Supply Chain Revolution

In Episode 77, Dr. Yossi Sheffi, iconic thought leader and professor at MIT, innovator, and author of a new book ‘ The Magic Conveyor Belt' chats with host Sheri Hinish about the future of supply chain including the people, exponential technology, and disruptive themes that will shape the future of the profession. This book offers explanations to pressing supply chain topics and much more, with historical perspectives and modern examples. It covers contemporary issues of outsourcing and re-shoring, sustainability, resilience, regulations and the social, managerial, and policy issues resulting from technological innovations. Additional topics covered in this episode include: how tech adoption has shaped and helped humanity, how technology has repurposed jobs, the digital divide, the impact of AI and ChatGPT on the future of work and automation, and freeform flow on sustainability, quantum, nuclear, and many other political, provocative topics! In the Magic Conveyor Belt, Professor Sheffi lays the foundation for understanding supply chains and the characteristics that make them complex. In Part 1 of the book “The Global Dance,” he delves into the often-hidden intrinsic structure of supply chains to ground the reader in the challenges of managing the mammoth networks involved. Part 2, “Further Complexity and Challenges,” shows how the last 50 years have added even more complexity to supply chains. This part covers the rising demand for goods, as well as the increasing consumer expectations for fast, perfect delivery services. The relevance on technology creates a sobering thought around the digital divide. The digital divide is multifaceted and includes many factors such as access, affordability, quality, and relevance. As Michael Kende wrote, “the digital divide is not a binary.” These gaps in availability, affordability, interest, and digital literacy. The UN's Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development estimates that nearly 3.6 billion people remain totally unconnected to the Internet by any measure. This means there are around 4.1 billion people online, about 53.6% of the global population.  What does the future hold for global supply chains and countries, economies, marginalized communities left behind in a technology infused world?  The capabilities and future roles of automation, robotics, and artificial intelligence are changing and augmenting the jobs held by workers—covered in Parts 3 and 4. Elements of the book trace the implications of multiple trends in the operating environment for tomorrow's global supply chains, as they change and augment the jobs held by workers. While many of the new skills require technical knowhow, it is social skills, ironically, that may be a key for future human employment in an economy dominated by technology. To learn more about The Magic Conveyor Belt, visit https://a.co/d/0mUVNYq To connect with Yossi Sheffi on linkedin, visit https://www.linkedin.com/in/yossi-sheffi-b38b731/ To connect with Host Sheri Hinish, visit https://www.linkedin.com/in/supplychainqueen/

In an exclusive Earth Day Special, Jim Massey lays out the case for why all progress in sustainability depends on trust - the basis of successful selves, teams, and systems. Sustainability is the path to prosperity for humanity and businesses alike. Every April 22nd, stakeholders of all backgrounds come together to advance sustainability and climate action in commemoration of Earth Day. Companies who've developed strong Environment Social Governance (ESG) standards are seeing better profitability, stronger financial performance, and happier employees. But this transformation isn't just about transforming our economies, operating models, and supply chains, it is about transforming lives by putting people and trust at the heart of decisions we anchor in sustainable development. When Can, Care, and Do come together, something interesting happens: trust is formed. Across regions, cultures, and languages, trust is a common currency - the connective tissue that makes all positive action possible. In an exclusive Earth Day Special, Jim Massey lays out the case for why all progress in sustainability depends on trust - the basis of successful selves, teams, and systems. In a time when many are rapidly losing trust in our institutions – whether in government, society, or finance – it's more critical than ever that leaders cultivate their ability to build trust.  Episode 76 is the 3rd Earth Month feature celebrating provocative themes and people in sustainability, supply chain innovation, and circularity. Jim Massey is a Chief Sustainability Officer, Global ESG Expert, and former VP of ESG Sustainability, Ethics, and Compliance at AstraZeneca.  In our chat, Jim unpacks wisdom from Trust in Action, including: * where will leaders have the greatest impact * what is the “breakthrough” proven trust model for sparking action * how can folks listening drive positive change in their organization * what are some of the actionable repeatable approaches for working with teams to tackle today's toughest problems  * what words of wisdom can you give others leading or have the ambition to lead in sustainability? This year, we rally behind the Earth Day theme “Invest In Our Planet”, which highlights the importance of dedicating our time, resources, and energy to solving climate change and other environmental + social issues. Our world needs transformation. Solving the environmental crisis calls for bold, creative, and innovative solutions and leadership. This will require action at all levels, from business and investment to city and national government. Investing in our planet is necessary to protect it and the best way to pave a path towards a prosperous future. When we Invest In Our Planet together, we are supporting healthy, happy, and thriving communities worldwide. To learn more about Jim Massey and Trust in Action, visit https://www.jimmassey.co/

Earth Month Exclusive featuring Steve Pratt (CEO of Noodle Al, Co-Founder of Infosys and Regenerative Ranch aficionado) + Supply Chain Revolution podcast to explore how better math and Al can enable circularity in a new supply chain planning paradigm. The way supply chain planning has been done for the last 30 years has been under the assumption that computers were slow and data was expensive, and so they needed to make a lot of simplifying assumptions.. Very importantly, they ignore probabilities and complex pattern recognition that are all allowed by this more advanced mathematics. To Learn more about Steve - visit https://noodle.ai/ or https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephen-pratt-094b5916/ Circular economy is increasingly recognized as a better alternative to the dominant linear (take, make, and dispose) economic model. Circular Supply Chain Management (CSCM), which integrates the philosophy of the circular economy into supply chain management, offers a new and compelling perspective to the supply chain sustainability domain. Two aspects that make a CSCM unique: 1) its restorative and regenerative cycles designed based on circular thinking; 2) the vision of a zero-waste economy that is inherent in the CE philosophy. This is CEO Steve Pratt + Noodle AI's mission - to build and design a world without waste. Steve also walks the talk as a farmer and student of nature, where he brings inspiration like the Noodle culture mantra BCHILL, and planting seeds of innovation for long-term value creation. Steve is an O.G. Rebel and friend of the podcast, one of the original supporters. He is an incredible technical background and at every turn has pushed boundaries with tenacity and a 'people and planet first' north star. His journey in consulting started at Deloitte. He went on to start Infosys, had a brief stint at IBM, then founded Noodle with a lingering nudge 'there has to be a better way' and a vision of a world where nothing is wasted where technical, natural, and human systems exist in harmony. About Noodle: Noodle.ai software uses some of the most advanced math on the planet to tame global supply chain chaos—so the right stuff gets to the right place at the right time with less drama. More importantly, Noodle's 'Value at Risk' shows you the hard money costs of each of the millions of errors made by your planning stack, for both demand and supply, across raw materials, production, and distribution. This episode is packed full of lessons in big transformation, inspirational messages, and pragmatic reasons why circular supply chains provide the conduit for marrying the environmental, social, and economic benefits for change. Sectors and client examples highlighted are from CPG, Industrial and automotive. Everything we need exists NOW to build and empower better decisions for a circular and inclusive world.

Sustainable marketing is a hot topic as many lean in to position their brand, product, service and persona as being sustainable, responsible, and ethical. Join host Sheri Hinish as she explores with returning guest James George (ex-Ellen MacArthur Foundation, Strategist at Pyxera Global) in episode 74 the parameters of sustainable marketing, and the types of greenwashing, pressure testing ChatGPT real time + unpacking Planet Tracker's "Greenwashing Hydra" or different dimensions of greenwashing (source - https://planet-tracker.org/greenwashing-growing-increasingly-sophisticated-says-planet-tracker/ ) What is sustainable marketing? Sustainable marketing is a marketing approach that emphasizes the long-term health and well-being of the environment, society, and economy. It involves creating and promoting products, services, and business practices that are environmentally responsible, socially equitable, and economically viable. Sustainable marketing aims to minimize the negative impact of business activities on the environment and society while promoting positive social and environmental outcomes. This approach often involves integrating sustainability principles into all aspects of a company's operations, from product design to manufacturing processes to marketing and advertising. Sustainable marketing also seeks to educate consumers about the benefits of sustainable products and services and encourage them to make more environmentally and socially responsible purchasing decisions. This can include highlighting the eco-friendly or socially responsible features of products or services, as well as providing information and resources to help consumers reduce their environmental impact. What is Greenwashing and why should you care? Greenwashing is a marketing technique in which a company makes misleading or exaggerated claims about the environmental benefits of its products or services. There are several types of greenwashing, including: Hidden trade-offs: This is when a company promotes a product as environmentally friendly while ignoring other environmental impacts. For example, a product may be advertised as eco-friendly because it is made from recycled materials, but the company may ignore the fact that the product was transported long distances, resulting in a high carbon footprint.Vague or misleading claims: This is when a company makes vague or ambiguous claims that are difficult to verify. For example, a product may be labeled as "all natural" or "chemical-free," but these claims are meaningless without further explanation or context.Irrelevant claims: This is when a company makes environmental claims that are technically true but are irrelevant to the product. For example, a company may promote a product as "CFC-free," even though CFCs have been banned for decades and are no longer used in the product.Lesser of two evils: This is when a company promotes a product as environmentally friendly when compared to a similar product that is even worse for the environment. For example, a company may promote a car as "eco-friendly" because it gets better gas mileage than other cars in its class, even though it is still a gas-powered vehicle with a high carbon footprint.Fibbing: This is when a company outright lies about the environmental benefits of its products or services. For example, a company may claim that its product is certified by an independent third party when in fact it is not. This is an action-packed and provocative dialogue that will not disappoint as James and Sheri discuss solutions and best practice to ensure you don't fall prey or misstep in a world of greenwashing, To learn more about James George, visit https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-george-20995b75/

