Tag: supplychain

Sustainable Packaging: The Silent Hero of a Brand’s Reputation

In today’s e-commerce-dominated landscape, brand reputation hinges not just on product quality but also on a commitment to sustainability. As I unearthed in a recent chat with Phillip Akhzar on the Digital Supply Chain podcast, modern packaging isn’t just about safely transporting items—it’s about echoing a brand’s green commitment and shaping a sustainable future.

Packaging: A Sustainability Statement

In a world where online shopping carts have overtaken physical trolleys, the unboxing moment has become the climax of the shopping experience. But it’s not just about the tactile thrill; it’s also about gauging a brand’s eco-responsibility. As Akhzar astutely highlighted, every package dispatched is a tangible touchpoint, boasting a “100% open rate.” This isn’t mere logistics—it’s a brand’s pledge to its eco-conscious customers and to the planet. In an era where customers, employees, and boards are progressively demanding sustainable endeavors, getting your packaging right is not a choice, it’s a reputation-enhancer.

Answering the Green Call

Today’s consumer is not just well-informed but also actively concerned about the planet’s wellbeing. They want to associate with brands that prioritize environmental sustainability. Giants like Apple are already pioneering this movement, adopting eco-friendly materials and championing minimalist designs. This isn’t just appeasement; it’s smart business. Sustainable packaging isn’t only a nod to green consumer demands but also a strategic move to streamline the supply chain, reducing waste, and consequent costs. When sustainability aligns with business efficiency, it’s an undeniable win for brands, consumers, and our shared environment.

Arka: Leading the Green Packaging Revolution

Arka’s innovations in this space are both timely and transformative. Their focus isn’t just about creating protective packaging but about crafting eco-responsible brand ambassadors. These aren’t just boxes; they are brand billboards that underscore a company’s green commitment. And in this digital age, where experiences are shared as tweets or Instagram stories, the right sustainable packaging can amplify a brand’s reputation like never before.

Upping the Sustainability Ante

Brands stand at a pivotal juncture. The e-commerce boom is an opportunity to not just increase sales but to also bolster brand reputation by championing sustainability. The emphasis on green packaging is no longer an optional ‘good-to-have’; it’s an essential tool in the brand-building arsenal.

For those keen on diving deeper into how packaging intersects with sustainability, I urge you to tune into the rich insights shared by Phillip Akhzar on the Digital Supply Chain podcast. It’s more than just a conversation—it’s a roadmap to the sustainable future of e-commerce. Discover more here.

The Next Big Leap: Autonomous Supply Chains

MV EverGiven ship blocking the Suez Canal

In the world of supply chains, a transformation is underway. I recently had an intriguing conversation on the Digital Supply Chain podcast with Sanjay Sharma, CEO of Roambee, a company at the forefront of this transformation. Sanjay and his team are harnessing the power of real-time data, AI, and machine learning to reimagine and reshape supply chains, paving the way to a future where supply chains are not just automated, but fully autonomous.

An autonomous supply chain sounds like something out of a sci-fi movie, doesn’t it? But the reality is closer than you might think. Autonomous supply chains represent an era where our supply chains can analyze, learn, and make decisions independently. This has massive implications for efficiency, resilience, and agility in our global logistics systems.

During our conversation, Sanjay shared an enlightening example of how an autonomous supply chain could potentially manage disruptions. Remember the Suez Canal incident? That one seemingly small event had an enormous ripple effect on global supply chains. But what if we could model the impact of such micro events and extrapolate them into macro models, allowing us to predict, and more importantly, prepare for their effects? “Can I take that event and start looking at macro models such as would there be an impact on pricing?” Sanjay pondered.

This is exactly where Roambee comes into the picture. They’re working with advanced technologies like graphical neural networks combined with AI, ML, and RPA to build a new generation of network propagation detection systems.

Starting your journey towards digitizing your supply chain might seem daunting, but Sanjay’s advice is surprisingly simple: “Start with the basics of simply lighting up your supply chain and identifying the glitches… That itself will get you 50% of your, towards your ambition of digitizing the supply chain.”

In the end, it all comes down to this: the path to revolutionizing your supply chain starts with understanding and enhancing your current operations. The first step towards an autonomous supply chain is bringing visibility to your existing one.

We’re on the cusp of a new era in supply chain management, with the concept of autonomous supply chains fast transitioning from fiction to reality. Leaders like Sanjay Sharma and companies like Roambee are spearheading this change, taking us closer to a future where our supply chains are smarter, more responsive, and amazingly autonomous.

