We have some exciting news that we can finally share with you.
We are delighted to welcome Jaime Paiva and Lauren Richardson as Advisors to the Sustainable Procurement Pledge. Both have been instrumental members of the SPP community for many years, and we are thrilled that they have chosen to deepen their commitment by stepping into these formal advisory roles.
Our SPP community believes that change happens when people step forward and take action. Signing the pledge is just the beginning, how you act on it is what drives the momentum we are building together.
Today SPP is the largest global community of procurement professionals collaborating on making sustainable procurement the default. And together we have achieved so much. None of that happens without incredible people who are willing to lead, contribute, challenge, build, and dedicate their time to something bigger than themselves.
Our theme this year has been Action Over Noise, and Jaime and Lauren embody exactly what that means. Both have consistently demonstrated that leadership is not about titles; it is about showing up, leaning in, being bold and helping create the future we want to see. Today, we celebrate two individuals who are choosing to become even more active in helping our community grow its impact around the world.
SPP Advisors are not honorary appointments. They are trusted partners who work closely with the SPP Global Team on strategic priorities, key initiatives, and community development. Their expertise, leadership, and willingness to roll up their sleeves play a vital role in helping SPP continue to grow, evolve, and deliver meaningful impact.
That is SPP in action. That is the commitment both Jaime and Lauren have chosen to deepen today.
Jaime Paiva, Advisor: Community Impact & Strategic Initiatives
Jaime has been part of SPP since before there was an SPP.
Long before the Sustainable Procurement Pledge became a global movement, Jaime was one of the early believers who saw the power of bringing procurement professionals together around a shared purpose. When a small group of volunteers first came together around the idea of collaboration, Jaime immediately recognized the potential and knew he wanted to be involved.
As one of our first Chapter Co-Chairs, leading the Supplier Diversity Chapter, he helped design and shape the Chapter model that remains one of the defining strengths of our community today. Much of what SPP has become can be traced back to the willingness of people like Jaime to invest their time, energy, and creativity into building something that did not yet exist but needed in the procurement community.
As an Advisor focused on community impact and strategically leveraging SPP Initiatives, Jaime is working to advance the vision set out in our Five Years of Impact roadmap. His focus is on helping accelerate action across the community through initiatives, partnerships, and programs that turn ambition into measurable outcomes; on connecting the dots to make sure we achieve the most with what we have built to date. Just as he helped build the foundations of our Chapter network, Jaime continues to help position SPP for greater reach, relevance, and impact.
Jaime has always brought a rare combination of strategic thinking, infectious optimism, and a deep commitment to community. He consistently challenges us to think bigger while never losing sight of the people at the heart of this movement. His ability to connect ideas, people, and opportunities has helped shape SPP from its earliest days, and we are excited to continue building alongside him.
Lauren Richardson, Advisor: Executive Leadership & Transformation
Lauren’s SPP journey began as an Ambassador before joining the SPP Champion Program in her role as Chief Procurement Officer at Colgate-Palmolive.
As an SPP Champion, Lauren demonstrated extraordinary leadership, becoming the first executive leader not only to actively support SPP and its growing community, but also to host one of our flagship Champion Program in-person gatherings during New York Climate Week in New York. Her commitment strengthened connections across our network and elevated the conversation around sustainable procurement leadership at the highest levels.
Lauren brings more than four decades of global leadership experience spanning procurement, finance, supply chain, enterprise risk management, and business transformation. Throughout her career Lauren has built a reputation as a visionary leader capable of driving growth, resilience, innovation, and sustainable value creation.
As Advisor, Lauren is working on Executive Leadership & Transformation to strengthen engagement with senior leaders across industries and functions. We are building SPP spaces where leaders can collaborate cross-functionally to accelerate change and embed sustainability in business functions. This year, Lauren chairs the SPP leadership event, focused on empowering the shift from aspiration to implementation, ensuring that sustainable procurement continues to gain momentum in decisions, investments, and action. This event builds on the Procure Innovation Dialogues, a series of C-Suite events that SPP has previously co-hosted with WEF’s First Movers Coalition.
Her experience, wisdom, and ability to bring people together make her an extraordinary strength to our community.
SPP has gone through a transformational journey over the past few years as we continue pursuing our ambitious, and sometimes slightly crazy, goal of making sustainable procurement the default.
What makes that possible is not strategy documents, frameworks, or plans. It is people.
People who volunteer their time after long workdays or during their well-deserved retirement. People who share their expertise freely. People who challenge us to be better. People who believe that one individual can make a difference and who inspire others to do the same.
That belief in the power of individuals to create collective impact sits at the heart of everything SPP does.
Please join me in celebrating this with us and thanking Lauren and Jaime for their time and commitment.
