Recap: SPLC Regional Connect LA

October 28, 2026

Posted By: Kristy Pickurel in Blog,

Procurement in Action: How Responsible Sourcing Influences Change, Creates Value, and Delivers Impact

Sustainability and procurement professionals came together on October 22 for SPLC Regional Connect Los Angeles. The event brought together industry leaders and practitioners to exchange ideas, explore real-world solutions, and connect around the opportunities and challenges shaping sustainable procurement.

The conversations began the evening before, with a welcome reception and private tour of Sony Pictures Studios. Attendees got a behind-the-scenes look at the iconic studio lot, including the Ecto vehicles from Ghostbusters and Walter White’s RV from Breaking Bad. The visit also offered a look at Sony Pictures’

sustainability efforts, including its Road to Zero environmental plan, launched in 2010, which aims to achieve net-zero emissions across its value chain by 2040. Thursday’s program opened with remarks from SPLC CEO Anthony Fuller, who encouraged attendees to practice radical openness by asking questions, listening to different perspectives, and helping others feel heard. Carlos Acuña, Regional Sales Manager at Steelcase, welcomed the group to Steelcase’s inspiring downtown LA space, featuring sweeping city views, creative workspaces, and thoughtfully designed furniture.

Big Ideas from Industry Leaders

Scott A. Vowels, Ph.D., Chief Development Officer at the National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC), explored the connection between supplier diversity and sustainable procurement, including how to make a compelling business case for supplier diversity programs. Drawing on his experience and writing, including Hacking Supplier Diversity: Cracking the Code for the Business Case: Revenue Generation, Economic Impact, ROI, he challenged attendees to look beyond traditional assumptions and consider the broader economic and business value of inclusive sourcing.

Stephen Harrington, Chief Supply Chain Officer at MGM Resorts International, shared how MGM is transforming its sustainable supply chain management program. With approximately 37,000 guest rooms across its Las Vegas Strip resorts, MGM Resorts International has significant purchasing power to create measurable benefits for people and the planet while delivering economic value to its stakeholders. Stephen highlighted the importance of listening to teams, building strategic supplier partnerships, and fostering a culture of accountability to turn sustainability ambitions into meaningful results.

Putting Sustainable Procurement into Practice

SPLC’s Peer Learning Circles are a popular member benefit, bringing small groups together for facilitated conversations about shared challenges, practical solutions, and lessons learned. At Regional Connect, attendees took part in a live Peer Learning Circle, exchanging perspectives on topics including supplier engagement, adaptability, data, and AI.

The presentation The Sustainability Payoff: Using Supply Chain Strategy to Drive Savings and Resilience explored how smarter sourcing strategies, supplier partnerships, and cross-functional teamwork can reduce costs, manage risk, and build more resilient supply chains. A fireside chat with Kaiser Permanente’s Elizabeth Eldridge and Nestor Jarquin brought these ideas to life, sharing how reprocessing single-use medical devices helps cut costs, waste, and emissions while maintaining clinical quality.

There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to supply chain decarbonization. In Choosing the Right Supply Chain Decarbonization Model for Your Organization, Schneider Electric’s Luke Eisenhauer and Jason Wykoff explored three ways to tackle supplier emissions, from supplier engagement to renewable energy procurement. Through real-world examples and peer discussion, attendees shared ideas and explored which strategies best fit their goals, suppliers, and resources.

Collecting supplier data is one thing; knowing what to do with it is another. In Optimizing Sustainability Attribution and Turning Data into Actionable Insights, Sourcient’s Annie Steighner and Mairin Glenney showed how organizations can turn purchasing data into practical insights to make smarter sourcing decisions, set measurable goals, and track sustainability progress. The discussion also explored how better data can uncover improvement opportunities, strengthen stakeholder relationships, and demonstrate the business value of sustainable purchasing.

From Insight to Action

In closing, SPLC CEO Anthony Fuller encouraged attendees to keep the conversations going and turn the day’s insights into action through the SPLC Community and Peer Learning Circles. He also offered a preview of SPLC’s plans for 2027, including enhanced member benefits, new learning resources and tools, more targeted coaching, and expanded opportunities for peer engagement and collaboration. Emphasizing that every organization has different needs, Anthony underscored SPLC’s commitment to listening to members and evolving its offerings to help them build stronger, more effective sustainable procurement programs. His message was clear: the connections and ideas sparked in Los Angeles are just the beginning.