Cascale recently played a convening role in a jointly produced webinar with Innovation Forum, “Better Buying 2025 Insights: Navigating Global Volatility and Defining the Next Steps for Better Purchasing Practices.”

The December virtual event brought together more than 250 executives and supply chain leaders from across the consumer goods industry to examine how responsible purchasing practices can be strengthened amid ongoing market uncertainty.

Grounded in both data and real-time industry feedback, the webinar underscored the need for shared responsibility between brands and suppliers, and the interdependent roles each plays in planning, sourcing, and purchasing decisions that directly shape environmental and social outcomes.

Diving into Dynamic Insights with Better Buying

To set the stage, Katie Hess, head of product at Cascale’s Better Buying, delivered key insights on the Better Buying Purchasing Practices Index (BBPPI) 2025. The survey is free to complete and maps anonymous supplier feedback across seven key indicators.

Hess highlighted how global pressures — including tariffs and fluctuating demand — are placing significant strain on purchasing processes, with the steepest declines seen in planning and forecasting. Supplier experiences, she noted, vary widely depending on buyer practices, sourcing contexts, and regional dynamics.

She emphasized that BBPPI is not intended as a static benchmark, adding: “When brands actually use the data with their suppliers, behaviors and outcomes change.”

Hess also reinforced communication as a recurring theme across Better Buying surveys, stressing that purchasing practices must be treated as a core business priority, not solely as a CSR initiative.

Unpacking a “State of Confusion” 

Following the data presentation, a panel of experts joined to discuss perspectives on the findings, while identifying areas for improvement.

Speakers included Mobeen Ahmed Chughtai, group head of CSR and corporate communications at Soorty Enterprises Pvt. Ltd.; Naurin Muzaffar, lead advisor sustainability strategy, operations, and transparency at Crescent Bahuman Ltd.; and Susan Scow, sustainability impact specialist at Eileen Fisher, Inc. As moderator, Tanya Richard, chief operating officer and head of stakeholder engagement at Innovation Forum, guided the discussion.

Scow highlighted the value of long-term supplier relationships, noting that Eileen Fisher’s average supplier partnership spans approximately eight years, with some relationships extending beyond 25 years. She shared how Better Buying data can inform product development and logistics decisions — such as shifting freight from air to sea — and pointed to the benefits of supplier-driven initiatives through Cascale’s Manufacturer Climate Action Program (MCAP).

From the supplier perspective, Chughtai spoke candidly about the risks suppliers face when sharing feedback, noting their frequent fear of repercussions for speaking out. He emphasized the importance of suppliers being able to set boundaries and engage in honest dialogue with brand partners.

Muzaffar echoed these challenges, describing a “state of confusion” driven by paused orders and limited visibility that undermines planning. She also raised critical questions around growing regulatory demands and lagging progress on environmental and social goals.

Across perspectives, speakers aligned on the importance of clear communication, trust, and supplier inclusion. The webinar reinforced both the relevance of Better Buying insights and Cascale’s convening power.