Today’s model of consumerism does not prioritize the efficient use of resources throughout the supply chain. Consumers just don’t use the full lifetime of a product. In this talk, e-commerce social entrepreneur and former Walmart sustainability executive Andy Ruben emphasizes opportunities for efficient design, production, and reuse of consumer products, from the perspective of corporations and consumers. Speaking at the 2012 Global Supply Chain Management Forum, Ruben details ways to improve supply chain efficiency. He explains why he hopes this new model for product exchange will revolutionize the way we think about what we buy, and what we throw away.
Andy Ruben is the co-founder of e-commerce start-up Yerdle, aimed at shifting the nature of modern consumerism. Formerly Chief Sustainability Officer of Walmart and one of Walmart’s youngest corporate officers, Ruben was widely recognized for initiating Walmart’s large-scale sustainability efforts, reimagining their private brands supply chain, and leading several major e-commerce initiatives. A TED speaker, Ruben has been featured on NPR’s All Things Considered, in The New York Times and in The Wall Street Journal, and has testified before the US Senate and House of Representatives as an expert in business and sustainability of supply chains. Ruben is one of six leaders featured in the book Organizational Champions, and his accomplishments have been highlighted by Daniel Goleman, bestselling author of Emotional Intelligence, and Tom Freidman, Pulitzer Prize winning writer