The 21st Century Supply Chain Executive: Global and Green

It is nearly impossible to return from a shopping trip without seeing earth-friendly products or to watch or read the news without en- countering a story about the environment. Businesses today need to focus on the complex issues of sustainability. Declining to do so may cost them dearly in today’s competitive marketplace of environmentally aware consumers.

Procurement processes that support the design and management of a sustainable supply chain are becoming critical for providers of goods and services in nearly every part of our economy.

In releasing its annual list of Top 10 Supply Chain Predictions for 2008, Manufacturing Insights, part of the global technology market research firm IDC, gave the number one spot to “Your suppliers’ problems become your own, especially when they are related to sustainability.”

Sustainability, the firm predicted, will be the new metric for the 2008 supply chain. “It will no longer be enough to look for sustainability in your own operations, but in your suppliers’ operations as well. Sustainability will become more than just ‘green IT’ and environmental packaging. It will extend to things like social corporate responsibility, postponement and better use of logistics/transportation.”