Robin Sundaram
Independent sustainability and supply chain advisor
Helping you build practical sustainability and supply chain capability
Independent advisory, leadership support, and training grounded in real-world leadership experience - helping you strengthen capability, improve decision-making, and navigate complex sustainability and supply chain challenges with confidence.
Trusted by senior leaders across FMCG, food, and supply chains
I bring nearly four decades of experience across supply chains, procurement, and sustainability, including more than 30 years with Nestlé in senior leadership roles.
“I truly enjoyed working with Robin and having him in my team, especially leading all our plans with our suppliers and partners in our sustainability roadmap. His positive and proactive spirit was always exemplary.”
Stefano Agostini
Former CEO, Nestlé UK & Ireland
How I support organisations
Leadership advisory
Supporting senior leaders navigating complex sustainability and supply chain decisions where trade-offs between commercial performance, operational reality, and long-term sustainability must be carefully balanced.
Providing independent perspective, strategic clarity, and practical judgement grounded in real-world leadership experience.
Strategic and organisational advisory
Advising organisations on strengthening sustainability and supply chain strategy, governance, and organisational capability.
Helping leadership teams translate sustainability ambition into clear priorities, practical action, and confident decision-making across procurement, supply chain, and operational teams.
Training and capability building
Designing and delivering practical training programmes that build sustainability and supply chain capability across leadership and operational teams.
Focused on helping people make better decisions when trade-offs are real, translating sustainability from technical theory into commercially and operationally grounded action.
My Purpose
My purpose is to help build a food system that is fairer, more resilient, and more sustainable, by helping organisations turn sustainability from ambition into practical, real-world action.
I’ve spent my career working at the intersection of supply chains, sustainability and commercial decision-making, and have seen first-hand how the choices organisations make shape outcomes far beyond their own operations.
I believe sustainability must be approached with honesty about trade-offs, grounded in commercial reality, and focused on building capability that lasts. My role is to help leaders and teams develop the confidence, clarity and judgement to make those decisions well, strengthening both their organisations and the wider system they are part of.
Typical ways I support organisations
Organisations work with me when they want to strengthen sustainability and supply chain capability and would value independent perspective shaped by real-world leadership experience.
Examples include:
Advising senior leaders integrating sustainability into procurement and supply chain strategy
Supporting agricultural resilience and regenerative sourcing, including leadership of the widely respected Nestlé Milk Plan
Strengthening organisational capability in responsible sourcing and modern slavery governance
Acting as an independent advisor and sounding board to leadership teams and boards, including organisations such as WildHearts, Foodsteps, and the Sustainable Soils Alliance
Building organisational capability through practical leadership and team training
My work has been recognised through industry awards including the Footprint Sustainability Special Achievement Award and the Unseen Career Excellence Award, recognising leadership in responsible sourcing and strengthening ethical supply chains.
Training Programmes
Sustainability Foundations - Building shared understanding in FMCG & food businesses
Sustainability for Senior Leaders - Leading through volatility and uncertainty
Role-based sustainability workshops – Turning responsibility into everyday decisions
Sustainability Ambassadors Programme – Influencing without authority
Farm to Fork understanding – Supply chain systems thinking for FMCG
Experience that understands the real world
My work is grounded in nearly four decades of FMCG and supply chain experience, including over 30 years at Nestlé and more than a decade leading responsible sourcing and sustainability strategy in the UK.
I have helped leaders and teams build the confidence, capability and shared understanding needed to make sound sustainability and supply chain decisions - from mentoring individuals early in their careers to supporting senior teams through complex trade-offs.
I’m particularly known for helping organisations translate sustainability ambition into everyday commercial decisions, so it becomes embedded in how priorities are set and how progress is delivered in practice.
In addition, I hold the Harvard University Bok Higher Education Teaching Certificate, recognising excellence in teaching and learning.
Many of the people I’ve worked with describe my style as calm, pragmatic and human - focused on making meaningful progress that lasts.
Clients & Partners
Ambassador, Advisory & Trusted Relationships
I also support a number of organisations through ambassador roles, advisory support and long-standing professional relationships.
Unseen (dedicated to ending modern slavery)
Social Enterprise UK (growing the social enterprise movement)
Future Planet (connecting people to build a better future)
FareShare (fighting hunger and tackling UK food waste)
First Milk (putting farmers at the heart of sustainable dairy)
Testimonials
LET’S HAVE A CHAT
If you’d like to explore how I could help strengthen sustainability and supply chain capability in your organisation, I would welcome a conversation.