Raising the Bar on Supply Chain Management

In our professional consulting, we realize that businesses and individuals are at various levels of sustainability concept understanding and sustainability program implementation. While one organization may only be capable of focusing on short-term immediate gains, others businesses are positioning themselves to capture long-term value.

As a business sustainability consultant, we encourage clients to recognize that the pursuit of business sustainability is a continuous long-term commitment. When managing supplier relationships, this sliding scale of understanding becomes especially relevant in determining supply chain business sustainability strategies.

Companies on the front-end of this continuum tend to be more reactive. A PRNewswire recently article describes how, “Economic pressures are forcing companies to employ their supply chains, primarily the sourcing and procurement functions, to contain costs and boost revenue.” Executives are instructing their organizations to cut spending, to find transaction efficiencies, and in some cases request supplier price concessions.

While the slumping economy has elevated the focus on supply chain management in many companies, it has not necessarily raised the bar past traditional practices. In a recent post, ‘Supply Chain Management: Where is it Going?’, we discuss how a few SCM leaders are using environmental and social criteria to raise the level of supplier performance.

Whether a company is just becoming familiar with the concept of business sustainability or is a sustainability leader in the industry, there are sustainable supply chain improvements that can help move your organization up the scale. Determining the criteria that will move you up the business sustainability scale, from where your company currently resides, is an important distinction.

At Taiga Company, we recognize that each business is uniquely positioned somewhere along the sustainability scale. The building of a comprehensive business sustainability plan includes incorporating sustainability concepts in the supply chain. Our small business resources work with clients to develop successful business sustainability strategies that meet specific business needs.