Want to delve deeper into the future of autonomous supply chains? I invite you to listen to the full episode of the Digital Supply Chain podcast for more insights and in-depth discussion. Join us as we explore this exciting journey together.

Call to Action: Don’t get left behind! Tune into the full episode of the Digital Supply Chain podcast with Sanjay Sharma here and stay ahead of the curve in the supply chain transformation journey.

If you enjoyed this episode, please consider following the podcast and sharing it with others who may be interested. And as always, if you find the podcast of value, and you’d like to help me continue to make episodes like this one, you can go to the podcast’s Support page and become a Digital Supply Chain podcast Supporter for less than the cost of a cup of coffee!

And if you’re interested in having your brand associated with the leading Supply Chain podcast, don’t hesitate to check out these sponsorship packages and how I can help your company gain exposure and establish yourself as a thought leader in the supply chain industry, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Thank you!

Exploring Generative AI with ChatGPT: A Deep Dive into Supply Chain and Manufacturing Applications

As I was gearing up for an exciting new episode of my Digital Supply Chain podcast, where I’ll be talking to Mike Sigler from Nexer, I decided to give ChatGPT a try to learn more about the use of generative AI in supply chain. To my delight, the conversation was incredibly insightful and informative. ChatGPT provided valuable information on the applications, potential risks, and first steps for implementing generative AI in supply chain and manufacturing. So, without further ado, let’s dive into this fascinating conversation with ChatGPT, and don’t forget to tune in to the upcoming podcast episode for even more insights!

So, the first question I put to ChatGPT was a very basic “What are some potential uses for Generative AI in supply chain / Manufacturing?”

ChatGPT responded with:

Generative AI can significantly impact supply chain and manufacturing processes by improving efficiency, reducing costs, and enhancing overall productivity. Here are some potential uses for generative AI in these sectors:

  1. Demand forecasting: Generative AI models can analyze historical sales data, market trends, and other factors to generate accurate demand forecasts, helping businesses optimize their inventory levels and production schedules.
  2. Inventory management: AI-driven algorithms can optimize inventory levels by predicting stock requirements based on demand, lead times, and other variables. This reduces the risk of stockouts and minimizes storage costs.
  3. Supply chain optimization: Generative AI can identify inefficiencies in the supply chain and suggest optimal routes, transportation modes, and shipment consolidation opportunities, leading to reduced logistics costs and improved service levels.
  4. Supplier selection and risk management: AI models can analyze supplier performance data, industry trends, and other factors to recommend the best suppliers, predict potential disruptions, and assess supplier risk.
  5. Quality control: Generative AI can identify patterns in manufacturing data that may indicate potential quality issues, enabling manufacturers to address problems before they escalate and result in costly recalls or customer dissatisfaction.
  6. Predictive maintenance: AI-driven systems can analyze sensor data from machinery and equipment to predict when maintenance is required, reducing downtime and maintenance costs.
  7. Production scheduling: Generative AI can optimize production schedules by considering factors such as machine availability, raw material constraints, and demand forecasts, ensuring efficient use of resources and meeting customer expectations.
  8. Product design and customization: AI models can generate innovative product designs based on consumer preferences, industry trends, and technical constraints. They can also be used to create personalized products or make real-time adjustments to designs based on customer feedback.
  9. New materials discovery: Generative AI can predict the properties of new materials or suggest novel material combinations, accelerating the discovery process and reducing the time and cost of R&D.
  10. Workforce planning: AI-driven tools can optimize workforce planning by analyzing factors such as employee skills, shift preferences, and productivity levels to create efficient work schedules and match employees to tasks that best utilize their skills.

By leveraging generative AI in supply chain and manufacturing operations, businesses can achieve a higher level of efficiency, agility, and competitiveness in an increasingly dynamic global market.