In Episode 73, host Sheri Hinish delves into bestseller, "From Source to Sold” and offers an inside look at the real-world experiences and valuable lessons of supply chain experts, industry leaders, and disruptive innovators. The book delves into the career paths and strategies of 26 Supply Chain Leaders who have propelled businesses of all sizes, from large multinationals to startups, to the forefront of their industries. It provides listeners with a unique perspective on the specific techniques and smart business practices employed by today's top supply chain leaders to achieve success and reach the C-suite level. Why now and what's packed in this episode? Transformation is tough and we are at a crossroads. The leadership stories offer important insights into what it takes to be a successful supply chain leader and these themes have been neatly summarized through what the authors call the CHAIN Model for Supply Chain Leadership, or Chain (C-H-A-I-N), which stands for: Collaborative, Holistic, Adaptable, Influential, Narrative. A winning combination of entertaining stories about life at the top, how to get there, and rigorous business insights. The book features some of the most successful global operations and supply chain business leaders. Learn more about From Source to Sold here: https://sourcetosold.com/ ABOUT THE AUTHORS RADU PALAMARIU https://www.linkedin.com/in/radupalamariu/  Managing director of Alcott Global, the leading global executive search firm focused on operations and supply chain. He works on C-level assignments with Fortune 500 companies and local conglomerates in manufacturing, logistics, transportation, supply chain management and eCommerce. KNUT ALICKE  https://www.linkedin.com/in/knut-alicke/  Partner at McKinsey & Company, part of the global supply chain leadership team, and a visiting professor of supply chain at the University of Cologne. He advises clients on a variety of topics around supply chain, including digital supply chains, risk and resilience, advanced analytics, and supply chain transformations. FEATURED CONTRIBUTORS Yossi Sheffi, Director, MIT Center for Transportation & Logistics Ivanka Janssen, Chief Supply Chain Officer/EVP, Philips Ernest Nicolas, Chief Supply Chain Officer, HP Inc. Sandra MacQuillan, Ex - EVP and CSCO, Mondelēz International Jim Rowan, CEO and President, Volvo Cars Tan Chong Meng, Group Chief Executive Officer, PSA International (PSA) Thomas Netzer, Global COO, Wayfair Lynn Torrel, Chief Procurement and Supply Chain Officer, Flex Pier Luigi Sigismondi, President (Worldwide Food & Beverage Group), Dole Sunshine Company Sami Naffakh, Chief Supply Officer, Reckitt Tommy Rahbek Nielsen, Executive Vice President & COO, Vestas Essa Al-Saleh, CEO and Board Member, Volta Trucks Deepak Garg, CEO & Founder, RIVIGO Ken Allen, Chair of the Supervisory Board, ProGlove, Ex CEO DHL Express Vikram Agarwal, Chief Operations Officer, Danone Beatrix Praeceptor, Ex - Chief Procurement Officer, Mondi Group Michael Corbo, Ex - Chief Supply Chain Officer, Colgate-Palmolive Andres Krinninger, President Industrial Trucks & Services EMEA, KION Group Jay Lee, Former Foxconn Vice Chair Bonnie Fetch, VP and Head of Global Supply Chain and Manufacturing, Cummins Inc. Achim Duennwald, COO GLS Germany Dirk Holbach, CSCO Beauty/Laundry & Home Care, CSVP, MD, Henkel Donna Warton, CVP Supply Chain and Sustainability, Microsoft

This year's International Women's Day theme is, “DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality,” which highlights the role of innovative technology in promoting gender equality and meeting the health and developmental needs of women and girls. Women and girls remain underrepresented across the creation, use and regulation of technology. In the face of escalating global crises, we stand at a crossroads. I wanted to share insights from UN Women released today. -63% of women have access to the internet, compared to 69% of men. And women are 12% less likely to own a mobile phone, a figure virtually unchanged since before the pandemic. -Women remain a minority in both STEM education and careers, representing only 28% of engineering graduates, 22% of artificial intelligence workers and less than 1/3 of tech sector employees globally.  -Women in tech often face an actively hostile environment, with a significant pay gap of 21% and considerably lower rates of promotion (52 women for every 100 men). Nearly half (48%) report experiencing workplace harassment and 22% say they are considering leaving the workforce altogether due to the treatment they've received in the sector. What are some key pathways to create and build a safer, more sustainable, more equitable future? 1. Close all gaps in digital access and skills, whereby race, age, disability, socioeconomic status and location all play a role in determining women's digital access and use. 2. Support women and girls in STEM. Providing universal broadband access for teachers, students and schools—and ensuring digital literacy for its users—can increase girls' exposure to STEM. Digital learning provides new opportunities to adapt educational environments and curricula to the needs of girls and students from marginalized groups. 3. Create tech that meets the needs of women and girls. The importance of cognitive diversity can not be understated. Technology reflects its creators. Digital access gaps mean women produce less data than men, and a lack of data disaggregation leads to unequal representation in data sets. A global analysis of 133 AI systems from 1988 to today found that 44% displayed gender bias, with 25.7% exhibiting both gender and racial bias—which led to lower service quality, unequal resource distribution and the reinforcement of harmful stereotypes.   4. Address technology-facilitated gender-based violence. There is continuum between real-world and online violence, with technology helping to perpetuate and heighten surveillance, trafficking and other forms of abuse especially impacting intersecting forms of discrimination for women of color, LGBTIQ+, and women with disabilities. These are conversations I hope we have every day, not just on March 8th. What would you add as a key pathway to create a safe and equitable world for women and girls? To learn more about the podcast, please visit supplychainqueen.com or pod.co/supplychainrevolution #IWD2023 #sustainability #supplychain #technology #diversityandinclusion

Sustainable supply chains can address the key drivers of forest and biodiversity loss in the agriculture and forestry sectors, fueling biodiversity conservation and responsible sourcing of commodities like palm oil, soy, timber, and much more. Episode 71 introduces Gen Z for the Trees, a powerful youth movement aiming for net zero deforestation by 2030 using supply chain mapping + modeling techniques, GIS, and environmental science knowledge to uncover what's REALLY happening in some of the biggest brands' supply chains...and all while attending university full time. Deforestation in the supply chain is bad for several reasons. First and foremost, deforestation has a significant negative impact on the environment, leading to loss of biodiversity, soil erosion, and carbon emissions. Deforestation also contributes to climate change by reducing the number of trees that can absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. In addition to the environmental impact, deforestation can also have negative social and economic consequences. Forests are often home to indigenous and local communities who rely on the forest for their livelihoods, including hunting, fishing, and gathering of forest products. Deforestation can displace these communities and disrupt their way of life. From a business perspective, deforestation can also pose a risk to companies that source products from areas affected by deforestation, such as palm oil, soy, beef, and timber. Consumers are increasingly aware of the impact of deforestation and may choose to avoid products that contribute to it. In addition, regulatory frameworks aimed at reducing deforestation are being put in place in many countries, and companies that fail to comply with these regulations may face legal and reputational risks. As part of the Rainforest Partnership, the goal of Gen Z for the Trees is to inform the world about sustainable living, stakeholders in the rainforest, and current grassroots efforts to mitigate climate change. They also commit to promoting the work of indigenous rainforest communities while celebrating these communities' deep and unique understanding of the rainforest. Gen Z is the generation of change: many of these changes, like climate change, were set in place generations ago but threaten our future on this planet. As temperatures climb, sea levels rise, and natural disasters intensify each year, Gen Z must grapple with the inevitability of change. As the most connected, diverse, and largest generation in the history of the world, Gen Z is driven by immediate action and near instant togetherness. Gen Z makes up 40% of consumers both in the United States and globally. By 2026, Gen Z will be over 40% of the workforce with influence far-reaching, they are poised to create a more sustainable future. If you like to learn more about Gen Z for the Trees, visit and follow the links below: https://www.rainforestpartnership.org/gen-z-for-the-trees https://www.rainforestpartnership.org/blog/gen-z-for-the-trees-brings-hope-for-the-future https://www.instagram.com/genzforthetrees/?hl=en https://twitter.com/genzforthetrees?lang=en https://www.rainforestpartnership.org/blog/call-for-volunteers-gen-z-for-the-trees ‍

