On stage was:
- Fanny Ekholm, CSR Manager at Didriksons
- Ann Carlsson, CSR & Environment Manager at Blåkläder
- Sara M. Rakstang, Founder & CEO of Repass
We discussed.
- Long-term supplier relationships enhance transparency in the supply chain.
- Circular economy practices need to be scalable and integrated into business models
- Data collection is crucial for understanding sustainability impacts.
Hosted by Konrad Olsson, Editor-in-chief and founder of Scandinavian MIND
Key takeaways
Long-term supplier relationships are a strategic asset
Both Didriksons and Blåkläder emphasized the importance of working with a smaller number of long-term suppliers — some for over 30 years — to enable deeper transparency, smoother data sharing, and stronger co-investment in sustainability improvements.
Data is there — but it needs organizing
A recurring theme was that much of the necessary traceability data already exists within companies. The challenge is to collect, structure, and utilize it without overwhelming teams or disrupting operations.
From compliance to business value
The panel agreed that transparency should not be seen only as a legal obligation. It’s a gateway to improved branding, resale models, and more efficient production planning — even reducing overproduction and enabling full-price sales.
Circularity must be integrated, not outsourced
Sara from Repass urged brands to make secondhand sales and product take-backs part of the core business model, not just a CSR initiative. Circularity should be scalable and financially viable.
The future is modular and test-driven
A strong message from Repass was: start small. Pilot new systems or data flows with just a few products. See what works. Then scale up. It’s better to test and iterate than to stall in the face of complexity.
Digital Product Passport (DPP) is more than a tech upgrade
For brands like Didriksons, the upcoming DPP regulation is triggering a broader internal transformation — aligning IT, sourcing, and design teams around shared data flows and new digital architectures.
New tools must be integratable, not overwhelming
Sara emphasized the importance of low-code/no-code integrations and workflow automations, which can help brands avoid costly, time-consuming ERP overhauls.
