FT Special Report on Supply Chain Management

from earthtimes.org

The Financial Times, on Tuesday 18th December 2007, will publish its special report on “Supply Chain Management,” which will be distributed globally as the latest in a series of supplements to the newspaper on the operational mechanics of modern business.

Complex, global supply chains have become the norm with strategies now involving several providers around the world. Businesses today depend on their ability to manage all supply chain activities in real time from a central location; allowing them to analyze the potential impact of unplanned events and to head off any problems they may cause. In addition to this, customers are now demanding even more information on how their purchases reach the retailer’s shelf. To manage this complex web of relationships, businesses rely heavily on Information Technology, while also understanding that building a trusting relationship with their supplier network requires a human input too.

Thoughts on “Green” Supply Chains by a Carbon-Neutral Analyst

from arcweb.com

By Adrian Gonzalez

I was listening to the radio this morning and an ad played for the station, promoting how they play today’s hit music, with few commercial interruptions.  The promo, voiced by a woman with a soothing voice, ended with what I’m guessing is the station’s new tagline: “92.9 WBOS, A Carbon-Neutral Radio Station.”  What the heck does that mean, I wondered.  It seems like everybody is jumping on the “green” bandwagon these days, including everyone in supply chain management.

HP’s audits deliver supplier improvements

from vnunet.com

Regular audits are a critical component of any green supply chain strategy, but how do they work? HP’s Karl Daumueller, a veteran of supplier checks, explains how HP’s audits deliver results

BusinessGreen: What are you looking for on a supplier audit?
Karl Daumueller: The basis for HP’s auditing is the electronic industry code of conduct, which was introduced in 2004. It covers four areas: labour, including provisions on wages, overtime, child labour and discrimination; the environment, including pollution prevention, resource reduction, how suppliers are dealing with waste, water and chemicals and content restriction policies that ensure they are adhering to our list of banned substances; health and safety rules; and ethical guidelines that tackle corruption. All four of these elements have to be managed properly by the supplier through a formal management system.

Forum Examines Sourcing’s Impact On Business Performance

from businesswire.com

The first Forrester Research, Inc. (Nasdaq: FORR) Services And Sourcing Forum demonstrated to attending sourcing and vendor management professionals how they can drive strategic business value from their sourcing decisions. More than 250 professionals attended the two-day event, which concluded today in Orlando, Fla.

The event also marked the first meeting of the Forrester Leadership Boards’ Sourcing & Vendor Management Council, a peer-to-peer group for executives who drive technology investments and sourcing decisions. Council members, invited guests and Forrester analysts discussed best practices in running a vendor management office, sourcing strategies, effective metrics for vendor management and sourcing risk assessment. The next Sourcing & Vendor Management Council meeting will be held on November 28 in conjunction with Forrester’s Services And Sourcing Forum EMEA in Nice, France.