Happy Earth Day 22! In episode 70 (yes) host Sheri Hinish (SupplyChainQueen) joins Chief Evangelist Tom Raftery (SAP) for an EARTH WEEK discussion that zeros in on the Sustainability Imperative across climate, social equity, and responsible business. Key topics include:

Today, the transportation industry operates in silos that lead to a lack of coordination and waste. 30% of the trucks on the road drive empty. This directly leads to massive excess carbon emissions that can be significantly reduced through better planning and network coordination. Not to mention a 90% driver turnover, uncovering well-being, safety, and social sustainability opportunities in the logistics industry. Have you wondered how to drastically reduce your corporate carbon footprint by filling the empty miles driven by your carriers? According to Leaf: — 30% of truck carbon emissions are not associated with material utility for value-added goods delivery  — Independent drivers spend 30% of travel time without a paid load  — Companies spend 30% of their logistics budgets on non-value-added services  In episode 69, host Sheri Hinish chats with Anshu Prasad, CEO of Leaf Logistics and Transportation-Tech extraordinaire who is building a more transparent industry-wide network that reveals exponentially more opportunities for people and planet positive network coordination. When shippers, carriers, brokers, and other partners coordinate across the Leaf platform, over $100 Billion in efficiencies can be identified in this $1 Trillion industry.  Learn more about why sustainable logistics and transportation planning/execution is a key driver in CO2e reductions toward SBTi and net-zero targets. To reach out to Anshu directly, visit anshu@leaflogistics.com, https://www.linkedin.com/in/anshuprasad/ or https://www.leaflogistics.com/ Read more about IBM's alliance with Leaf https://www.ibm.com/blogs/services/2022/01/12/the-profitable-journey-to-sustainable-logistics-operations/

While environmental sustainability goals have become a high priority for consumers and businesses with a global call to action on climate change, other ESG issues haven't gotten as much attention. For many organizations advocating for human rights in the supply chain is a material priority, and one of the most pressing issues involves ensuring there is no forced labor and child labor in supply chains. But how do you know? -In its 2016 study, the International Labour Organization (ILO) estimated that 40.3 million people worldwide were victims of modern slavery at any given time, 25 million of whom were in forced labor. -To narrow the focus further, an estimated 16 million people were exploited in the private sector. A few years earlier, in 2014, the ILO estimated that forced labor generated annual profits estimated at USD 150 billion. -Women and girls are disproportionately affected, accounting for 71% of those affected by modern slavery. Children represent one-quarter of the total number of victims. President Biden on Dec 23, 2021 signed into law the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, a bipartisan bill that bans imports from China's Xinjiang region unless the importer can prove they were not made with forced labor. https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/biden-uyghur-labor-law/2021/12/23/99e8d048-6412-11ec-a7e8-3a8455b71fad_story.html In Episode 68, Justin Dillon, CEO of FRDM shares that, “The COVID-19 pandemic has taught us how broken and opaque supply chains truly are. Supply chain operations and oversight has lagged far behind the innovation curve. Companies today are expected to solve bigger and deeper problems in their supply chains, such as environmental and human rights risks.” ➡️ I am proud to have Justin back as a retuning guest on MLK day to kick off 2022 and to help organizations ensure human rights are protected across global networks by: – Understanding and mapping your network -Organizing your company's supplier and spend data – Creating a predictive bill of materials for everything you buy and applying estimates about environmental, social and business continuity risks – Helping you engage with suppliers, using its toolkit to reduce risk and increase your resilience – Producing helpful reports for your team, stakeholders and regulators – Helping you track improvements to your supply chain and constantly improving your resilience FRDM is the next wave in predictive and proactive ESG risk resilience to realize sustainable outcomes. Organizations that lead on sustainability and impact do not approach them as secondary objectives. They integrate the related objectives into their core motivation, radically altering the corporate equation for success. Companies face numerous barriers to addressing modern slavery, but technology can be an enabler for change. Modernizing the supply chain for greater transparency can create a more visibility and equity for all. FREE WHITE PAPER ➡️ https://lnkd.in/eEr_hWv7 Learn more FRDM and Justin here - FRDM.co

Sending a big shout out to everyone for your support and it's been TWO YEARS! This episode is a holiday takeover. Since we released the 2020 holiday takeover last year, it's received thousands of downloads. We're coming back again with a bolder, Rebel take on what's hot in 2022. 2021 has been another "Year of the Pledges". From setting 2030 to 2050 goals and claiming carbon-neutrality, one thing is for sure...you can pull up to many tables, but which ones? Has this been the year of social and green washing and what can we expect in the new year? James George from the Pyxera Global has taken over the Supply Chain Revolution® in this special holiday edition - Episode 67. We explore BOLD topics and trends in 2021 and what is front of mind in circularity, sustainability, and supply chains in 2022, including: How can you get people to care, more, about sustainability? And an inspirational message in the rise of empowerment where how you show up in the world matters. Do people ever go back and check build sustainability commitments? Lastly, how can we actually get people to care? 2021 has been the rise of empowerment in many ways. Where and how you show up in the world matters. You have control over what you do and mobilizing can be transformative. We all have a sphere of influence. How will you use yours in 2021? To Learn more about James please visit the link below: James: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-george-20995b75/ Find us, connect, and explore at supplychainqueen.com & https://www.supplychainqueen.com

According to McKinsey's latest study, 'more than 19 million US workers—and counting—have quit their jobs since April 2021, a record pace disrupting businesses everywhere. Companies are struggling to address the problem, and many will continue to struggle for one simple reason: they don't really understand why their employees are leaving in the first place. If the past 18 months have taught us anything, it's that employees crave investment in the human aspects of work. Employees are tired, and many are grieving. They want a renewed and revised sense of purpose in their work. They want social and interpersonal connections with their colleagues and managers. They want to feel a sense of shared identity. Yes, they want pay, benefits, and perks, but more than that they want to feel valued by their organizations and managers. They want meaningful—though not necessarily in-person—interactions, not just transactions.' (https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/people-and-organizational-performance/our-insights/great-attrition-or-great-attraction-the-choice-is-yours?cid=soc-web) In episode 66, host Sheri R. Hinish (SupplyChainQueen) chats with Jonathan Wright, Global Managing Partner in Supply Chain Transformation at IBM about a myriad of topics surrounding talent, leadership, the future of work, and most timely, the great attrition or attraction so many organizations are navigating in the work force. Jonathan believes that Covid accelerated digital 10 years and describes being purpose-led and tech for good can mitigate the Great Resignation by using technology to make humans better versions of themselves. People want choice - most - in this period of great reset. In closing thoughts, Jonathan encourages Rebels to challenge orthodoxes from the past, that we are living in the future now and everyone has something to meaningfully contribute.  Other key topics include: How access is the new capital.Creating New Pathways in STEM and supply chainServant leadershipTechnology equalizers for employment you can use in your journeyDiversity is a key ingredient to solve complex problems To learn more about Jonathan visit: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanwright2/ + https://www.ibm.com/services/supply-chain To learn more about the podcast: visit https://www.supplychainqueen.com

‘Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.' Join host Sheri Hinish LIVE from the COP26 floor with returning guest James George (formerly of Ellen MacArthur Foundation and now with Pyxera Global). Part 3 unpacks which is more effective: the carrot or the stick approach. We also delve into where real impact happens and the answer may surprise you. Other topics include dialogue around policy and public-private partnerships. Amongst the walls and halls of pledges, panels, and provocative dialogue, this 3 part series will bring you the pulse of COP, the highlights and what doesn't make the headlines. Sending a big thank you for tuning in and please follow us on social media as we unveil insights LIVE from the COP26 Green Zone starting next week. “You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference and you have to decide what kind of a difference you want to make.” —Jane Goodall To learn more about James, visit https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-george-20995b75/ and https://www.pyxeraglobal.org/ Learn more about the podcast at supplychainqueen.com

