No Surprise: The Green Supply Chain Makes My List of 2010 Predictions
Supply Chain Digest ran a great article earlier this week in which several supply chain gurus give their predictions for 2010.
It’s one of those articles that I find intriguing not only because of what’s included, but also because of what isn’t.
Specifically, I was surprised to notice that only one of the six gurus mentioned sustainability in their forecast. Jim Barnes, EnVista president, organized his predictions into six key themes:
- Technology platform versus suites
- Strong survive and the weak die
- Globalization, low cost country outsourcing, domestic outsourcing…focused on cost recovery
- Global talent
- The generation gap …and…
- Green is real and here to stay (emphasis mine)
Barnes is right to recognize that sustainability is a key supply chain management theme for the year ahead. It was only a few months ago that Walmart underscored the vital importance of the sustainable supply chain by introducing its sweeping, worldwide sustainable product index. Other companies are following suit, and the supply chain is (finally) gaining deserved recognition as an essential component of any comprehensive sustainability plan.
What’s more, recent research indicates that companies that had a focus on supply chain excellence were best positioned during the recession. I feel strongly that in the year ahead we’re going to see an increased emphasis on measuring and benchmarking supplier sustainability data, and organizations will continue to reap big benefits from supply chain management strategies that integrate both environmental and broader CSR initiatives throughout the supplier network.
