Sustainability: business, life, environment

We have all heard and probably experienced the old adage: if you put the right tools in the right hands, great things can happen.  In our sustainability consulting experience, we have personally observed this to be true with the advances in supply chain thinking over the years.  As we move into a new era, the tools and incentives continue to push forward.

Progressive supply chain approaches over the past few decades has move us beyond the traditional win/loose mentality; wherein, negative outcomes where passed along to suppliers.  More recently organizations have seen the value in aligning supply chain goals in a now common win/win framework.  As sustainability concepts begin to emerge within supply chain discussion, companies continue to push for win/win progress.

The growing focus on Supply Chain Management (SCM) as a strategic function within the organization has proven to be opportunity to reduce cost and add value to the bottom line.  The recent emergence of sustainable supply chain management provides the opportunity to leverage this progress from an added perspective.  Mainstream thinking is just beginning to incorporate expanding eco awareness to include the role of social and environmental responsibility in supply chain value creation.

Our sustainability consulting work finds companies seeking out the unique value opportunity in sustainable supply chain management by creating aligned sustainability goals with suppliers.  Rather than regressing to the old model and passing along the cost and risk to suppliers, we are following the progress of leaders who are creating business sustainability incentives for existing and new sources of supply.