Students help advance sustainability in Moog’s supply chain

BUFFALO, N.Y. – Students in the University at Buffalo’s Carbon Reduction Challenge course have the opportunity to put their skills to the test by assessing the carbon footprint of local businesses. This year, however, students partnered with East Aurora-based fluid and motion control systems manufacturer, Moog, to gauge the footprint of each step on its supply chain.

The Carbon Reduction Challenge, a partnership between the Department of Earth Sciences and UB Sustainability, is a semester-long project during which five student teams examine ways for organizations to reduce their environmental impact. The course culminates in a final presentation, during which students pitch their carbon reduction plans to business leaders.

Moog – which supports far-reaching technologies such as satellites, space vehicles, defense systems and missiles – spoke to the university about leveraging the course to assist with accounting for their “Scope 3” emissions, which are in part generated by its supply chain. Students connected with three Western New York manufacturers that serve as Moog’s suppliers, and created a climate action plan to lower their collective carbon footprint.  

“While Moog has made strong progress in reducing their direct emissions, it is much more difficult to decrease indirect or Scope 3 emissions, much of which comes from the embodied carbon of the products Moog purchases from its suppliers, including the three companies we worked with,” explains Ryan McPherson, UB chief sustainability officer. “It’s impressive to see Moog and other companies leveraging their purchase power and supply chain by nudging their suppliers to disclose their carbon footprint and work to achieve carbon neutrality.”

For their final deliverable, students conducted an initial greenhouse gas assessment and presented tailored carbon reduction strategies for each supplier. In addition, suppliers received a detailed report outlining the findings, along with guidance on how to conduct similar assessments in the future – key information for organizations that may be in the early stages of implementing a sustainability program.

“We believe that part of our responsibility as a business leader in the region is to facilitate connections like these that add value for students, businesses and ultimately our broader community,” says Liesel Schwarz, supply chain sustainability manager at Moog. “We were especially excited by the opportunity to support students in applying their learning to real-world challenges and to benefit from the fresh perspectives they bring.”

Schwarz says the partner organizations welcomed student suggestions, and that the insights will help suppliers more accurately respond to requests for emissions data associated with the services they provide. While Moog has not yet established a formal emissions reduction target for supplier‑related emissions, she notes that the company is accounting for these emissions and preparing to report them to multiple regulatory bodies.

Elizabeth Thomas, associate professor in the Department of Earth Sciences, who co-founded the course with McPherson in 2019, notes that partnering with Moog was easy, as it is a member of the Western New York Sustainable Business Roundtable, a nonprofit organization that has paired the Carbon Reduction Challenge course with companies previously.

“We’ve taught the class for 6 years now, and it’s an empowering experience for students: before they’re thrown in the deep end in their career after college, the real-world projects in this class allow them to learn how to organize and run meetings, how to craft and pitch an idea to a client, and how to work collaboratively with a team,” Thomas says. “It’s challenging and rewarding to guide students through the process: challenging because it’s a totally different way of teaching than the traditional lectures, and rewarding to watch the students learn and grow so much throughout the semester, and then use those skills in their careers.”

Schwarz says she was inspired by the level of professionalism, creativity and commitment the students brought to the presentations, a skill Thomas works closely with teams to refine during the semester. 

Additionally, the course teaches communication, writing, marketing and emission reduction skills.

“I hope that students recognize this as a key aspect of their college and graduate school training, as these courses provide them with skills and knowledge to succeed in their careers,” Thomas says. “I also hope that students who take the class know how to be advocates for sustainable practices no matter their career path.”

Schwarz echoes this point, noting that sustainability is both exciting and challenging because it is constantly evolving. “Our understanding of the field, along with the external factors that shape corporate sustainability, continues to change. Successful sustainability professionals recognize that change is inevitable, develop strong problem‑solving and communication skills, and embrace collaboration as a key driver of success,” she says.

“As organizations continue to better understand their own sustainability drivers, the focus shifts towards understanding the impacts through the entire value chain. This is where relationship management and indirect leadership skills are necessary to drive information gathering and change,” Schwartz says, encouraging students to stay curious and seek out hands-on experiences. 

McPherson says UB Sustainability hopes to increase the scale of the Carbon Reduction Challenge in future years. “This is where scholarship, engagement, research and purpose collide to produce something greater. The work in this course is a strong example of how UB’s three-part mission can be advanced through a single course,” he says. “It also means a great deal to the students as it gives them theory and real-world practice that can position them well in finding job opportunities.”

Schwarz notes that Moog looks forward to a continued partnership with UB to support the next generation of sustainability leaders. Additional information about the company can be found at www.moog.com.