Join host Sheri Hinish LIVE from the COP26 floor with returning guest James George (formerly of Ellen MacArthur Foundation and now with Pyxera Global). Supply chains came up ALL OVER THE PLACE TODAY! Amongst the walls and halls of pledges, panels, and provocative dialogue, this 3 part series will bring you the pulse of COP, the highlights and what doesn't make the headlines. In Part 2, we explore how reliable is data + if disclosures really create transparency, financing the gap in climate transition, the types of data and insights that create space to rage against the machine (systems change/stress testing we need). 30 year legacy data feeds won't model scenarios for the next 10 years. We discuss a real world example shared over lunch that nearly had us in tears. We need data to see where we should focus our efforts, but not let perfect get in the way of starting. IPCC report came out 3 months ago, and not much heard now. We all have to change and disrupt our quality of life and the types of choices we make. If we don't do it now, it will only get worse. Where are the grown ups? Consumerism is destroying our planet. COP26 aspirational goals and commitments to impact include: 1. Secure global net zero by mid-century and keep 1.5 degrees within reach Countries are being asked to come forward with ambitious 2030 emissions reductions targets that align with reaching net zero by the middle of the century. To deliver on these stretching targets, countries will need to: accelerate the phase-out of coalcurtail deforestationspeed up the switch to electric vehiclesencourage investment in renewables. 2. Adapt to protect communities and natural habitats The climate is already changing and it will continue to change even as we reduce emissions, with devastating effects. At COP26 we need to work together to enable and encourage countries affected by climate change to: protect and restore ecosystemsbuild defences, warning systems and resilient infrastructure and agriculture to avoid loss of homes, livelihoods and even lives 3. Mobilise finance To deliver on our first two goals, developed countries must make good on their promise to mobilize at least $100bn in climate finance per year by 2020.  International financial institutions must play their part and we need work towards unleashing the trillions in private and public sector finance required to secure global net zero. 4. Work together to deliver We can only rise to the challenges of the climate crisis by working together. At COP26 we must: finalize the Paris Rulebook (the detailed rules that make the Paris Agreement operational)accelerate action to tackle the climate crisis through collaboration between governments, businesses and civil society. To learn more about James, visit https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-george-20995b75/ and https://www.pyxeraglobal.org/ Learn more about the podcast at supplychainqueen.com

Where are all the grown ups? In early October, the IPCC issued a CODE RED for humanity. The 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference COP26 brings together the world's parties (leaders, industry giant, communities, voices unheard, and technologists) to accelerate action towards the goals of the Paris Agreement and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. The event focused primarily on climate action and Net-Zero goals. Join host Sheri Hinish LIVE from the COP26 floor with returning guest James George (formerly of Ellen MacArthur Foundation and now with Pyxera Global). You can't do business on a dead planet, right? Amongst the walls and halls of pledges, panels, and provocative dialogue, this 3 part series will bring you the pulse of COP, the highlights and what doesn't make the headlines. COP26 aspirational goals and commitments to impact include: 1. Secure global net zero by mid-century and keep 1.5 degrees within reach Countries are being asked to come forward with ambitious 2030 emissions reductions targets that align with reaching net zero by the middle of the century. To deliver on these stretching targets, countries will need to: accelerate the phase-out of coalcurtail deforestationspeed up the switch to electric vehiclesencourage investment in renewables. 2. Adapt to protect communities and natural habitats The climate is already changing and it will continue to change even as we reduce emissions, with devastating effects. At COP26 we need to work together to enable and encourage countries affected by climate change to: protect and restore ecosystemsbuild defences, warning systems and resilient infrastructure and agriculture to avoid loss of homes, livelihoods and even lives 3. Mobilise finance To deliver on our first two goals, developed countries must make good on their promise to mobilize at least $100bn in climate finance per year by 2020.  International financial institutions must play their part and we need work towards unleashing the trillions in private and public sector finance required to secure global net zero. 4. Work together to deliver We can only rise to the challenges of the climate crisis by working together. At COP26 we must: finalize the Paris Rulebook (the detailed rules that make the Paris Agreement operational)accelerate action to tackle the climate crisis through collaboration between governments, businesses and civil society. To learn more about James, visit https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-george-20995b75/ and https://www.pyxeraglobal.org/ Learn more about the podcast at supplychainqueen.com

The decisions we make this decade are the most important in human history. You have to ask yourself: if our economic system actively destroys the biosphere and fails to meet many people's basic needs, what actually the point of it all? With COP26 weeks away, answering the call in climate action and equity for all, how will we emerge and redesign our world, our systems, supply chains, and economies? In episode 62, Sheri Hinish (SupplyChainQueen) explores key themes in our world's transformation with two thought leaders - Mark Perera (Founder of Procurement Leaders and CEO of Vizibl) + Peter Smith (CIPS and the epic OG of Procurement, literally). Mark and Peter have authored a new, provocative book called 'Procurement with Purpose' and encourage everyone to look deep in your supply chain to make a world of difference. (https://www.procurementwithpurpose.com/) Procurement with Purpose describes a powerful new movement - how organizations can use the money they spend with suppliers to help address these issues. That “buying power” is now being used to drive change across the business world.  Mark and Peter share case studies from firms including Unilever and Bayer that have taken the lead in Procurement with Purpose, as well as good practice advice on implementing these ideas  at all stages of the buying cycle. We unpack supplier diversity, and development. and insightful analysis of  “purposeful business” concepts and describe the key environmental, social and economic issues that can be addressed through these approaches.  Both an inspirational call to action, and a practical guide to implementing real change, Procurement with Purpose suggests that we can still change the world for the better thru disruptive thinking and disrupting incrementalism in sustainable transformation. Pre-order your copy here (https://www.procurementwithpurpose.com/) All profits from the book will go to support environmental, social and health charities.  The mystery of human existence lies in finding something to live for; what wakes you up each morning? Will you join us? Follow Mark Perera https://www.linkedin.com/in/markperera/ Follow Peter Smith https://www.linkedin.com/in/gpetersmith/

"Humankind has not woven the web of life. We are but one thread within it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves. All things are bound together. All things connect. "– Chief Seattle, 1854 In Episode 61, Sheri Hinish joins Sandra Macquillan, EVP + CSCO of Mondelez, an epic leader and Rebel extraordinaire who is forging a bold path for sustainability and being people positive across supply chains in the world we share. Sewing the threads of sustainability to form the basis of transparency is no easy task. In this episode, you'll learn how Sandra started her journey as an engineer and was drawn to supply chain because she loves people and the chance to make an impact. We unpack moving from ambition to insights in Consumer Sustainability and how Mondelez puts the consumer experience and building a better world at the heart of every transaction. This includes exploring cool innovation in agri-tech and empowering smallholders. Sandra describes how to fund sustainability in your organization + the transition from specialist to leadership in a vulnerable and elegant message to 'always be yourself' explaining why diversity wins. Lastly, we settle the debate of lowest cost versus risk competitiveness: is lowest cost a thing of the past in disruptive transition? To learn more about Sandra, visit https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandramacquillan To learn more about the podcast, visit supplychainqueen.com

If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go with others. In this chat with returning guest James George, previously at the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and now in a new role at Pyxera Global, we explore a breadth of topics to redefine systems for sustainability, equity, and circularity-> starting with upstream thinking. Topics include: 1) defining accountability, 2) causality challenges, 3) fair living wage, 4) how lowest price encourages bad behavior in supply chains, 5) what is the total cost of ownership and why should we care, 6) the shift toward planet positive and how we will become consumers of environmental services, 7) getting the right info and source of truth in complexities (COP26), 8) the rise of the expert versus the rise of the connector, 9) the beauty of unusual collaborators to drive systems change for social impact. Be sure to connect and follow James doing epic things in the world - linkedin.com/in/james-george-20995b75 Connect with Sheri + learn more about how you can be on the podcast - supplychainqueen.com

For to be free is not to merely cast of one's chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others. (Nelson Mandela) Freedom. We all want it, even in our supply chains to unlock visibility and truth, a prerequisite to freedom as described by our guest. Episodes 59 explores the intersection of technology, human rights in ethical trade, and the urgency in sustainable supply chain risk management w/ Justin Dillion founder of FRDM, a social tech company improving the world through supply chain transparency. Justin is a prominent advocate and champion for human rights in the supply chain. I learned about Justin several years ago and from his work with the Obama administration (slaveryfootprint.org), his charity “made in a free world,” and his book "A selfish plan to save the world". Although governments require companies to publicly disclose reduction of slavery everywhere in their supply chain, over 2/3 of all supply chain leaders admit zero visibility beyond their direct suppliers. Slavery affects over 40 million people and another 85 million children under the age of 11 work in hazardous labor conditions. Yet despite these facts, many still can't rely on transactional data, or tracing their dollar upstream to get closer to the truth. People have a will to fix big problems but they don't know how. There are real trade implications in sustainable supply chains. FRDM (sounds like freedom) has created a team of researchers, economists, and engineers to build a library of product genomes which can trace human rights abuse deep in supply chains. When we think about the ‘S' in ESG, it gets very complicated to marry disclosure and self-reported “sustainable business practices” with ground truth in upstream visibility especially in your supply base beyond tier 1. In this episode, we explore how a predictive bill of materials, smart AI, supplier segmentation overlaid with risk hotspots and probabilistic modeling can help you get closer to the truth, freedom in your supply chains. The gestation of change takes time. Will finds a way, but we have to use supply chains to fulfill the ethics and promise to create sustainable and scalable change over time. Justin on Linkedin – https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrjustindillon FRDM - https://www.frdm.co/ Justin's Charity - https://madeinafreeworld.org/ Justin's book ‘A Selfish Plan to Save the World' https://www.amazon.com/Selfish-Plan-Change-World-Problems/dp/0718084535/ref=asc_df_0718084535/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312025908234&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=14113460305328320108&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9007825&hvtargid=pla-328116248148&psc=1 Learn more about the Supply Chain Revolution – supplychainqueen.com