I then asked it “What are some potential risks of using generative AI in supply chain / manufacturing?” and it responded:

While generative AI offers numerous benefits for supply chain and manufacturing processes, it also comes with potential risks that need to be addressed:

  1. Over-reliance on AI: Excessive dependence on AI systems can make organizations vulnerable to unexpected disruptions if the AI system fails or malfunctions. It is crucial to maintain a balance between human intervention and automation.
  2. Data quality and accuracy: AI models are only as good as the data they are trained on. Inaccurate or biased data can lead to incorrect predictions and suboptimal decision-making.
  3. Security and privacy concerns: The use of AI systems often requires the sharing and storage of sensitive data, which can expose organizations to data breaches and privacy violations if not handled properly.
  4. Black box problem: Many AI models, particularly deep learning systems, can be difficult to interpret and understand. This lack of transparency can make it challenging to identify and address potential errors or biases in the AI’s decision-making process.
  5. Ethical considerations: The use of AI in supply chain and manufacturing can raise ethical concerns, such as job displacement, worker surveillance, and biased decision-making. Organizations must carefully consider these issues and implement fair and transparent AI systems.
  6. Legal and regulatory compliance: As AI becomes more prevalent in supply chain and manufacturing, it is essential to stay informed about evolving legal and regulatory requirements to ensure compliance and minimize the risk of penalties.
  7. Integration challenges: Integrating AI solutions with existing systems and processes can be complex and time-consuming, requiring significant investments in infrastructure, personnel training, and change management.
  8. Misaligned expectations: Overestimating the capabilities of AI systems can lead to unrealistic expectations and subsequent disappointments. It is essential to have a clear understanding of AI’s limitations and to manage expectations accordingly.
  9. Skill gap: Implementing and maintaining AI systems requires a specialized skill set. Organizations may face challenges in recruiting and retaining talent with the necessary expertise in AI, data science, and related fields.
  10. Environmental impact: Training and running large AI models can consume significant amounts of energy, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions and other environmental concerns.

To mitigate these risks, organizations should adopt a proactive approach to risk management, carefully evaluate AI solutions before implementation, and continuously monitor their performance. Additionally, fostering a strong collaboration between AI experts, supply chain professionals, and other stakeholders can help ensure that AI systems are implemented and managed effectively.

My final question for ChatGPT was “What first steps should supply chain / manufacturing organisations take to embark on the use of generative ai?” and it replied:

To embark on the use of generative AI in supply chain and manufacturing, organizations should take the following first steps:

  1. Assess current capabilities: Conduct a thorough assessment of your organization’s current supply chain and manufacturing processes, technologies, and data management capabilities to identify areas where AI can add value.
  2. Set clear objectives: Define specific, measurable goals for AI implementation, such as improving demand forecasting accuracy, reducing lead times, or enhancing product quality.
  3. Build a cross-functional team: Assemble a team with diverse expertise, including supply chain professionals, data scientists, IT specialists, and other relevant stakeholders. This collaboration is essential for effectively integrating AI solutions into your organization.
  4. Develop or acquire AI expertise: Invest in training your workforce in AI and data science or recruit skilled professionals with the necessary expertise to develop and manage AI solutions.
  5. Identify use cases: Based on the assessment and objectives, identify high-impact use cases where generative AI can provide tangible benefits. Start with smaller, manageable projects to build experience and generate quick wins.
  6. Collect and preprocess data: Gather historical and real-time data relevant to the chosen use cases. Ensure the data is clean, accurate, and representative of the problem you want the AI to solve.
  7. Choose appropriate AI models: Evaluate and select suitable generative AI models for your use cases, considering factors such as model complexity, interpretability, and computational requirements.
  8. Develop a pilot project: Develop a pilot project to test the chosen AI models on a small scale, allowing for iterative improvements and adjustments before full-scale deployment.
  9. Monitor and evaluate performance: Continuously monitor the performance of the AI system, comparing its outputs to predefined success metrics, and fine-tune the model as needed.
  10. Plan for scale-up and integration: Once the pilot project demonstrates success, develop a plan for scaling up the AI solution and integrating it into existing supply chain and manufacturing processes. This may involve addressing infrastructure needs, change management, and workforce training.
  11. Address ethical and legal considerations: Consider potential ethical and legal implications of AI implementation, such as privacy concerns, job displacement, and regulatory compliance, and develop strategies to address these issues responsibly.

By taking these initial steps, organizations can begin their journey toward leveraging generative AI in their supply chain and manufacturing operations, ultimately improving efficiency, reducing costs, and enhancing overall competitiveness.

In conclusion, ChatGPT showed itself to be an incredibly valuable and versatile tool for exploring the world of generative AI in supply chain and manufacturing. Our conversation shed light on the numerous benefits, potential risks, and the essential steps for successfully rolling out generative AI solutions. What’s truly remarkable about ChatGPT is its ability to dive deeper into any specific point mentioned in the responses, providing virtually limitless insights tailored to your interests and needs. As we continue to explore and understand the impact of AI on various industries, tools like ChatGPT offer an accessible and powerful way to tap into the wealth of knowledge they possess, helping us make well-informed decisions and stay ahead of the curve in an ever-evolving landscape.

