PSC LIVE Chicago: Interview with BizClik CEO Glen White
Procurement & Supply Chain LIVE Chicago is set to bring together procurement and supply chain's finest from across the US and beyond.
The event, set to be co-located with Sustainability LIVE Chicago, will take place at the iconic Convene Willis Tower on 28-29 May.
It marks a watershed moment for BizClik, the UK-based digital media and events company, which began staging in-person events back in September 2021.
Here, Glen White, CEO of BizClik, discusses the remarkable rise of Procurement & Supply Chain LIVE and Sustainability LIVE, while detailing what industry-leading executives can expect from the Chicago event.
Launch of the LIVE series
What began as a pandemic-driven necessity has transformed into a thriving global events business for BizClik, which has successfully staged sustainability, procurement and supply chain conferences across international markets.
The company's entry into the events space was born from client demand during the COVID-19 lockdowns.
"The pandemic drove our clients to ask for us to do virtual events, which we did because they needed the leads and we needed the business," Glen explains. "Suddenly, we found out that we were pretty good at it."
This realisation led to the launch of an events series, with Procurement and Supply Chain LIVE marking its debut in the physical events arena in September 2021.
"It was the first time they'd been to any physical event since the lockdown," Glen recalls of those early days. "It was quiet to begin with, but it got us going."
Chicago: The perfect industrial hub
The decision to take Procurement & Supply Chain LIVE and Sustainability LIVE to the US for the first time, with Chicago as the chosen destination, wasn't made lightly.
Glen highlights the city's strategic advantages: "It's central, a great hub for people to come from the east coast as well as the west coast, but it's an industrial heartland of the US."
The choice has proven a masterstroke, with the Willis Tower event set to attract around 2,000 attendees.
"We have an entire floor with three very distinct stages, Glen continues. "It's incredible and our team have worked tirelessly to pull this off."
The Chicago event represents a significant milestone, featuring an impressive line-up of speakers including chief sustainability officers and VPs from major global organisations such as American Express, MasterCard, Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Walgreens and Walmart.
The gathering will showcase how supply chain sustainability has evolved from a peripheral concern to a core business imperative across industries including automotive, aerospace, pharmaceutical, healthcare and consumer goods.
"We have more than 60 really top level executive speakers from some of the world's largest corporations," Glen adds.
Trump's impact on supply chain strategy
In light of recent changes to the political landscape, Glen acknowledges that macroeconomic factors, including new tariff policies, will inevitably influence discussions during the event.
"You always knew when Trump came back in that he never does anything quietly," he continues, referring to Trump's trade policies.
"We need to understand how these tariffs impact China, Europe, the UK, Canada and more. People are trying to understand that and how it impacts sustainability and the supply chain."
However, Glen emphasises that, while external factors may influence tactical decisions, the fundamental importance of ESG initiatives remains unchanged.
"We see people bringing global decarbonisation into how they're developing their net-zero strategies, how they're integrating the energy transition into their programmes," he reveals.
The focus now is on shifting towards practical implementation rather than theoretical commitments.
Capitalism meets sustainability
Perhaps the most compelling aspect of BizClik's events is its focus on the business case for sustainability.
Glen cites a recent statement from a global leader at the last Sustainability LIVE event: "welcome to capitalism" – highlighting how sustainability has shifted from being merely "the right thing to do" to a business necessity.
"Sustainability needs to be embedded into the business strategy," he argues. "Unsustainable business is no longer sustainable."
This pragmatic approach is particularly relevant when considering Scope 3 emissions, which typically account for 85-90% of most companies' carbon footprint and are largely embedded within their supply chains.
"Scope 3 emissions – those in the supply chain – often come from the top 20% of suppliers," says Glen. "Companies are score-boarding those suppliers and, if they are taking their sustainability more seriously, they have a greater chance of winning the supply chain business."
Global expansion plans
Success in Chicago is just the beginning of BizClik's international ambitions.
"Technology is global; AI is global; supply chains are global; and these corporations [that we work with] are global," Glen asserts when discussing the company's expansion strategy.
BizClik and its brands have already announced an extensive global calendar, including LIVE events in London this September, Climate Week in New York, plans for a sustainability conference at COP 30 in São Paulo.
With the dates for next year's Chicago event due to be confirmed soon, Glen's confidence is palpable: "Every workshop is oversubscribed; every sponsor event is oversubscribed; we couldn't sell any more tickets even if we wanted to."
This success reflects a broader trend: sustainability and supply chain management are no longer optional considerations but fundamental elements of modern business strategy that require continuous learning, networking and strategic development on a global scale.
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