“We all agree...someone needs to do something about ocean plastic. This is the something, you are the someone.” David Katz, CEO of Plastic Bank. Today is World Oceans Day, observed by United Nations member states to bring discussions, policies, and people impacted by ocean and coastal degradation worldwide. In Episode 58, Sheri Hinish (SupplyChainQueen) chats with Plastic Bank CEO and Founder, David Katz, who describes himself as a creator in world who wants to make an impact improving the quality of life for others, connected to the ocean, poverty, and improving marine life. David's company is empowering the regenerative society turning plastic into gold by revolutionizing the world's recycling systems to create a regenerative, inclusive, and circular plastic economy POWERED by supply chains. Clients include Henkel, SC Johnson, and Aldi to name a few... The Plastic Bank builds ethical recycling ecosystems in coastal communities, and reprocesses the materials for reintroduction into the global manufacturing supply chain. Collectors receive a premium for the materials they collect to better help them provide basic family necessities such as groceries, school tuition, and health insurance.Collected material is reborn as Social Plastic® which is reintegrated into products and packaging. This creates a closed-loop supply chain while helping those who collect it. Plastic Bank is creating a new monetary standard in new school banking systems. Using a proprietary blockchain platform secures the entire transaction and provides real-time data visualization: allowing for transparency, traceability, and rapid scalability. In this episode, David challenges the concept of "the plastics problem" and says it's an "us problem". Describing the short-sightedness of convenience, he is on a mission to change the paradigm so people view the material differently in a world where everyone is part of the solution, not pollution. We explore secondary plastics, the social impact and need for a regenerative economy, how supply chains make it happen, and the creation of new standards and economies enabled just by thinking about materials differently, where waste is resource, We unpack ocean health and some stats around plastics. Also how we must urgently turn off the tap of virgin plastics. In closing David urges us to think about "what if it was profitable to have more love in the world and be stewards of the oceans, the people and marine life"? What an inspirational story to share on World Oceans Day, To learn more about David, visit https://plasticbank.com/ To learn more about the podcast, visit SupplyChainQueen.com

In Latin, the word Circulor means 'to form groups'. Doing business responsibly is now a business imperative and enabling the network effect through sustainable supply chains and circular economy is Circulor's unique mission. In episode 57, host Sheri Hinish (SupplyChainQueen) chats with Veera Johnson - supply chain extraordinaire, woman of many trades including owning a retail operation at 16 + an acting feature in Aladdin, and current co-founder of Circulor. We explore why sustainable benefits in supply chains have historically been consequential, not intentional. Veera urges that traceability at scale - including digital identity and the tracking of physical material composition - is available now to enable 2nd and 3rd use, in a reuse, circular economy. Traceability-as-a-Service, to verify responsible sourcing, and to underpin effective reverse supply chain infrastructure is unpacked, including the parts of OEM's supply chains that most currently have little real visibility into. Within mapped supply chains, Veera shares how she has proved responsible sourcing in mining cobalt and 28 other raw materials including green steel in battery production in engagement with Volvo and Pulstar. Lastly, with a breadth of experience, Veera shares hard-earned lessons that patience, creating the space for change, and self care are critical to success. To learn more about Veera and Circulor, visit https://www.circulor.com/ and connect on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/veera-johnson-3830271/ To learn more about the Supply Chain Revolution, visit SupplyChainQueen.com ​

We all have a role to play in the decade of our lives to reach the 2030 SDG vision. Procurement professionals though have a unique opportunity controlling about $8.3T of world trade in materials flow and services annually. In one of the most inspiring episodes to date, Thomas Udeson, Chief Procurement Officer at Bayer and Co-Founder of the Sustainable Procurement Pledge (SPP.Earth) chats with Sheri Hinish (SupplyChainQueen) about his journey, the power of uniting under the SDGs for climate action and sustainability, and how procurement professionals are uniquely positioned to make this happen. For Thomas, it started with a global curiosity hearing his father talk about shipments. He eloquently describes that "supply chains are the pulse of our society and humanity. Supply chains make things happen and what makes the world the great place it can become. And if you work in a supply chain you naturally get exposed to the beauty of people and diversity." The Sustainable Procurement Pledge (SPP) was born out of the climate strikes in late 2019. Thomas fundamentally believes that we have everything to make a meaningful impact and change. The SPP builds on commitments at the individual level.  The Sustainable Procurement Pledge (SPP) is a pro-bono community of those committed to embedding sustainability in to their procurement practices - and sharing knowledge and tools of how to do so. To take the pledge and learn how to get started in embedding sustainability in your organization, visit spp.earth. To connect with Thomas and SPP on LinkedIn, visit https://www.linkedin.com/company/sustainable-procurement-pledge/ Please join the Ambassador LinkedIn Group on www.linkedin.com/groups/8845732/ ! To learn more about the podcast, visit supplychainqueen.com

We’re in the midst of a significant transformation regarding the way we produce products thanks to the digitization of manufacturing and the convergence of tech. This transition represents a change in global supply chains, the fourth revolution that has occurred in manufacturing. Quality, harmonization across processes, leveraging data for insights in industry 4.0, all still hinge on an enterprise's ability to elegantly incorporate technology, humans, and the original ground truth of what's happening real-time. How do you revolutionize vision and inspection with a big data platform for visual data? How do you manage it and let it permeate in the cloud stratosphere, then push it out to manufacturers? Meet Cogniac. In Episode 55, Sheri Hinish (Supply Chain Queen) chats with Chuck Myers, CEO of Cogniac and serial innovator with an accomplished career in defense, automotive, telco, and scaling start ups to successful companies. Chuck shares the key to his success, diverse teams. No surprise here folks. He shares hard earned lessons about leading and selling successful companies, where he describes, "its better to be lucky, than good. I've had a lot of doubles. You have to be a bit paranoid, hire good people, be a loyal person and put people in the right job and treat them right." Industry 4.0 leaves many questioning how do humans fit into AI/ML, big data, and automation. 'Human in the loop' makes Cogniac different because it is essentially building AI for AI, including the quality SME. Chuck explains an example of Cogniac in railroad, where it visualizes for inspection about 22M trains wheels a month, 30,000 miles of track in near real time. AI makes a determination of high probability and elevates to the 'human in the loop' with immediate intervention. In this example, critical decisions by the human are value add and elevated in the enterprise. This union illustrates the marriage of AI in the future of work across global supply chains and Industry 4.0. To learn more about Cogniac, visit https://cogniac.co/ To connect and explore the Supply Chain Revolution, visit supplychainqueen.com

This is an episode where purpose and product meets sustainable + circular supply chains. From the amazing stories/use cases of AllBirds, Grove Collective, RareForm, and e-commerce brand Parker Clay who asked "...could we bring these beautiful products to the world, create jobs to empower vulnerable women in Ethiopia to become economically independent, and protect traditional, sustainable, and ethical craftsmanship all at once?" - > Buckle up and get ready to be inspired and glean insights from brands powered by purpose and the technology that makes it happen. In Episode 54, host, Sheri Hinish, also called the SupplyChainQueen, joins CEO of ShipHawk Jeremy Bodenhamer, Supply & Demand Chain Executive Green Award Winner, Author of Adapt or Die, and Supply Chainer ranked on the INC 5000 list who is 100% Rebel! How does logistics save the day and deliver the type of CX that customers have come to expect but in a sustainable way? We talk about the intersection of logistics and technology for positive social impact, omni-channel commerce + the circular economy, and how ShipHawk is helping EPIC sustainable brands do some cool things in supply chain.  A lot has happened in the e2e supply chain ecosystem space but we still have a gap in creating a world where shipping positively impacts societies without the impacts to people, the environment, or eroding profitability. Many would argue that the sheer nature of 'shipping things' in a complex supply chain, hurts sustainable progress. Jeremy unpacks how the intersection of tech and logistics is helping the triple bottom line, including the fulfillment efficiency card and how do you factor in carbon and non-financial performance indicators to get started on your journey? To learn more about Jeremy, visit https://www.jeremybodenhamer.com/ To connect and learn more about us: visit supplychainqueen.com/podcast