Photo credit Focal Foto on Flickr

Meet the AI-Enabled Supply Chain: KlearNow’s Rick Tellez Explains How It’s Transforming Logistics

As a supply chain enthusiast and host of the Digital Supply Chain podcast, I’m always fascinated by the ever-evolving role of technology in the industry. In a recent conversation with Rick Tellez, Founder of KlearNow, I was reminded of the power of AI to simplify customs processes and address labor shortages in the logistics sector.

Customs brokers and logistics professionals have long grappled with the complexity of managing shipments, documentation, and compliance across borders. With the advent of AI and advanced data analytics, we are now seeing a significant shift in the way these processes are managed. By leveraging AI-driven platforms like KlearNow, customs brokers can streamline their operations and better serve their clients.

During our podcast episode, Rick shared how KlearNow’s platform provides real-time visibility into the customs process, allowing for more informed decision-making and greater efficiency. This level of transparency is crucial in a world where supply chain disruptions have become increasingly common, and businesses need access to accurate, up-to-date information to navigate these challenges.

One of the key benefits of using AI to simplify customs processes is its ability to address labor shortages in the industry. With the global economy facing unprecedented challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic and other factors, companies are under more pressure than ever to maintain efficient operations with limited resources. By automating certain tasks and providing data-driven insights, AI-driven solutions can help customs brokers and logistics professionals do more with less.

Rick recounted a customer success story from a multinational chemical company that adopted KlearNow’s platform. The company quickly recognized the value of the platform’s centralized reporting, data analytics, and real-time visibility, which allowed them to expand their use of the platform across multiple business units and divisions. This success story highlights the potential of AI to not only simplify customs processes but also to bring about a paradigm shift in how supply chains are managed.

Incorporating AI-driven solutions in the logistics industry has the potential to improve work-life balance for customs brokers and logistics professionals. As Rick mentioned in our conversation, many employees in the sector are incredibly loyal and take pride in their work. By providing them with powerful tools that can streamline their workload, companies can help their employees achieve a better balance between their professional and personal lives.

As supply chain professionals, it’s essential that we stay informed about the latest technological advancements and embrace the potential of AI to transform our industry. By leveraging AI-driven solutions like KlearNow, we can simplify customs processes, address labor shortages, and ultimately create more resilient, efficient, and transparent supply chains.

I encourage you to listen to the full podcast episode with Rick Tellez, where we dive deeper into the power of AI in simplifying customs processes and addressing labor shortages in the logistics industry. As we continue to explore the role of technology in supply chain management, I invite you to join me in this ongoing conversation and share your thoughts on how AI can shape the future of our industry.

If you enjoyed this episode, please consider following the podcast and sharing it with others who may be interested. And as always, if you find the podcast of value, and you’d like to help me continue to make episodes like this one, you can go to the podcast’s Support page and become a Digital Supply Chain podcast Supporter for less than the cost of a cup of coffee!

And if you’re interested in having your brand associated with the leading Supply Chain podcast, don’t hesitate to check out these sponsorship packages and how I can help your company gain exposure and establish yourself as a thought leader in the supply chain industry, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Thank you!

Photo credit Merlijn Hoek on Flickr

The Importance of Compliance and Sustainability in Supply Chain Management with Topo Solutions

As the host of the Digital Supply Chain podcast, I’m always on the lookout for guests who can offer unique insights and expertise on the subject of supply chain management. Recently, I had the pleasure of welcoming Tobias Grabler, the COO of Topo Solutions, to the show. In this episode, Tobias introduces Topo Solutions as a SaaS company that provides a digital platform for end-to-end supply chain management.

Topo Solutions is a cloud-based solution that covers the entire journey of a product from sourcing to quality management, compliance, and sustainability. With offices in Hong Kong and the US, Topo Solutions primarily serves clients in Europe, but is expanding into the US market. The company celebrated its 10-year anniversary last year and has been growing rapidly, with a move to a larger office space in Hong Kong in 2022.

One of the things that sets Topo Solutions apart is its flexible approach to implementation. They can either implement everything for the customer, hand it over to the customer to build everything themselves, or start and then have the customer take over. They also offer templates for certain areas and allow for an empty canvas to build tools for the customer’s specific supply chain needs. The platform is also low-code, empowering business users, as IT and developer resources are often scarce.

