The quest for sustainability requires action on many fronts. One of the most challenging aspects for large corporations in achieving their science-based emission reduction targets is addressing the emissions of their supply chains. As the pressure points on businesses mount and become increasingly complex, it is imperative that business leaders are committed to driving climate action throughout global supply chains in line with latest science. Barry Parkin, Chief Procurement and Sustainability Officer at Mars highlights what will it take to become a 1.5 degree company.

In unprecedented times, the need to integrate ethical and environmentally responsible practices into business operations has never been greater. Eight in 10 supply chain executives are increasing their efforts toward sustainable supply chain operations, according to research by EY. But what does this look like in practice? In a bid to meet growing demands from consumers, employees and stakeholders, supply chain leaders are focusing on the efficient use of natural resources, decarbonization, ethical sourcing and fair trade in order to build an effective, sustainable and responsible supply chain roadmap.

Business leaders across the board face significant challenges when it comes to reducing friction across their supply chains. The fragmentation that often exists between different parties across a large logistics network – from retailers to suppliers, manufacturers, and consumers – can result in a problematic lack of visibility for key decision makers and bring with it costly knock-on effects. But is the cloud revolution and innovative new data solutions turning the dial on this?
Many businesses are quickly tapping into the power of data to reshape and innovate across their supply chains – real-time planning and integrated warehouse management being key areas for such advancements. We explore how leaders are moving their supply chain from ground to cloud in a bid to be more responsive, control costs and remain competitive in an ever-changing landscape.

According to McKinsey, on average, companies experience a disruption to their supply chain of one to two months in duration every 3.7 years. The most recent and prominent of these disruptions being the COVID-19 crisis, post-pandemic economic effects, and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine – all have been detrimental in exposing the vulnerabilities of today’s global supply chains.
In order to outpace consumer demand and mitigate risks, a successful last-mile delivery strategy must be flexible, responsive and resilient. From optimising fulfilment locations and delivery options, to exploring the use of dark stores, last-mile storage and collection points, how can leaders develop a strategic roadmap for supply chain resiliency that delivers?

In recent years, the pressure on multinational corporations to offer robust sustainability credentials has escalated significantly. EY research found that eight in 10 supply chain executives are increasing their efforts towards sustainable supply chain operations – and this number is only set to rise.
With organizations now seeking new ways to embed responsibility into every part of their supply chain, the environmental and societal impacts of large-scale logistical operations have come under the microscope. From raw materials sourcing to production, storage and delivery to each transportation link in between, how are supply chain leaders building a future-proofed plan to achieve their sustainability goals?

Disruptions are inevitable. Supply Chain needs to be in position to turn uncertainty ito opportunity. What are the main elements for a resilient Supply Chain? Case study: Digital Twin technology that connects planning across the end-to-end value chain by combining supply chain, procurement, commercial and financial variables.

This session will cover strategic facets of Supply Chain sustainability - from decarbonization to circularity; human to biodiversity dimensions; and outside-in to the future-outlook perspective. The conversation will highlight critical success factors for ‘Real-sustainability’ in the Supply Chain.

Supply chain leaders are leveraging the power of digital technologies to deliver competitive advantage and navigate the common occurrence of uncertainty and disruption across supply networks. Digital transformation is enhancing processes across all aspects of the supply chain, including financing, procurement, warehousing and real-time visibility into inventory levels. Implementing new technology has proven to be a game changer. It’s enabling organisations to operate in innovative new ways and deliver increased value to customers. But where do you start and how do you progress smoothly on your digital transformation journey?

Discover how Stanford Supply Chain designed a risk framework and response strategies that enable an agile approach in the face of disruptions to prevent, mitigate, respond, and recover. Obtain insights on how resiliency is incorporated into the fabric of an organization and how pivotal it is to the sustainability and response to the unknowns we face daily in the Supply Chain. An excellent opportunity to hear from a healthcare provider organization that faced unprecedented demands, immense pressure, and global constraints yet excelled at a response that ensured supply continuity to the healing hands that care for patients.

The future of procurement is dependent on companies’ ability to guide their people and various stakeholders through a continuously changing environment. Keeping pace with innovations across industries, businesses and supply chains requires change management skills combined with an efficient operating framework and best-in-class technology to help achieve objectives in data, supply chain resilience and responsible sourcing.