Traditionally, supply chains are one directional, linear and strive for incremental improvements. But through the lens of blockchain + sustainability + circularity, supply chains truly become an ecosystem with endless possibilities, connections, collaboration in an ocean of abundance, as opposed to closed, point to point processes. Think open. Think ecosystem, don’t think closed and incremental.  Join host Sheri Hinish (SupplyChainQueen) and Anthony Day (IBM Blockchain Partner and host of the podcast "Blockchain Won't Save the World) as they unpack how to build supply chain of the future that transform the world we share. Topics discussed include: -The convergence of technology and 8 themes that when used in concert with the SDGs can change the world -Creating transformational social impact with blockchain including climate action, sustainable supply chains, micro-financing, and renewable energy transition -Socio-economic and earth system trends in the great acceleration within planetary boundaries; what we do has a direct impact on Earth systems especially our climate and oceans. Population and energy use are growing exponentially. If we don’t reverse these Earth system trends in a on-linear way. -Moving from a scarcity to an abundance mindset as we transition to a circular economy. A scarcity mindset is closed and can lead to fear, not stepping out and up to the challenges our generation faces to address the climate emergency and collapse of biodiversity. An abundance mindset is critical in how you show up and embody transformation in the world we share.   -Data leads to the ability to educate the population on how to make an impact. How do we get more access to capital to transition to renewable energy? How can we open up a market to provide financial collateral in exchange for kilowatts? Blockchain enables this + carbon credits and trading, tokenizing through cryptocurrency also. Project Drawdown explores how to reduce carbon impact like adopting solar and wind renewable energy, reducing refrigeration, food waste, educating girls, and family planning.  -AI , Blockchain, IoT use cases in cold chain, fold supply chain track and trace. IBM Partner Food Cloud and reducing food waste reduction in PLCM. -Anthony chats about why aren’ these amazing ideas scaling? Desirability, technical feasibility, viable from a commercial case, the business case... More about Anthony Day - Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthonyjjday/ https://www.blockchainwontsavethe.world/ Brilliant Video of Anthony from FinTech WorldWide - https://youtu.be/JYLFEQhelnY Learn more about SupplyChainQUeen + Supply Chain Revolution at http://www.supplychainqueen.com

Think about the journey of a coffee bean from East Africa to the consumer. Thousands of miles away in the 1 sip to field wrapped in a complex, and often unsustainable, inequitable supply chain. There are 25 million people living in the coffee ecosystem, and 2.5 billion coffee drinkers worldwide, and that number is expected to 2-3X in coming years. With little transparency and traceability, it's still a challenge for consumers to validate the sustainability and ethics of that 1st sip of morning brew and also ensure that farmers are receiving fair wages and decent acceptable working conditions. Data ownership down to farmer and privacy are important as we digitalize the first mile; farmers and owners should own data and should benefit from monetization of information they catalyze. What if there was a way to humanize consumption through technology, putting empathy at the center of the solution and supply chains? Meet Farmer Connect. In episode 52, host Sheri Hinish chats with Farmer Connect's CEO Michael Chrisment about building a sustainable ecosystem using technology that connect farmers and consumers, even whereby consumers can tip the farmer responsible for a good cup of joe. How cool is this!?!?! Episode 52 unpacks an inspiring mission with Farmer Connect, an IBM Blockchain partner, who urges us to think about the legacy we are leaving our children and how we can use technology to address economic empowerment, climate change, and biodiversity in the world we share. They think tech should bring people together, make the world smaller, more inclusive, empower the individual and small business while reducing costs and inefficiencies for global enterprises. How does it happen? Using several emerging technologies, such as blockchain, self-sovereign identity, and artificial intelligence. Questions we chat about include: Coffee Supply Chain – why do we need a solution like FarmerConnect? Can you share a bit about the unmet need Farmer Connect fills?Lifecycle journey in traceability for supply chain provenance– how does it work?A huge tenet of Farmer Connect is inclusion – transforming the lives of smallholders by empowering ESG. Tell me more…Values – the world needs more empathy. Why is this at the heart of your solution and how do you prioritize your values in partnerships/business? To learn more about Farmer Connect, visit https://www.farmerconnect.com/ Links to find us, connect, and explore: Website: http://www.supplychainqueen.com https://www.supplychainrevolution.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/supply-chain-revolution/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/_SC_Revolution Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/supply_chain_revolution/

Imagine a world with total resource efficiency that leaves no one behind, allowing organizations to better visualize, quantify, and share assets across global supply chains. By connecting leading research institutions, Fortune 500 companies, government, school systems, nonprofits, startups, and other organizations in between, Chicago-based start-up Rheaply is creating a shared economy for innovation. This is the secondary, circular, marketplace of NOW enabled by a super-cool company called Rheaply. Circular supply chains + Rheaply's approach empowers any organization to harvest their internal resources before making any purchasing decision, making the management, exchange and tracking of assets more transparent, sustainable, traceable, and ultimately profitable. In episode 51, host Sheri Hinish is joined with Bharani Sankar, circular economy + supply chain enthusiast/ engineer and head of alliances at Rheaply. In this chat, we cover circular resource management and how standardization enables reuse across global supply chains. Bharani describes how a secondary materials marketplace works, how material-value flows, and nuances of agglomeration at scale. And lastly, we discuss the benefits of waste diversion - a $100B annual cost in the US alone - and how you can get started in new school traceability and transparency. It's real and its happening now as we build the supply chains of the future and cities where no one is left behind. Won't you join us? To learn more about Rheaply, visit https://rheaply.com/about-us/ To learn more about Bharani, visit https://www.linkedin.com/in/bharanivyas-sankar/ Find us, connect, and explore at https://www.supplychainrevolution.com/ & https://www.supplychainqueen.com

The business case for diversity is stronger than ever. According to McKinsey's latest research, 2019 analyses find that companies in the top quartile for gender diversity on executive teams were 25% more likely to have above-average profitability up from 21% in 2017 and 15% in 2014. Yet gender equity in STEM and supply chain has been hit hard in 2020. Women accounted for 100% of the 140,000 jobs shed by the U.S. economy in December, more than 111% of jobs lost last month. 5.4 million women have been affected since February — equal to 55% of all U.S. jobs lost. We need bold steps in 2021 to build back better, not only messages of inspiration but deep insights around the tools and skills needed for women and underrepresented groups to succeed in the fields of supply chain, technology, and innovation start ups. In this 1st episode of Season two, host Sheri Hinish (SupplyChainQueen) joins Sallie Jian, Silicon Valley superstar who's touched SAP, eBay, Linkedin, Box, and Uber. She shares her journey from investment banking to technology and sustainability. In episode 50, you'll hear insights on top skills needed in the tech world, what's driving leadership in global supply chains, the common threads of success in scaling innovation, and how to leverage the SDGs in your partnerships and hiring practices. Sallie Jian shares why she decided to lead the SAP.iO NY foundry: (1) the opportunity to build out a world class portfolio of next-generation software startups; (2) SAP’s No Boundaries commitment to building out a startup portfolio comprising of 50% women and minority founders. She believes that "from an enterprise perspective, when a company builds a product or an algorithm that is not representative of the population they serve, there will be missteps or gaps in the long-term sustainability of the technology. From a societal perspective, the collective of the best minds means we must embrace minds from all backgrounds. Finally, it’s smart business since diverse leadership teams are proven to lead to more innovation and improved financial performance across all industries." To join the free SAP.iO supply chain -focused demo day for COVID resilience on January 21, 2021, check out the links below. Blog article with info on startups applications and demo day https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:6755527497221251072/Demo Day RSVP page https://covid-19recoverycohortdemoday.splashthat.com  And feel free to link out to Sallie and SAP.iO on social media! @sallie_jian | LinkedIn Find us, connect, and explore at https://www.supplychainrevolution.com/ & https://www.supplychainqueen.com