Topo Solutions is designed for the consumer goods industry, and can be applied across various product groups, allowing users to go into nitty-gritty details. The platform starts with product ideas and helps buyers and product managers communicate with suppliers, getting feedback on minimum order quantities, prices, and logistics information. It can serve as an order management system for organizations without existing systems and is a collaboration platform that connects suppliers, third-party service providers, and team members for production follow-ups, project management, and quality control.

Another key focus of Topo Solutions is compliance and sustainability, including supplier onboarding, self-assessments, certificate management, and the ability to run audits. The platform is framework agnostic and can connect to various platforms such as BSCI and Sedex for audit data. It also allows for collaboration with suppliers to trigger corrective actions and improve sustainability. Topo covers topics such as packaging, circular economy, traceability, and chemical management, helping customers get more transparency and prevent issues.

Tobias mentions the importance of carbon emissions and how Topo Solutions is helping customers collect CO2 emissions from the supply chain. He also highlights Topo’s success stories, including their work with Puma for quality management, the implementation for the biggest European shoe retailer Deichmann for the German Due Diligence Supply Chain Act, and the sourcing arm of the Rewe group. Tobias explains Topo’s vision to become the most efficient and powerful supply chain platform in the market, with a focus on sustainability and compliance. He believes that a holistic approach to sustainability is important, as it encompasses social and environmental components, and notes that tackling a broad area is essential to avoid the appearance of greenwashing.

It was great to have Tobias on the show, and I’m excited to share this episode with you. If you’re interested in learning more about digital supply chain management and the role of technology in this field, I encourage you to give this episode a listen.

If you enjoy this episode, please consider following the podcast and sharing it with others who may be interested. And as always, if you find the podcast of value, and you’d like to help me continue to make episodes like this one, you can go to the podcast’s Support page and become a Digital Supply Chain podcast Supporter for less than the cost of a cup of coffee!

Thank you!

Photo credit Jason Rosenberg on Flickr

Supply Chain Opportunities in Times of Uncertainty: Insights from CEO Greg Price of Shipwell

I am excited to share that on my latest podcast episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Greg Price, CEO of Shipwell. We discussed a range of topics related to the current state and future of the supply chain industry.

One of the key takeaways from our conversation was the importance of strong leadership in navigating the uncertain and rapidly-changing landscape of the industry. Greg emphasized that in times of economic uncertainty and recession, it’s crucial to take a step back and look at the bigger picture in order to identify opportunities and drive positive outcomes.

Another highlight of our conversation was the discussion on the role of technology in the supply chain. Greg shared insights on how Shipwell is using cutting-edge technology to streamline operations and improve efficiency for their clients. He also highlighted the importance of data and analytics in making informed decisions and staying ahead of the competition.

We also touched on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the supply chain and the ways in which it has accelerated the adoption of digital solutions. Greg shared his thoughts on how the industry will continue to evolve post-pandemic and the opportunities that lie ahead.

My 5 key takeaways from this episode:

  1. Strong leadership is crucial for success in the supply chain industry, especially during recessionary and inflationary environments.
  2. It is important to take a step back and assess areas and elements in the supply chain that need to be focused on in order to drive positive outcomes.
  3. In order to stay competitive and ensure job security, it is important to continuously drive impact and results in the supply chain.
  4. Cost efficiency and future-proofing are key areas to focus on in order to optimize supply chain performance.
  5. Collaboration and open communication with peers and superiors is vital in order to drive progress and success in the supply chain industry.

Overall, it was an enlightening conversation and I believe our listeners will find it incredibly valuable. I encourage you to give it a listen and let me know your thoughts.

I also want to thank Greg for taking the time to speak with me and for sharing his valuable insights. If you are interested in learning more about Shipwell or connecting with Greg, you can reach him at greg@shipwell.com or visit their website at shipwell.com.

And remember to follow and support the podcast, as I will continue to bring you valuable content and expert guests in the field of supply chain.

Image credit: Word Cloud by Epic Top 10

Streamlining Supply Chain Issue Resolution with Riptide’s Three-Way Text Platform

In today’s episode of the Digital Supply Chain podcast I had the pleasure of speaking with Doug Marinaro, the CEO and co-founder of Riptide, a three-way text platform for issue resolution.

