Tag: supplychainmanagement

Elkhorn Mountain Wilderness, CA
Climate Confident

The Future of Business is Socially Responsible: Are You Ready?

In a world that’s grappling with climate change, economic inequality, and social unrest, businesses are no longer just profit-making entities. They’re becoming agents of change. But navigating the muddy waters of social responsibility and human rights in complex global supply chains is no small feat. That’s why I had the pleasure of speaking to Gitte Winther Bruhn, Global Head of Social Responsibility Solutions at SAP, on the Climate Confident podcast.

Gitte pointed out something critical: “It’s not just about having our technology, but we would need knowledgeable people. We would need businesses operating in the space because…we would need expert knowledge here as well.” This reminds us that technology alone cannot solve these issues; it takes a community of informed businesses to drive systemic change.

Partner Up and Solve Together

Gitte highlighted SAP’s strategic approach to tackling these challenges through its Advisory Council for Social Responsibility. Comprising companies with complex value chains, this council aims to “work on this in a very systemic way in partnerships.” Collaborative efforts like these give us hope that together, we can solve business-critical challenges concerning social responsibility and human rights.

Real-Life Success Stories

What makes Gitte’s insights so compelling is the flesh-and-blood examples she provided. Take WEConnect International, for instance, which has built a platform to connect some of the world’s largest buyers with women-owned small businesses. Another example is Ternium, a leading flat steel producer in Latin America that prioritizes workplace safety. These examples underline the point that social responsibility isn’t just a buzzword—it’s good business practice.

Why This Matters

Here’s the kicker: Ignoring social responsibility isn’t just a moral failing; it’s a business risk. With new regulations coming into play, Gitte stated, “Look at it and at least implement the United Guidelines Principle for business and human rights as a first step. Having this, it’s also giving business resilience in the supply chain.”

In the volatile world we live in, resilience is more than a bonus; it’s a necessity. Moreover, Gitte noted that your “license to operate” is at risk. If you don’t act responsibly, your brand can suffer, and your business could be in jeopardy.

Time to Act!

The crux of the matter is simple: “Doing nothing will just be worse,” said Gitte. Don’t wait for regulations to force your hand. Be proactive and see this as an opportunity for competitive advantage, resilience, and brand protection.

To dive deeper into this subject and arm yourself with actionable insights, make sure to listen to the full episode of the Climate Confident podcast with Gitte Winther Bruhn. You don’t want to miss it.

Listen to the full episode here.

Your feedback and ideas are always appreciated, so feel free to drop a comment below. And remember, every small step towards sustainability counts!

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Until next time, stay Climate Confident!

Photo credit – Bureau of Land Management on Flickr

Full disclosure – SAP sponsored this episode of the podcast

MV EverGiven ship blocking the Suez Canal
Digital Supply Chain

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!

Wind turbines near San Diego
Digital Supply Chain

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

A word cloud featuring "Inflation"
Digital Supply Chain

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