchasing is creating an entire business ethos around doing what's right, even if it's not required at the time. I think that that's what we're seeing in some of these trends is there's an ask from shareholders, there's an ask from customers to go above and beyond. Don't just do the minimums. Let's be more responsive and responsible as corporations and do what's right instead of just what's required. I just felt like I needed to mention that real quick because I think that gets lost sometimes in these conversations. I really do. Yeah.

Well, what you're describing though, I think I often, when I talk to leaders as a coach, what are your values? What are your corporate values and what's the culture you're establishing? I think What you're describing is a company that's a value-based company where it isn't just compliant with the law. It's what's my culture? What are my values? And am I living those values? And what you're describing at Volvo, for example, is the values that are lived that go beyond the legislation. And I think that's— we look for responsible companies today that are willing to do that, that understand legislation, but understand also their values and when they are driven by their values. Certainly meaning the legislative issues, but really being driven by their values.

Yeah, I agree. I use the word ethos. Define your ethos, document it. Sure, it's great to say I don't support child labor, but do you have it written down anywhere? I know here in the United States, we take that as an assumption. Oh, we don't have to. We don't have to document that, but maybe we should, because just because we are assuming it's in the labor laws that no one's going to have child labor, where do you stand as an organization? Right? Puts me in the hot seat again. That's a real big topic. But the point is that documenting it, just writing down your, as you said, values. I just sometimes values can get twisted. I like ethos. Where do you stand? Where do you live? Where do you breathe? What do you think?

Yeah.

Yeah, and I coach suppliers on that often as well, right?

So yeah, no, that's really good advice and a really good perspective there. You know, we're— you're going to be speaking at MXO Southeast, and for those that come listen to your presentation, what do you hope they take away when they come listen?

Well, I hope that they take this, that it's possible still in this day and age to find hope and passion in what you do in every day. Everything you do, every decision you make, and everything that you wake up and do in a day can make a difference in the future, even if it's a small one. Being a sustainability professional is believing every day that you can still make a difference. I hope that anybody who listens to me, walks away feeling optimistic and maybe motivated in, in doing that one small thing that can create a ripple effect and change in, in their supply chain, or maybe even just starting a conversation or revisiting a hard conversation that you had before that you didn't feel like was going to be successful because something small might come from it that could be a game changer in 5 years.

That's great.

That's really neat. Well, we've been talking for the last 25 minutes or so with Ashley Campbell from the Volvo Group. about supply chain partnerships and the need to change to stay ahead, as we talked, as she shared a little about her perspective on the future and the need for agility. As we get ready to wrap up, Mike, I'm looking for maybe a final reflection from what you've heard, and Ashley as well, a final comment for our audience, if you don't mind. So Mike, we'll start with you.

Yeah, sure. I mean, I think a couple of points, you know, from I think Ashley is living, you know, something very important to her. She talked about how she was raised and how important the environment is to her and the fact that that's, you know, something she's living out every day and the discussions about, you know, the ethos of the organization and sustainability and such being built into the DNA of the organization. I think it's fantastic to see People that are committed to a cause and then consistently walking or running, whatever it is, down that path. I think it's great to see, it's inspirational to see big organizations like that that are prioritizing such things. Appreciate it, Ashley.

Ashley, what are your final thoughts for the audience today? I think we've—

I think she might have some technical difficulties.

Yeah, maybe she'll get back. Can you hear Ashley or not? Well, we're— she mentioned earlier some of the issues with tech.

You're back?

Do you have a final thought you'd like to share with our audience?

I think so. Yeah, just if you've never been to Greenville in April, it's gorgeous. And you need to come out because it is just one of the most beautiful places to see spring in South Carolina. And it's going to be wonderful to rub elbows with other people, professionals out there, learn what everybody has to say. And I hope to Hope to meet you there.

Thank you very much for that. Well, Ashley, thanks for taking the time to join us today and give us a little bit of preview of your presentation at MXO Southeast, which will be happening on April 7th and 8th at the Hyatt Hotel in Greenville, South Carolina. We hope you decide to join Ashley and the Industry 4.0 Club at the event. Here is the web address. where you can register. The focus is for manufacturers, and so if you're a manufacturer, we'd love to see you there. Tremendous educational opportunity for you, as well as a chance to, to meet other manufacturers who have similar curiosity about, in this case, supply chain and other important industry topics. The Industry 4.0 Club certainly would like to encourage you to take action. Something you may have heard today from Ashley, or something you'll learn from being at the conference, read a book, attend a webinar, or encourage your company to start a smart manufacturing roadmap. Any of those activities are really important to help advance the deployment of Industry 4.0. We'd like to know what you're, what you're doing. Drop us a note on our website at www.industry4.0club.org. industry4oclub.com and let us know, or on our LinkedIn page. We'd love to hear from you. We also host conversations like this weekly. So if you'd like to be a future guest on a broadcast, please drop a note, drop us a note, let us know that as well. And with that, Ashley, thank you so much for taking the time out of your schedule. Mike, thank you. And for everybody listening, we hope you have a great rest of the day and the rest of the week.

Thank you.

Thank you, guys.

Thanks. See you in April.

Okay, bye-bye.