Doug shared the story of how Riptide came about, starting from the simple idea that a lot of problems could be solved before they become failures if the right people come together in a conversation. He and his co-founder, a small businessman in San Francisco, had previously been applying messaging to his auto repair and towing businesses, and saw dramatic improvements in his ability to satisfy customers. From there, they decided to expand this concept of messaging to be applied more broadly in the context of business and transactions.

Doug went on to explain that Riptide is different from consumer messaging apps like WhatsApp or Telegram, as it allows businesses to have control over who’s in the conversation, where the information about the conversation goes, and the conversation workflow. This allows businesses to automate the conversation and also give the people responsible for the success of that service, the ability to control the conversation and the participants.

Riptide is currently being used in roadside service, delivery, field service, and home services. Doug shared an example of last mile delivery, as this is where Riptide’s solution applies the most. He highlighted that the intersection of instant gratification with complexity is where Riptide’s solution is most valuable, as customers have an expectation of getting an answer immediately and getting their delivery instantly, but the process of actually accomplishing that delivery can be complex and difficult to manage. Riptide’s solution allows businesses to have control over the customer journey, and to have the right participants in the conversation at the right moment, which ultimately leads to a positive end-to-end customer experience.

Doug also discussed Riptide’s expansion plans, and how the solution can be used globally. He mentioned that Riptide is currently only available in North America, but they are talking to customers all around the world who have heard about what they’re doing and the universality of this problem. The good news is that the telecom services that they work with are robust and global, which will allow them to rapidly expand into other countries.

Riptide is a web-based app, so there’s nothing that needs to be installed on your computers, and it allows for the consumer to use the messaging app that’s already on their phones. This makes it easy for businesses to integrate Riptide into their ecosystem, and to provide real-time visibility on every conversation that’s happening. This data is collected and can be mined, and Riptide generates dashboards on usage by different parties, on response rates, and on how long it takes a person to read a message. This data can also be used for dispute resolution and to apply machine learning models that will allow businesses to insert chatbots into the conversation.

Overall, Riptide would appear to be a valuable solution for businesses looking to have control over the customer journey and to ensure a positive end-to-end customer experience. Tune in to the episode to learn more and to hear Doug’s insights on how Riptide can help your business.

And of course, be sure to follow the Digital Supply Chain podcast in your podcast app of choice to stay up-to-date on the latest trends and best practices in Supply Chain.

Photo credit Sarah Marriage on Flickr

Maximize your Supply Chain Industry Exposure with my Podcast Sponsorship Packages

I am delighted to announce that my Digital Supply Chain podcast – the number one podcast showcasing thought leadership, and best practices in Supply Chain is now offering sponsorship packages for companies looking to gain exposure to my highly engaged audience.

As a twice-weekly podcast that focuses on the latest trends and developments in the supply chain industry, I have built a strong following of professionals in the field. With over 240,000 total downloads, and a number 1 ranking on Google and other major search engines for the search term “supply chain podcast,” I believe that these sponsorship packages are a great opportunity for companies to establish themselves as thought leaders in the industry.

My sponsorship packages include:

  1. The ability to brand episodes as “The Digital Supply Chain podcast – this episode sponsored by [sponsor company name]”
  2. The opportunity for the sponsor to choose the guest for the podcast
  3. A full transcription of the episode (this is extremely useful for accessibility, search engine optimisation, and for subsequent write-ups of the episode)
  4. Podcast show notes including links to websites, social media accounts for the sponsor
  5. A comprehensive blog post summarising the episode
  6. An audiogram for each episode with a soundbite from the podcast to be shared with the sponsor
  7. Embed code for each episode to be shared with the sponsor
  8. Three tweets and Mastodon posts per episode containing the audiogram and a link to the episode
  9. A LinkedIn post with the episode highlights, the audiogram, and a link to the episode

We understand that every company is unique, which is why I am happy to work with you to create a sponsorship package that fits your specific needs and budget. Prices for the packages are available on application.

If you’re interested in having your brand associated with the leading Supply Chain podcast, learning more about these sponsorship packages and how I can help your company gain exposure and establish yourself as a thought leader in the supply chain industry, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

Apple, cloud computing, and enterprise supply chain management

Solar power

Apple’s recent announcements around renewables and supply chain transparency, put the major cloud providers to shame.

