An outlook of how sustainability looks like in 2024 for FMCG companies

Fernando Amenedo, Former VP Sustainable Packaging Office at CCEP and General Manager at The Coca-Cola Company Iberia

Mariano de la Canal, Strategy and Sustainability Lead at propelland EMEA.

In this Espresso Capsules episode, conducted by our propeller, Mariano de la Canal, Fernando Amenedo, former VP Sustainable Packaging Officer at CCEP and General Manager at The Coca-Cola Company Iberia, shares insightful perspectives on sustainability within the business sector for 2024. In the interview, we explore how sustainability has transitioned from a peripheral concern to a strategic business focus, highlighting a shift towards integrating sustainability across all business operations to foster transformation, create value, and drive growth.

We also delve into the primary challenges in the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) industry with Fernando Amenedo, such as transforming strategic clarity into operational reality and navigating the uncertainty in legislation. Furthermore, we discuss strategic actions companies are taking to address these challenges and how they are successfully navigating the complexities of sustainability.

TRANSCRIPT (ENG): 

Mariano de la Canal:  Hello everybody, we are here in our studios in Madrid, at the offices of Propelland EMEA together with Fernando Amenedo, Former VP Sustainable Packaging Office at CCEP and General Manager at The Coca-Cola Company Iberia. We are going to be asking some questions on sustainability. How’s it going, Fernando?

Fernando Amenedo: Pleased to be with you.

Mariano de la Canal: Fernando, What does sustainability mean in the year 2024?

Fernando Amenedo: Well… sustainability is essential in 2024, it has gone from being a small chapter in the companies’ annual report, in the annual sustainability report, to become a strategic focus of the business, a business transformation focal point. And this is extremely important because as it is an axis of business transformation, it becomes a core and transversal to the whole business. And so, in the end is a critical part of creating value and growth.

Mariano de la Canal: Tell us, what are the main challenges you have observed from your experience in the fast moving consumer good industry?

Fernando Amenedo: Well, I would say, to sum up a lot and after seeing the case in many, many companies, that the critical part is how to transform something that is clear at the strategy level, from the board and from the CEO, to something that is purely operational, this means moving from strategy to reality and to the day-day.

Of course, this seems simple because it can occur in many aspects of business but in the case of sustainability, it is particularly complicated. Because the environment is indeed complex. Normally, large consumer companies are in complex environments with a very solid supply chain over the years and where changing things becomes complicated. And to this must be added another issue that is fundamental, which is uncertainty in legislation. Sure, you know the way, but you don’t know it in many cases certainly, when legislation is going to impact you in a definitive way.

Mariano de la Canal: Finally, Fernando, tell us what are the companies doing to resolve these challenges successfully? 

Fernando Amenedo: Well, I think there are several issues. To sum it up, the first is good governance. The second is internal and external collaboration, and the third… is do things, learn and build on what you do and learn. Test.