amfori Europe Sustainability Summit: Building supply chain resilience in a volatile world
Held on 23 and 24 September 2025 in Frankfurt, amfori, with the support of GIZ, gathered businesses, civil society and various stakeholders under one roof to discuss supply chain resilience.
Visitors from Germany made up a significant portion of the event’s attendance, unsurprisingly, as it hosts amfori’s largest member market. Other key countries included the Netherlands, Denmark, Spain, Switzerland, the UK, and Austria. Additionally, businesses from Hong Kong SAR China, Sweden, France, Finland, the US, Norway, Bulgaria, and Türkiye took part.
A multifaceted and comprehensive program
Day 1 brought diverse perspectives from development cooperation, industry, and policy. Together, they explored practical approaches to managing ESG risks in global supply chains, with a focus on how industry collaboration can strengthen resilience and drive effective, scalable due diligence.
Day 2 was the opportunity for amfori members and select guests to have a look at amfori’s 3–5-year ESG product strategy. Participants also took part in hands-on workshops on managing social risks beyond audits and addressing Scope 3 emissions in complex supply chains.
The workshops, candid fireside chats and networking sessions revealed the diversity of profiles of businesses and their paths to build resilience. Overall, this emphasised how amfori can support companies with different business priorities with its range of ESG solutions.
For forward-thinking businesses, responsible conduct is not a burden. As amfori President, Linda Kromjong states in her opening speech: “It’s an investment in long-term viability and resilience amid global volatility.”
The key message from Dr. Bärbel Kofler
Dr. Bärbel Kofler, Parliamentary State Secretary to the Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development, opened the summit by addressing the challenges facing global supply chains, from climate shocks and geopolitical instability to regulatory pressure. She highlighted the role of resilience, responsibility, and collaboration in shaping sustainable global trade.
“Geopolitical tensions, trade disputes, and violent conflicts hinder international trade. And the impacts of climate change, like droughts and floods, increasingly disrupt production and transport worldwide. In light of such complexities, it is of critical importance for companies to build resilient and reliable supply chains. But this is a difficult taks. There are no quick fixes. It is not enough to simply shift production from one supplier to another, or from one country to the next.
No single company and no government can achieve supply chain resilience alone. True resilience grows when supply chains are built on collaboration, transparency, and responsibility. When all partners along the supply chain work hand in hand. When they trust each other. And when they are committed to overcoming challenges and disruptions together,” Kofler comments.
Key takeaways
At the end of the summit, three key takeaways stood out:
1. ESG risk management defines long-term success
Integrating Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) risk management into core business strategy is the key to building resilience. An effective ESG approach not only helps navigate evolving regulations but also safeguards reputation, operations, and stakeholder trust. Ultimately, managing a risk is always cheaper than managing a crisis.
2.Due diligence legislation is evolving
Due diligence regulations are rapidly emerging across the globe, setting higher expectations for responsible business conduct. While legislative frameworks continue to develop, companies should not wait for legal mandates to act. Proactively strengthening due diligence practices positions businesses ahead of compliance requirements and builds long-term resilience.
3. No company can address systemic challenges alone
Tackling complex global issues requires collaboration and collective action. Building trust among stakeholders, business associations, and companies is key. Platforms such as the amfori Europe Sustainability Summit foster dialogue, knowledge sharing, and partnerships that drive meaningful progress. With its extensive global network, amfori is the partner of choice to simplify complexity and amplify impact.
Our dialogue continues at the amfori Asia Sustainability Summit on 5 November in Hong Kong SAR, China.