It’s a take-over with James George from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation in this special holiday edition of the Supply Chain Revolution podcast. In the spirit of the holiday season, join us on Episode 49 as we explore hot topics and trends in 2020 and what is front of mind in circularity, sustainability, and supply chains in 2021. This has been the 'year of the pledges'... There are a lot of tables we can pull up to including pursuing 2030 goals, 2050 goals, but how much does this change things or is it simply a marketing opportunity for brands and companies? What about all the emissions that are happening NOW? Is this the year of social and greenwashing? Do people ever go back and check build sustainability commitments? According to James George, carbon offsets and “net zero” may be a license to get yourself out of a sticky situation; all carbon cycles are not created equal.  We talk about 'the minimalist challenge' - removing stuff that doesn’t spark joy; when you get to day 16, things start to get clearer and you decouple the "need" for stuff; Sheri explores why we buy things and what's behind mass-consumerism. Lastly, how can we actually get people to care? 2020 has been the rise of empowerment in many ways. Where and how you show up in the world matters. You have control over what you do and mobilizing can be transformative. We all have a sphere of influence. How will you use yours in 2021? To Learn more about James and the Ellen MacArthur, please visit the links below: James: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-george-20995b75/ EMF: https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/ Find us, connect, and explore at https://www.supplychainrevolution.com/ & https://www.supplychainqueen.com

This is a story that is unique and one that needs to be evangelized. Layla Shaikley, co-founder of a tech start-up that has seen explosive growth in logistics tech and AI-driven optimization within last mile stumbled into supply chain. She actually has a background in architecture and design. As an Iraqi woman, she wanted to make mobility safe during the most recent Iraqi war. It was during an elective class in the media lab at MIT (while she was getting her 2nd masters degree) that a seemingly small class project - "how to change 1 billion lives with technology" - would change the course of her life forever. Besides from being absolutely brilliant and an advocate for women in STEM, Layla is passionate about normalizing Hijabi in our domain and helping college graduates and millennials land the job of their dreams. She has a massive TikTok and Instagram following with millions of views (username @laylool). Layla believes that drivers have a really HARD job and so many focus on the last mile, but what about the last 100 feet? Layla believes that the future of work is still human and the driver's experience IS the customer experience in many ways. In Episode 48, you'll learn about Layla's passion in customer service and solving wicked problems in logistics, problems that are relevant when we imagine the future of work, autonomous supply chains, drones, and autonomous delivery. She shares outcomes from customer stories of dramatic effects realized in CO2 reduction when using Wise Systems' AI-enabled optimization. The expectation for enterprise applications is that they are as seamless like in the consumer world. Layla unpacks Dominos and Zappos examples where customer loyalty comes from good customer experience. She also describes diversity as a business imperative and insights as an SAP.iO foundry superstar (shout out to John Licata)! We have a huge industry with rapidly evolving needs. Where do you stand on innovation and embracing diversity for better product design and customer outcomes? To anyone listening and/or reading this, Layla is hiring. Send her a DM on TikTok (she gives a shout out on how to land a job in this episode too). To learn more about Layla and Wise Systems, visit: wisesystems.com or https://www.linkedin.com/in/lshaikley/ To learn more about SAP.io, visit https://sap.io/ Find us, connect, and explore at https://www.supplychainrevolution.com/ & https://www.supplychainqueen.com

This is an ACTION-PACKED EPISODE! Epsiode 47 is part 2 of a series where Sheri Hinish (SupplyChainQueen) chats with a thought leader and supply chain advocate, Dr. Yossi Sheffi from MIT who has been teaching, learning, building, authoring many publications, including a new book 'the New (Ab) Normal' in a conversation that pushes boundaries highlighting areas that many in supply chain and technology shy away from discussing...getting real on transformation, innovation, and disruption. In part 2, Episode 47, we'll explore doubling down on technology for transformative change. From AI, digital twins, and a deeper dive in human behavior, Dr. Sheffi gives you the steps to risk management and recovery in COVID and beyond when designing for resilience. Topics in this episode include using AI to shape human behavior, the technology investments you should make in supply chain, steps to digital resilience learned in COVID, education needed to connect consumer behavior and sustainability, ESG prosperity and a PoV on BlackRock, plastic impacts on climate change reduction, LCIA and the impacts of meat-consumption, a word of CAUTION when using AI and machine learning in supply chain optimization & planning, and lastly lessons learned from his career as a Rebel in supply chain and logistics. To learn more, visit https://sheffi.mit.edu/ and https://www.amazon.com/New-Ab-Normal-Reshaping-Business-ebook/dp/B08JHXQG1L/ Be sure to follow and subscribe to the Supply Chain Revolution wherever you get your podcasts.

Excellence does not happen by accident. Supply chains are answering the call during COVID and will continue to do so as a new vaccine comes to market. But how do we keep the momentum of speed, flexibility, without cutting corners? In a 2-part series, Sheri Hinish (SupplyChainQueen) chats with a thought leader and supply chain advocate, Dr. Yossi Sheffi from MIT who has been teaching, learning, building, authoring many publications, including a new book 'the New (Ab) Normal' in a conversation that pushes boundaries highlighting areas that many in supply chain and technology shy away from discussing...getting real on transformation, innovation, and disruption. In his new book, the New (Ab) Normal, Dr. Sheffi describes how supply chains - by and large- responded to the challenges during the COVID pandemic. Civilization depends on supply chains to convert the planet’s bounty into products and deliver those products affordably to 7.8 billion human beings. Sheffi exposes the critical role supply chains play in helping people, governments, and companies to manage that bounty. The book draws on executive interviews, pandemic media coverage, historical analyses, and themes from his books, "The Resilient Enterprise" (2005) and "The Power of Resilience" (2015) to suggest how companies become more resilient facing uncertainty. This must-read book helps companies and entrepreneurs adjust to a fast-evolving economic landscape. We dig into the concept of resilience, but more importantly what should we expect in 2021? What's in store for retail, omni channel and ecommerce? Fundamentally, The New (Ab)Normal is about businesses trying to create a better future in a time of extreme uncertainty. We explore incrementalism which is stifling supply chain innovation and perpetuating the 'we've always done it this way' paradigm. The problem is we iterate in a linear, bad system. And there are no good choices in a bad system, only choosing between less bad. When we think about extending traditional planning boundaries and the buffet of 2020 supply chain buzzwords, are businesses missing an opportunity to be truly disruptive, to embrace circularity, new business models, and innovation? Why does the incremental approach, even when gaps are highlighted by COVID and climate change seem to persist? From non-linear thinking, to sustainability, producer responsibility, and the value action gap in consumption, we unpack the opportunity in building back better. What will it take to build the supply chains of 2030? *Hint: science is the connector and technology is the accelerator. In part 2, Episode 47, we'll explore doubling down on technology for transformative change. From AI, digital twins, and a deeper dive in human behavior, Dr. Sheffi gives you the steps to risk management and recovery in COVID and beyond when designing for resilience. To learn more, visit https://sheffi.mit.edu/ and https://www.amazon.com/New-Ab-Normal-Reshaping-Business-ebook/dp/B08JHXQG1L/ Be sure to follow and subscribe to the Supply Chain Revolution wherever you get your podcasts.

Dr. Garry Copper, neuroscientist turned sustainability technologist and circularity advocate had a pivotal moment - that our field is one-noted and we need to build a reuse bridge to capture value left in materials to transition to a sustainable world, a fly-wheel of wealth for communities who have been left out in the linear economy. Led by curiosity and studying how people remember and forget, he stumbled on CE, and his life was changed forever. He is the CEO of a Chicago-based technology start-up Rheaply that helps manage material flows and the life cycle of assets in the circular economy through reuse, realizing the 4.5 trillion dollar opportunity.  I met Garry a few months back at a Green Biz event and had chills after hearing him evangelize how the "circular economy can only be realized when it’s real for everyone, and everyone can participate. Materials flow everywhere.” I was blown away as he described his purpose "to make his story not remarkable,” empowering more people and particularly women of color to participate and not just be a passive stakeholder in making our communities sustainable. Rheaply is a part of Circular-City Chicago in tri-sector partnerships including local non-profit community champions. We pull on the threads of digital divide and food sovereignty, and hydroponic farming in Chicago too. The future is bright. In Episode 45, he explores his journey as someone who wants to make an impact, and a black man in an almost exclusively white environment for most of his career. His dream for Rheaply is to operationalizing a net-zero waste strategy and help businesses be efficient in a COVID world by reducing holding and carrying costs, capturing material value and leveraging spend avoidance. However, we diverge and in a provocative discussion to explore the business case “let’s keep our marketplace on Earth” (not to be missed)! As we unpack the business model emergency for circularity, the big question emerged…has COVID accelerated or decelerated climate and sustainability transition? We talk about recent weather disruptions and fires in California, and the burning question is “can you do business when folks can’t go outside?” The Earth is the business case. It’s not climate change, it’s a climate emergency. We also talk about doing the right thing particularly when it comes to social responsibility in forced child labor and the black lives matter movement. Do either of these pressing social issues really “need” a business case or is this a space to step up and be good stewards in business? One of Rheaply’s key partners is SAP and Rheaply is currently in the SAP.iO Foundry. Big shout out to John Licata at SAP.iO. Garry explores his journey as a start up founder with lessons earned for other technologists. Also shout out to John Holm, a friend of Supply Chain Revolution from Pyxera Global, and a Circular Cities-Chicago advocate. Also, shout out to Harold Chapman for all the work you do to feed and teach the students in Chicago that there is sustainable way to live, eat, and learn.  To learn more about Dr. Garry Cooper, visit https://rheaply.com/ or https://www.linkedin.com/in/garrycooperphd/ To learn more about the Supply Chain Revolution, visit supplychainqueen.com or supplychainrevolution.com

