Buhler Networking Days in Uzwil has a sustainability focus

This year’s theme for the Networking Days event was Multiplying impact together, emphasising alternatives and addressing solutions to create profitable businesses that can sustainably feed 10-billion individuals by 2050.

Representatives from business, academia, and industry shared solutions to address present and future sustainability issues at the event. 

Speaking at the event, Stefan Scheiber, the CEO at Buhler Group, said, “Every breakthrough, partnership, and bold decision has the potential to create ripples – spreading knowledge, inspiring action, and driving progress. But their true power lies in the multiplier effect: when these ripples connect, they create waves of change.” Scheilber added, “By working together, businesses and industries don’t just add incrementally to progress – they accelerate it by compounding their influence and scaling solutions far beyond what any single effort could achieve.” 

Ian Roberts, Buhler Group CTO, said: “I am energised by the potential and willingness shown by our 1,200 guests – not to simply talk, but to build concrete actions and to share what they have already achieved to accelerate group learning and impact multiplication.”

Laurent Freixe, CEO of Nestle, who was present, said, climate change is a reality, but with leadership and scientific solutions, climate change can be collectively addressed, and key players in the food industry must take this responsibility seriously.

Ranjay Gulati, Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School, in his keynote address, advised leaders to adopt an agile mindset, which permits experimentation and learning to forge ahead, rather than oppose it.

Professor Johan Rockstrom, an expert on global sustainability, emphasised that sustainability is essential for resilience and future success. 

Johan Westman, CEO of plant-based oils producer Aak, shared Aak’s journey, emphasising that palm oil offers yields greater than any other plant-based oil. Thomas Zurbuchen, Leader of ETH Zurich and former Head of Science at NASA, spoke about the importance of collaboration between science and industry in addressing climate and environment-related challenges. 

Julia Binder, Professor at IMD, encouraged thinking about the circular economy as a means to unite profitability, growth, and sustainability. 

Michele Andriani, CEO of Andriani SpA, elaborated on the power of circularity to unlock new markets. Andrea Illy, Chairman of illycaffe SpA, built on the theme of waste valorisation by repurposing coffee byproducts as bioactive ingredients for the cosmetics sector.

On the second day of the event, Stefan Legge, vice director and head of tax and trade policy at the University of St. Gallen, Switzerland, urged attendees to remain sceptical of claims that globalisation is reversing. He said, “Global trade is still growing, just at a slower rate.”

Vito Martielli, senior analyst for grains and oilseeds at Rabobank, shared research showing continued growth in global grain trade, driven by rising demand in China and Africa. Neil Barua, CEO of software company PTC, identified digitalisation as key to managing supply chain risks.

A panel discussion focused on the challenge of providing safe, healthy, and affordable food to a growing global population. Abigail Stevenson, chief science officer at Mars, described the importance of nutritional density in packaged food products. 

Florian Schattenmann, chief technology officer at Cargill Incorporated, noted that efforts to improve nutrient density required companies to achieve four simultaneous objectives: “Products need to offer the right taste, the right nutrition profile, the right sustainability profile, and the right cost.”

Mandla Nkomo, CEO of Partners in Food Solutions, supported the power of innovation and entrepreneurship to resolve challenges in Africa’s food systems.

Buhler Networking Days 2025 set a benchmark, bringing together industry leaders who confabulated about a range of sectors.