Apple had a couple of interesting announcements last week. The first was that they were investing $848m in a 130MW solar farm being built by First Solar in California. With this investment, Apple enters into a 25 year power purchase agreement with the solar farm, guaranteeing income for the solar farm, and securing Apple’s energy bills for the next 25 years in California. According to First Solar this is the largest agreement in the industry to provide clean energy to a commercial end user, and it will provide enough energy for Apple to fully power its headquarters, operations and retail stores in California, with renewable energy.

For it’s data centers, which hosts Apple’s iCloud, App Store, and iTunes content, Apple uses 100% locally generated, renewable energy. It’s Maiden, North Carolina data centre, for example, uses a combination of biogas fuel cells and two 20‑megawatt solar arrays — the largest privately owned renewable energy installation in the US, according to Apple. And it is now investing another $55 million in a third, 100-acre 17.5MW plant for the facility. You can find details of Apple’s other data centre facilities, and how they are powered by renewables, here.

Apple's Maiden Data Center Solar Array

The second announcement from Apple was the publication of its 2015 Supplier Responsibility Progress Report (highlights here, full PDF here). Apple has been criticised in the past for workers rights violations in its supply chain, so it is good to see Apple taking very real steps, positive, to address this. The amout of detail, the steps taken, and the levels of transparency in the report are impressive.

On underage labour, for instance, Apple’s policy requires that

any supplier found hiring underage workers fund the worker’s safe return home. Suppliers also have to fully finance the worker’s education at a school chosen by the worker and his or her family, continue to pay the worker’s wages, and offer the worker a job when he or she reaches the legal age. Of more than 1.6 million workers covered in 633 audits in 2014, 16 cases of underage labor were discovered at six facilities — and all were successfully remediated.

Apple also has strict policies around work week hours, health and safety, sourcing of conflict minerals, and the environment. In order to increase its transparency, Apple publishes its Supplier Code of Conduct, its Supplier Responsibility Standards, its Conflict Minerals Standard, as well as a list of its smelter suppliers and its top 200 suppliers amongst other documents. And Apple’s comprehensive list of environmental reports are published here.

What does this have to do with cloud computing and the enterprise supply chain management?

Well, Apple recently partnered with IBM in order to expand its userbase into the enterprise space. And it has opened its iWork office suite to anyone with an Apple ID, no Apple device required – though this was long overdue.

Comparing Apple’s cloud offerings to actual enterprise cloud players (or any cloud players, for that matter), you see there’s a yawning chasm in terms of transparency, reporting, and commitment to renewables.

Of the main enterprise cloud players:

  • Microsoft publish their Citizenship Report here [PDF]. And while it is a decent enough report, it doesn’t go into anything like the level of detail that Apple does. On page 53 of this report Microsoft mention that 47% of the energy it purchases is renewable. It does purchase renewable energy certificates for the other 53% so it can report that it is carbon neutral.
  • Google doesn’t produce a corporate sustainability report. Instead it has this page which outlines some of the work it does in the community. Information on Google’s energy breakdown is sparse. What is published is found on the Google Green site, where we find that although Google has many investments in renewable energy, and Google has been carbon neutral since 2007, Google’s actual percentage of renewables is only 35%.
  • IBM has a good history of producing corporate reports (though it still hasn’t published its report for 2014). However on the energy conservation section of IBM’s corporate report, IBM reports that sources 17% of its electricity came from renewable sources in 2013. However, they go on to note that this does not include the energy data of Softlayer – IBM’s cloud platform.

Cloud Providers Energy and Transparency

  • And finally, Amazon, who have arguably the largest cloud computing footprint of any of the providers, is the worst performer in terms of reporting, and likely in terms of emissions. The only page where Amazon mentions emissions, claims that it has three carbon neutral regions, but fails to say how they have achieved this status (or whether they are third party audited as such). The same page also claims that “AWS has a long-term commitment to achieve 100% renewable energy usage for our global infrastructure footprint” but it fails to give any time frame for this commitment, or any other details on how it plans to get there.

Taking into account last November’s historic deal between the US and China on carbon reductions, and the upcoming Paris Climate Change Conference in December this year (2015), where there are very likely to be binding international agreements on carbon reductions. This will lead inevitably to increased requirements for CO2 reporting from the supply chain.

With that in mind, including the % renewable energy as one of the factors when choosing a cloud provider, would be a very wise move.

UPDATE:
As pointed out to me on Twitter:

In that case, you could always go with GreenQloud. GreenQloud bill themselves as a drop-in AWS replacement and being based in Iceland their electricity is 100% renewable.

(Cross-posted @ GreenMonk: the blog)