Companies recognise that it is not feasible to tackle systemic sustainability challenges alone, and that achieving their goals requires a scale that can only be achieved by pooling resources.

With all customers demanding CO2 measurement and reduction targets from their suppliers, suppliers are likely to face overwhelming demands. The lack of standardised methodologies exacerbates the impact, with a significant risk of low quality results and low commitment rates. At the very least, companies sharing common suppliers should coordinate their efforts within their respective ecosystems.

When a single company commits to a sustainability target, progress may be slow and the overall impact minimal. However, if a consortium of companies adopts the same standard and collaborates to address the issue, the path becomes more manageable and the impact is exponentially greater.

Collaboration between major customers and their suppliers is on the rise, facilitated by the emergence of prominent international environmental organisations such as the 1.5-degree Supply Chain Leaders (https://exponentialroadmap.org/supply-chain-leaders/), digital platforms such as CDP's Supply Chain Program (https://www.cdp.net/en/supply-chain), and initiatives such as the Energize Program (https://hub.zeigo.com/energize) launched by the pharmaceutical industry to access decarbonisation solutions, particularly in renewable electricity.

The message is clear: do not embark on the decarbonisation journey alone!