On 28 October, Barbara Beatrice Lavitola, director and founder of Bibielle Global Translations, SL (BBLTranslation), participated in the event «Sustainable Suppliers: Results and Trends», sharing her testimony at the Experiences roundtable of the «Training Programme: Sustainable Suppliers».
This programme, organised in collaboration with Fundación ICO and ICEX España Exportación e Inversiones, has been instrumental in driving sustainable supply chains in thousands of SMEs all over the world.
Cristina Sánchez, executive director of the UN Global Compact Spain, highlighted: «The Sustainable Suppliers programme has proven to be a catalyst of change for small and medium-sized businesses, driving the adoption of SDGs not only as an ethical commitment, but also as a strategy to increase competitiveness and sustainability in an increasingly demanding global business environment».
As a participating SME in this programme, BBLTranslation positions itself at the forefront of sustainability, ensuring an efficient and competitive supply chain, aligned with international standards.
Moderated by David Muñoz, head of the Sustainability Department at ICEX Exportación e Inversiones, the roundtable was attended by Vanessa Rodríguez, head of Sustainability at PortAventura World, as the driving force behind the training of Bibielle Global Translations SL, represented at this event by our director and founder Barbara Beatrice Lavitola.
After a special thank you to PortAventura World as a driving force behind the training in which our translation agency BBLTranslation has participated, Barbara underlined the shared value of the «supply chain», emphasising the importance of mutual benefit between business and supplier: «One can’t benefit without the commitment of the other».
BBLTranslation joined the United Nations Global Compact in 2018 but has achieved a qualitative leap thanks to this training programme.
This course has given us in-depth knowledge and tools to integrate sustainability and social responsibility principles into our business operations and strategies. We have revisited and aligned many of our processes with the Sustainable Development Goals, following the guidelines and tools provided during the course.
Through this participation, BBLTranslation disproves the myth that only large companies should adopt sustainable practices and are only responsible for their own actions.
When asked what other incentives the large companies to which we are suppliers, such as PortAventura World, can offer so that we can continue to promote sustainability, Barbara explained: «We feel part of a shared project which goes beyond the orders that we carry out every day for our client: move towards a more sustainable and responsible future, generating a positive impact on our environment and shared value for all stakeholders».
Motivation for change and continuous improvement
«We are motivated to continuously improve in order to accomplish these shared objectives. For example, whilst businesses such as PortAventura World manage their scope 1 and 2 emissions, it is up to us as suppliers to do everything possible to meet the scope 3 targets, which are the indirect emissions that come from a company’s value chain and are not under the company’s control. And this is where we, as suppliers, come into play. In terms of other incentives they could offer us, I would say to keep on sharing with us their most relevant projects, as well as their plans for the future. One example is the annual Dialogue with Providers meeting organised by PortAventura World, which this year featured more than 180 supplier companies in its 7th edition».
From the perspective of a SME committed to sustainability, we have identified both challenges and opportunities.
Without a doubt, one of the challenges is balancing technological advances with the protection of human labour, ensuring that technological innovation not only increases productivity, but also generates good quality jobs and respects labour rights and the Global Compact’s principles of equality and wellbeing.
A relevant opportunity is the improvement of our competitiveness, which positions us as a strategic partner in a market which increasingly values responsible practices. For example, in compliance with principles 8 and 9 of the Global Compact in the environmental field, BBLTranslation was the first translation agency in Spain to offer translations with digital signature instead of on paper and to reduce unnecessary e-mails to minimise our carbon footprint. Ovo Energy affirmed that, if every Briton sent one less thank you e-mail a day, it would save 16,433 tonnes of carbon a year, equivalent to tens of thousands of flights to Europe.
Commitment to a sustainable future
Following the above, as an SME, we can affirm that our actions not only respond to an ethical necessity in the supply chain, but also generate competitive value. As supplier SMEs, we face a number of challenges when trying to advance in corporate sustainability, and that is why participation in the «Training Programme: Sustainable Suppliers» has provided us with the knowledge and tools to face the challenges of sustainability.
In conclusion, BBLTranslation positions itself as a sustainable supplier committed to transforming the translation industry. Our participation in the Sustainable Suppliers roundtable, organised by the UN Global Compact Spain, highlights our active role in promoting sustainable and responsible practices in the supply chain.
Through the training programme, we have incorporated sustainability principles in our operations, aligning our processes with Sustainable Development Goals.
Our commitment goes beyond ethical responsibilities. We seek to generate a positive impact on the environment and to be a strategic partner for companies like PortAventura World. By implementing technological innovations which preserve human employment and reduce our carbon footprint, BBLTranslation shows that SMEs can also lead the way to a more sustainable future.
With each action, we dismantle the belief that sustainability is the prerogative of large businesses, showing that, actually, we can all contribute to a common goal of responsibility and progress. We are motivated to carry on advancing and improving, creating a shared value that benefits our community and the environment.
