Insights from the amfori Europe Sustainability Summit

External Affairs – Elevating the Profession

Earlier this week, I had the opportunity to represent the Association of Professional Social Compliance Auditors (APSCA) at the amfori Europe Sustainability Summit in Frankfurt. The theme “Supply Chain Resilience in a Volatile World” could not have been more timely.

We often hear the word polycrisis to describe today’s global landscape – with overlapping shocks affecting not only brands and consumers but also suppliers and workers. Whether it’s inflation, geopolitical instability, or the shifting regulatory landscape, these pressures are felt across all levels of the supply chain.

Needed: Intentional Collaboration

A recurring theme throughout the Summit was collaboration. But as I shared on stage, collaboration doesn’t happen by default – especially not under pressure. It must be designed, structured, and maintained.

For brands and retailers, ESG teams are navigating shifting compliance requirements, like the EU Omnibus Directive while procurement departments are balancing cost pressures, delivery timelines, and volatile sourcing conditions. Alignment across departments becomes a real challenge.

Where audits occur, the dynamic is just as complex. Factories may hesitate to be fully transparent if they fear losing orders. Workers might avoid raising concerns if past experiences suggest that speaking up leads to job loss rather than remediation. And auditors often walk a tightrope, observing reality on the ground, while being mindful of the larger due diligence framework.

So what makes collaboration work? Alignment. Specifically:

Aligning ESG, legal, procurement, and investor relations functions internally.

Aligning incentives and expectations between buyers, suppliers, and rightsholders externally.

Creating systems that foster trust, where speaking up doesn’t lead to punishment, and staying engaged is the default, not the exception.

Regulation, audits, and the business case

Despite the flux in some areas of EU regulation, participantsemphasized that the broader trajectory is clear. Global legislation is continuing to evolve and there is no turning back.

Some brands shared practical insights on how they are navigating internal alignment: elevating ESG to the C-suite and embedding sustainability into core decision-making processes. In one case, strong sustainability performance even enabled preferential access to financing. This kind of business case strengthens the argument for sustainability as risk management and cost-effective business, not just moral positioning. Companies that have already committed to sustainable sourcing approaches shared that once these systems are in place, they become part of the operating model, not an optional add-on with hidden costs.

Amid all this, the relevance of audits was affirmed. While audits are not and should not be seen as the same as a corporate due diligence plan, audits remain a critical tool for identifying risks and informing further action.

Elevating the profession

As the external environment grows more complex, the demand for high-quality, independent, and professional auditing will only increase. But equally important is ensuring that audits are embedded within a broader system of due diligence – one, that translates findings into action, and connects frontline insights to strategic decisions.

That’s why APSCA’s work, from advancing auditor competence to strengthening our Code of Conduct, is so central to this moment. We are not just upholding standards; we are helping shape the ecosystem that makes real change possible.

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Insights from the amfori Europe Sustainability Summit

External Affairs – Elevating the Profession

Needed: Intentional Collaboration

Regulation, audits, and the business case

Elevating the profession