A trip back to my sustainable roots

As a child, I lived a simple life. My parents and my grandmother came to Brazil from Poland, where their values and beliefs had been shaped by the restrictions of the Second World War.

At home, nothing was lost; everything was transformed. We got milk on a recycled bottle and made yogurt at home. Our clothes were hand-me downs from siblings and cousins. Books, backpacks, and notebooks were used with care so that others could reuse them later. We never left the water tap open or the lights on in an empty room.

The focus was on preservation and a conscious use of resources. There was no regret or suffering, though, only a huge sense of respect for things, energy, food, and water.

That’s why, in a sense, SAP Sapphire Mexico City last week felt like going back to my childhood.

Let me back track a second here and explain: After two years of virtual only events, SAP’s signature events are back in person. This year, Sapphire is a 9-city World Tour and Mexico was one of the first stops, on May 12. The second Latin American stop is Sao Paulo, Brazil, on September 9.

SAP Sapphire Mexico City would have made my parents and my grandmother proud. Walking around the show floor of Expo Santa Fe I felt immersed in my family’s conservationist mindset once again:

·??????Most of the materials used to build the booths at the event (including carpets) were recycled or reused.

·??????Meals were sourced locally and served in recyclable plates with recyclable utensils.

·??????Plants were used to decorate and sent back to the nursery once the event was over.

·??????Plastic bottled water was replaced by water fountains.

·??????More than 70% of speakers were local, to help minimize emissions by international air travel.

·??????Attendees arrived in shared shuttles, while staff and visitors stayed in hotels that were walking distance from the venue.

At SAP, sustainability is part of our DNA. More than a decade ago, we set out on a journey with the goal of creating positive economic, environmental, and social impact within planetary boundaries.

The acceleration in digitalization brought on by the pandemic, meanwhile, created new momentum for our customers: It proved that it is possible to have a low impact on the planet while still running a profitable business.

In Latin America, every customer I meet nowadays confirms that sustainability is front and center. They are all looking for ways to use resources more efficiently, minimize waste, and measure and control their environmental and social impacts.

Do they sound like my parents? Absolutely! I am not surprised. My family’s story is far from uncommon in Latin America. As a region, we have sustainability in our DNA – and it’s great to see us going back to our roots.?