Supply Chain Conferences

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the supply chain community rallied around a purpose and demonstrated this aspiration by keeping our society fed, supplied and healthy. Clothing companies were manufacturing personal protective equipment (PPE), adult beverage companies were making hand sanitizer and airlines converted their warehouses into food bank processing centers. These shifts occurred quickly — taking only weeks for what normally would require months or quarters to plan and execute.

Even before the pandemic occurred, supply chain teams at leading companies used the language of purpose when defining their work. They recognize that solving the world’s largest problems only works through partnership with others, as well as through their own transparency. They are pursuing this greater purpose while running efficient and effective supply chains. The concept of circular economy (CE) models has also gained traction as part of a larger trend toward running ethical and sustainable supply chains.

Clearly define and communicate your supply chain’s broader purpose in the world to inspire customers, employees and partners to act ethically and sustainably in support of the global community.

Corporate supply chains are being impacted by a dynamic competitive landscape driven by a combination of expanded customer expectations, new market entrants from existing industry ecosystems and the emergence of nontraditional competitors. Post-pandemic, supply chain organizations must be able to develop new, agile business models by possessing solid operational models and transformational capabilities.

In addition, the ability to deeply understand the voice of the customer and deliver personalized offerings to elevate the customer experience is a driving factor for these transformative organizations.

Position your organization to be a disruptor by infusing agility into existing capabilities or acquiring startups offering the expertise and DNA necessary to compete in new or reinvented markets.

The first instinct of business is to pull back spending in the current environment, including funding for transformational programs. But advanced supply chains are pushing ahead with their investments, and some are even accelerating spending on real-time visibility, planning and agile supply chain executions, which are well-suited for supporting uncertain demand mixes and volumes. These companies are often early adopters of digital technologies that are enabling business capabilities and outcomes that will enable them to thrive even in the worst economic conditions.

Create a digital orchestration culture in your organization by investing in rapid and open innovation that is sourced from both internal talent and external partners with specialized skills and technologies.

Leading supply chains recognize that to benefit from technology investments, a digital-ready workforce is needed, with an emphasis on finding talent with the skills to support businesses of the future. Develop these skills in-house or through partnerships with educational institutions to create a curriculum to support the future of work. A focus on developing a healthy ecosystem of labor will enable innovation to continue and will drive better customer experience.