speaker-info

Donna Westerman

CEO, Sustainable Purchasing Leadership Council

As CEO, Donna Westerman guides the SPLC’s direction and implements strategies to maintain the organization’s focus on its short-term and long-term objectives. She leads the development and growth of programs that empower procurement and supply chain professionals to integrate high-impact, sustainable purchasing leadership practices. Donna focuses on the most salient impacts that the SPLC make on sustainability leaders. Donna has spent her career leading strategic/tactical solutions for large-scale corporate initiatives – commodity and country risk analysis, sustainable sourcing, and human rights – working to improve working conditions and environmental impact. Donna began the first supplier diversity programs at Bristol-Myers Squibb and Wrigley. She has served as the Director of Supplier Diversity & Social Accountability/Global Supply Chain for Avon Products. As the first VP of Responsible Sourcing for Mars, Inc, she assembled the Global Responsible Sourcing Center of Excellence team, responsible for Mars’ first Code of Conduct. Her work with Mars enabled them to become one of the top three companies in the food and beverage sector for ethical sourcing. This code continues to affect how Mars procures goods and services worldwide, over five divisions with 70,000 + associates. Donna comes to SPLC most recently from Verisk Maplecroft, where she served in a number of positions, including Vice President of Environment, Sustainability, and Governance (ESG), Head of Retail and Consumer Goods; and Vice President for Consulting. In these positions, she developed and enhanced CSR programs and processes for global retail and consumer clients and focused on systematic change to address human rights violations and environmental impact in the supply chain. Having navigated complex economic, social, governmental, and environmental issues, Donna has established policy development/guidance, training/issue trend monitoring, analysis/implementation guidance, and resources to ensure both supply chain resiliency and adaptation of more sustainable procurement practices. Donna has served as a senior advisor to some of the world’s largest consumer product groups. Along with the Academic credentials include an MBA in Industrial Relations and a BS in Business Administration/ Marketing from Seton Hall University, and a CSR Certification from Harvard Business School.

My Sessions

We are in a pivotal moment for addressing sustainability. How we can leverage procurement spend to address the deficiencies in our social and economic system that have been laid bare by the coronavirus crisis?  Today’s mainstage will feature two keynote speakers  — anchor purchasing advocate Ted Howard of the Democracy Collaborative and supplier diversity pioneer … read more >>

Plenary
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