Leaders Driving Sustainability at Thermo Fisher Scientific

At Thermo Fisher Scientific, the commitment to supply chain sustainability is led by Chris Shanahan, Alyssa Caddle, and Matthew Yamatin. Their combined expertise drives the company’s mission to reduce Scope 3 emissions—a significant challenge in global sustainability efforts. Scope 3 emissions, which encompass all indirect emissions that occur in a company’s value chain, including those from suppliers, partners, and distributors, are a critical area of focus for businesses striving to make meaningful environmental impacts.

Thermo Fisher's extensive network of partners, suppliers, and customers complicates the task of quantifying and influencing Scope 3 emissions. However, the company's leadership understands that collaboration across the supply chain is essential for effective emission reduction while maintaining commercial viability.

Chris Shanahan, Vice President of Global Sustainability Supply Chain at Thermo Fisher, has a strong background in procurement and sustainability. His previous roles include serving as Chief Procurement Officer at Thermo Fisher and Beckman Dickinson, where he gained valuable experience in supply chain management. Shanahan’s journey into sustainability was shaped by personal experiences with health and the environment. As an asthmatic, he recognises the critical intersection between environmental sustainability and personal health, which has fuelled his passion for sustainable supply chain practices. Chris views every supply chain challenge as an opportunity for improvement, a philosophy that underpins his approach to reducing emissions and driving sustainability.

Alyssa Caddle, Director of Procurement Sustainability, plays a crucial role in Thermo Fisher’s efforts to engage suppliers in sustainability initiatives. With a background in sustainability within the tech and apparel industries, Caddle brings a wealth of knowledge to her role. Her primary focus is on supplier responsibility programmes, which encompass both environmental and human rights aspects. Alyssa's work involves collaborating with suppliers to ensure that Thermo Fisher's sustainability goals are reflected throughout the supply chain. This collaboration is vital for addressing the environmental impact of the company’s operations and supporting its suppliers in adopting sustainable practices.

Matthew Yamatin, Sustainability Program Director, complements the team by focusing on environmental sustainability strategy and customer engagement. His role involves working closely with customers to develop tailored sustainability solutions that align with their specific goals. Given Thermo Fisher’s diverse range of services, from laboratory products to clinical trials and contract manufacturing, Matthew’s work is crucial in ensuring that sustainability efforts are integrated across the company’s offerings. By engaging with customers, Matthew helps them understand the opportunities for sustainability within their operations and works to implement solutions that are both impactful and achievable.

Thermo Fisher's approach to supply chain sustainability is grounded in collaboration with suppliers and customers. This collaboration is key to identifying opportunities for emission reductions and ensuring that sustainability efforts are not just theoretical but are applied practically across the supply chain. For example, some customers may benefit from incorporating renewable energy into clinical trials, while others may achieve significant decarbonisation by using biobased resins instead of fossil-based ones.

The team at Thermo Fisher understands that the path to sustainability is not one-size-fits-all. Each customer’s needs are unique, and the solutions provided must be adaptable and customised to achieve the desired environmental outcomes. This flexibility is essential in a global business environment where sustainability is increasingly becoming a critical component of commercial success.