Wiring a Sustainable Future: Harnessing Industry Solutions in Practice

KEY SUMMARY

At the 2026 Electrical Wire Processing Technology Expo, industry leaders from Southwire, Lapp Tannehill, and Wesco shared how sustainability is being put into practice across the wire harness and cable manufacturing ecosystem. Panelists emphasized that sustainability is no longer just an environmental responsibility — it's a driver of operational efficiency, talent attraction, and long-term competitiveness. Key themes included starting with baseline measurements, building cross-functional accountability, and embedding sustainability into existing business processes rather than treating it as a separate initiative.

By Seth Jacobsen, sustainability program manager

At this year’s Electrical Wire Processing Technology Expo, the session “Wiring a Sustainable Future: Harnessing Industry Solutions in Practice” brought together industry leaders to share practical examples of how sustainability initiatives are being implemented across the wire harness and cable manufacturing ecosystem. The room was filled to capacity, a strong signal that sustainability is moving from a peripheral discussion to a core business priority for the electronics supply chain.

We extend our appreciation to the panelists who openly shared their experiences, lessons learned, and actionable strategies. What made this session especially valuable was the opportunity for attendees to hear directly from peers navigating similar operational, regulatory, and customer-driven challenges. From engineers and facility managers to supply chain leaders and corporate executives, participants gained practical insight into how sustainability efforts can drive measurable business value.

A recurring theme throughout the discussion was that sustainability is no longer viewed solely through the lens of environmental responsibility. Organizations are increasingly connecting sustainability initiatives to operational efficiency, employee engagement, customer expectations, resilience, and long-term competitiveness. Several presenters emphasized that meaningful progress often starts with manageable, data-driven initiatives; establishing baseline measurements, aligning teams around shared metrics, and embedding sustainability into existing operational processes rather than treating it as a standalone initiative.

The discussion also reinforced the importance of collaboration across the supply chain. Whether through supplier engagement, renewable energy strategies, circularity efforts, employee programs, or improved reporting capabilities, panelists demonstrated that sustainable transformation requires participation across functions and organizational levels. As sustainability expectations continue to evolve, businesses that proactively integrate these practices into their operations will be better positioned to reduce risk, strengthen customer relationships, attract talent, and unlock new opportunities for innovation and growth.

Panelist Takeaways:

Bo Quick, Vice President, Corporate Sustainability at Southwire:

Southwire’s sustainability strategy is built on our five tenets of Growing Green, Living Well, Giving Back, Doing Right, and Building Worth.  Best-in-class companies integrate sustainability into their operations to drive innovation, differentiate their brands, and deliver business value. As we see it, sustainability can provide business value by meeting customer expectations, enhancing competitiveness, insulating the organization from government policy changes, and boosting talent attraction and employee engagement.

Companies that are looking to kick off their sustainability journey should consider two things: (1) What are some quick wins that we could achieve? and (2) What are my customers and other key stakeholders asking for?  Based on the answer to these key questions, organizations should set targets that are achievable and reasonably ambitious.

Brian Arickx, Senior Director of Supply Chain & Operations at Lapp Tannehill:

Representing the mid-market operator perspective on the sustainability panel at EWPTE 2026 was both an honor and a highlight. My session focused on how wire and cable companies can build meaningful sustainability programs without enterprise-scale resources, embedding environmental and social goals directly into strategic planning, building cross-functional teams that include frontline voices, and starting with small, visible actions that build culture over time. One practical takeaway: connecting sustainability KPIs to metrics your team already owns drives real ownership. Sharing the floor with industry leaders like Southwire and Wesco reinforced what makes sustainability unique, the genuine openness to share best practices across competitors, all in the interest of a better future for our industry and our world. 

Renee Thompson, Director, Global Sustainability & Environmental Compliance at Wesco: 

Sustainability at Wesco is practical, measurable, and built to scale, embedded into operations and the broader value chain rather than treated as a standalone effort.  Key takeaways include the importance of setting clear, data-backed goals, strengthening data quality through consistent reporting and assurance, and driving cross functional accountability. One practical lesson is starting with baseline measurements and scaling through existing processes to improve efficiency and reduce waste.  This matters for the wire harness and cable industry because it connects sustainability to operational performance, regulatory readiness, and long-term competitiveness across the supply chain.