Tom Flicker, who holds a doctorate in chemistry, is a passionate leader in sustainability, with a proven track record of turning visionary ideas into industry-wide innovations. With over two decades of experience, Tom has spearheaded sustainability strategies at major organizations, including establishing dedicated sustainability programs that have become benchmarks in the retail sector. In addition to his role as Director of Sustainable Value Chain Initiatives at UL Solutions, Tom holds four patents related to personal care products and new material processes, further demonstrating his long-standing commitment to product development and innovation. He continues to champion innovations that help brand owners, suppliers and retailers meet their sustainability goals.
Product stewardship strategies
Tom applies his experience developing forward-thinking product stewardship strategies to help transform the future with UL Solutions. His background in setting policies for sustainability, particularly within mass retail environments, gives him a unique perspective on balancing business needs with environmental goals. Tom focuses on utilizing data to empower companies to make informed decisions about product materials and sustainability practices, helping ensure long-term environmental responsibility.
Sustainable product innovation
At UL Solutions, Tom combines his chemistry expertise with drive data-driven insights to help companies develop innovative, sustainable solutions that reduce environmental impact while maintaining product quality. He has a track record of helping companies move beyond “low-hanging fruit” to tackle more complex sustainability challenges such as carbon reduction and safer chemistry. Tom’s strategic mindset is focused on building the right tools and services with UL Solutions that empower brands to innovate with sustainability at the core.
More-sustainable value chains
Tom is passionate about transforming supply chains into more sustainable systems, using data as the key to unlocking greater transparency and sustainability. At UL Solutions, he works on empowering brands with actionable insights into the environmental impacts of sourcing and manufacturing. His approach to working with UL Solutions to strengthen supply chain transparency helps companies comply with regulations while adopting best practices that reduce their environmental footprint and improve overall value chain efficiency.
“The journey to creating circular, more sustainable products requires collaboration throughout the supply chain. Systems thinking will be necessary to bring the right parties together to make progress.” – Tom Flicker
Panel and board involvement
- HIGG Brand & Retail Module advisory panel
- Outdoor Industry Association Chemicals Steering Committee
- The Sustainability Consortium, Beauty and Personal Care Product Sustainability Rating System
- Textile Exchange – Ten years actively involved; key contributor to Sustainable Cotton Round Table
- Accelerating Circularity – Five years working directly; helped establish as a 501(c)3 to bring competitive brands/retailers together to advance textile circularity
- ChemForward – More than six years actively involved; part of initial cohort that helped launch the group
- Change Chemistry (formerly GC3, Green Chemistry & Commerce Council) – Ten years actively involved; member of CG3’s Retail Leadership Council for 10 years; key contributor to “Statement on Chemical Innovation Priorities and Transparency Road Map”