Eirik and Idunn, could you explain what a Value Chain Day is and the value it offers to your customers?

“Value Chain Days are structured sessions that bring together key stakeholders from across a company’s value chain—suppliers, partners, and sometimes customers—to collaborate. The goal is to gather everyone in the same room to understand the bigger picture, identify synergies, and work toward shared goals. This could include initiatives like reducing carbon emissions, exploring commercial uses for residual materials, or addressing broader industry changes. As an outcome, we often aim to identify projects that create new business opportunities,” says Eirik.

“Think of it as an operational forum that builds a shared roadmap,” Idunn adds. Each actor in the value chain gains clarity on how they fit into the overall strategy and how they can contribute to—and benefit from—collaborative efforts. Increasingly, these efforts align with broader EU regulations, which will impact many companies in the coming years. With new regulatory pressures and evolving technologies, it’s crucial for everyone to have a credible transition plan and for companies to collaborate to achieve these goals.

“Yes, the regulations are critical,” Eirik agrees. “Over the years, we’ve seen a shift. Initially, the focus was on risk management, but now it’s about seizing opportunities. For example, we’ve worked with a customer for several years on Value Chain Days. They incentivize suppliers to develop low-carbon versions of their products, which these suppliers can then sell to other customers. It’s great to witness how these collaborations can drive the entire industry forward.”

How does a Value Chain Day typically work in practice?

“The process can vary depending on the company’s ambitions and the focus of the day. It starts with establishing a shared language, understanding concepts, and setting goals—whether that involves broad discussions or identifying specific project opportunities. If the focus is relationship-building, the topics tend to be more general. For more specific project outcomes, the discussions become more detailed,” Idunn explains.

“A key element is clearly communicating the company’s strategy, often centered around sustainability goals, innovation, or market changes. Including senior leaders who present their vision—explaining where the company is headed, the challenges it faces, and the collaboration opportunities—sets an important foundation. Then, participants engage in workshops and discussions to explore how their goals align with others in the value chain,” Eirik adds.

“It’s not just about talking; it’s about action. By the end of the day, participants have identified areas of opportunity, concrete action steps, partnerships, and innovations that can drive progress. These sessions serve as a catalyst for ongoing collaboration and innovation,” Idunn concludes.

How do Value Chain Days foster innovation?

Innovation is at the heart of these sessions. When companies from different parts of the value chain come together, they bring diverse perspectives, experiences, and technologies. “While diversity is often praised in theory, in practice many prioritize immediate efficiency and see differing opinions as obstacles. But in these sessions, that diversity becomes the essential ingredient for solving challenges in new ways,” says Eirik.

“For example, a supplier might present a new material that could unlock a shift to more circular solutions, but they might not realize its full potential until they understand how it fits into the bigger picture. Similarly, a logistics partner might suggest optimizing transportation routes, reducing emissions throughout the value chain. These collaborative sessions reveal opportunities that might otherwise go unnoticed,” Eirik continues.

“I hope we’re at a tipping point. More people are starting to recognize that more needs to be done—and faster,” Idunn adds.

How do Value Chain Days translate into actionable sustainability solutions?

“The key is ensuring that everyone understands their role in the larger sustainability vision they share with the value chain. We align on shared perspectives, strategic priorities, material issues, and sometimes key performance indicators (KPIs). This alignment helps establish processes that drive progress together,” Eirik explains.

“It’s like putting on a new lens that broadens the opportunities upstream and downstream in the value chain,” Idunn adds. “With a focus on Scope 3 emissions, companies are realizing that the most impactful changes—and cost savings—often lie outside their own operations.”

“No single company can solve these challenges alone. Engaging the entire value chain is necessary for driving significant transformations,” Eirik emphasizes.

What’s on your mind right now regarding value chain collaboration?

“Well, quite a bit,” Eirik says with a smile. “It’s important to recognize that Value Chain Days can be applied at different scales. The principles behind these processes help break down silos and enhance value creation toward shared goals—whether within a department, across a company, or even at an industry level.”

“With the social and climate-related crises we’ve seen this year—armed conflicts, wildfires, floods, and droughts—it’s easy to envision large-scale collaborations tackling these issues together,” Eirik continues.

“Scale is great,” Idunn adds, “but larger projects often bring more opinions and polarization. We do a lot of work in facilitation to depolarize different viewpoints. Friction isn’t inherently good or bad—it’s just part of navigating complex challenges."

“As we explore the more intangible outcomes of value chain collaboration, it’s clear that Value Chain Days often serve as a kind of corporate training in navigating the tactical and emotional complexities of transition. They help participants identify opportunities and build resilience against the inevitable resistance that comes with change. Things appear fluid when you are going the way things are flowing, but when you try to change something, that flow becomes a solidity that you come up against,” she concludes.

What’s your recommendation for companies evaluating Value Chain Days?

“Don’t be intimidated by all the elements we’ve discussed—start with a pilot. Keep it small, with a limited scope of participants and one topic, to get a feel for the process,” Eirik advises.

“Yes, we can make it sound complicated when we get nerdy about these concepts,” Idunn adds laughing.

“But those who try one seldom stop at just one. With new regulations coming into play, we believe the value will become increasingly tangible and help companies build advantages on many fronts.”