The wastes from plastics and electronics are putting increased pressure on the recycling industry and reverse supply chains. Despite massive initiatives by public and private organizations, recycling rates remain low and progress remains slow. Estimates suggest there are 400 million tons of plastic produced each year, which is projected to more than double by 2050. Around 40% of plastic packaging is said to be landfilled, and another 32% leaked into the environment and not reused, according to the World Economic Forum. Nine-tenths of all solid waste in the United States does not get recycled. While landfills are among the biggest contributors to soil pollution (roughly 80% of the items buried in landfills could be recycled), our take-make-waste mindset and transition away from a linear economy presets a transformative opportunity. What’s the business case for change, for moving toward a sustainable and circular world? Recycling is a difficult business. The whole process is full of inefficiencies, has many stakeholders, and a lack of digital data to track a product's journey from creation to destruction. The challenge for the recycling business is supply chain visibility and traceability. In Episode 44, Sheri Hinish chats with Stan Chen of RecycleGo. Stan is a 2nd generation recycler and believes there is a way to make supply chains sustainable and scale the circular economy- particularly how we use and source plastics- using disruptive innovation like blockchain, and data analytics. This episode was recorded just days after the US presidential election and Stan explores his experience as a 1st generation Asian American, growing up in the midst of racial change and while honoring his father’s legacy as a Taiwanese recycler. Irvington, N.J.-based recycling technology solutions provider RecycleGO is using Hyperledger Fabric, an open-sourced blockchain framework, to build a platform for any type of recyclable material to be tracked throughout its lifecycle. If you’re interested in learning about the impact of plastics, micros plastics, social environmentalism and its impacts, and innovation in recycling using technology like blockchain, this episode is for you.  We also dive into the importance for making the business case in sustainability investments and the ROI period. The power of your purse is real and there’s never been a better time to invest in your future. Benefits of using a SaaS, blockchain solution for recycling like RecycleGo include: 1.    Cross-organization supply chain recycling tracking that enables data transparency and provenance 2.    Tracking individual plastic items across their lifecycles to create incentives that reward manufacturers for designing easy-to-reuse or recycle plastics. Because reuse and recycling of products is so essential to the creation of sustainable supply chains, this data will be invaluable for businesses that make eco-friendliness a top priority. 3.    Providing better recycling incentives for consumers to reduce accumulated plastics in oceans and mass-ingestion of microplastics worldwide. To learn more about Stan Chen and RecycleGo, visit https://recyclego.com/ and https://www.linkedin.com/in/stanchen/ To explore provocative PoVs, visit supplychainqueen.com and supplychainrevolution.com

Experts predict that retail ecommerce sales will reach $4.13 trillion in 2020 and it is expected that mobile commerce will take a market share of e-commerce of 72.9% by 2021. As we enter the holiday season navigating COVID, retailers face unprecedented opportunities to reimagine brand experiences and bridge the storefront’s physical to digital continuum. While adapting an agile supply chain, increasing conversion rates, reducing wastes, including decreasing returns are front of mind, 1 company is transforming virtual shopping, where the online shopping experience is made human, again. Meet HERO (usehero.com). In Episode 43, Sheri Hinish (SupplyChainQueen) joins Natasha Franzen, COO of HERO an SAP.iO Foundry superstar. With customers like Levis, Nike, Jonathan Adler, Herman Miller, Rag & Bone, and countless others, HERO is bringing next level human commerce to retail with conversational commerce to help stores unlock their competitive edge. Stores create 1 in 10 of the world’s jobs, more than any other sector. HERO exists to not only keep these stores and their employees at the heart of communities and the economy, but to empower them with the technology that unlocks their unique advantage over the e-commerce giants. Whether in-person, via text, chat or video, HERO is empowering store associates to thrive during COVID injecting gamification and the human layer into the store, complementing the convenience of online shopping, even during periods of low foot traffic. To learn more about HERO, visit usehero.com or https://sap.io/ who is helping innovators inside and outside of SAP build products, find customers, and change industries. Find us, connect, and explore at https://www.supplychainrevolution.com/ & https://www.supplychainqueen.com

Every tech company wants to tell you what their AI can do. Patterns help us make sense of the world and can help us overcome the impossible tasks we face each day in supply chain orchestration. From understanding gaps and influences, AI creates more intelligence in how to detect, understand, and pull parts of the patterns together that build an ecosystem. Through the lens of business transformation, a common challenge for many is knowing what levers to pull strategically, reinventing portions of their business in a digital way. The biggest issue is not tech, it's the lack of skill and culture needed to scale disruptive change. In Episode 42, Sheri Hinish welcomes Jennifer Bryne, digital empowerment evangelist and rebel who is exploring the next chapter in her career after retiring from Microsoft as the US Chief Technology Officer. Jennifer is now working with start-ups, giving back in. the tech community, and writing her first book. She has a fascinating career path starting in non-profit management and social services, then transitioning to cybersecurity sales and engineering teams. Learn from Jennifer as she shares her experience leading, developing, and executing vertical industry and go-to-market strategies, while managing global alliances and partner ecosystems. In this Episode, we explore the keys to accelerating your success in AI Digital transformation, the future of work and AI, patterns in change management that can be applied to solve supply chain/human/and business problems, and key tips that have helped Jennifer in her journey as a woman in STEM for career advancement, and positioning herself for leadership roles. To learn more about Jennifer Bryne, visit https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-byrne-talks/ Find us, connect, and explore at https://www.supplychainrevolution.com/ & https://www.supplychainqueen.com

The purpose of a supply chain is to move goods and services around the world to meet user demand. And over decades, we’ve built coupled-networks based on principles of regionalization or centralization of function, location, and cost efficiency. COVID is an example of the uncertainty supply chains face on a day-to-day basis derived from old-school thinking and design.  Imagine a world where supply chains are flipped upside down, a world where we send files, not parts? A world that empowers the end consumer to produce what is needed on-demand through cloud based technology, including recycling on site in a circular transition? In Episode 41, CEO of Ivaldi (Espen Sivertsen) joins Sheri Hinish to talk about the future of digital supply chains, on-demand additive manufacturing and the business case for change, industrial sustainability, and the power of diversity in technology. Espen is part of the SAP.iO Foundry bootcamp and shares observations he’s gathered from Silicon Valley and beyond, that diversity fuels innovation. Segments Ivaldi serves include maritime, industrial, mining, energy (gas turbines and power plants), and automotive.  One of Espen’s guiding quotes are “we did not inherit the Earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.” He also dives into the sustainability aspects on on-demand, additive, local manufacturing environments through digital distribution. Digital distribution is the process of sending digital part files to local manufacturers for on-demand production and distribution. Digital distribution bypasses physical distribution limitations such as sourcing disruptions, carry costs, late shipments, minimum quantities, obsolete inventory and environmental contamination by storing parts in a virtual warehouse and only manufacturing parts when and where they are needed through a distributed network of local manufacturers. As production tools such as 3D printing, robotic fabrication and other CNC systems get faster, better and cheaper, an increasing range of parts can be cost-effective to manufacture on-demand. Digital distribution is fundamentally changing supply chain dynamics as user-needs supplant centralized manufacturing limitations as the driving force in the industry. This episode is part of a new partnership highlighting innovation and diversity in supply chain start ups at SAP.iO. To learn more, visit https://sap.io/ Shout out to John Licata for making the introductions! To learn more about Ivaldi, visit https://www.ivaldi.io/ Find us, connect, and explore at https://www.supplychainrevolution.com/ & https://www.supplychainqueen.com

Did you know that if you add up the cats and dogs in the United States, they’d represent the 5th largest population of protein consumption in the world? When it comes to pet supply chains and sustainability, there is typically 1 sector called "pet services and products”. This one sector, encompasses dozens of other industries that have many categories in human supply chains. For example, apparel, food, medicine, and healthy/beauty are considered dramatically different industries in the human world, but we buy good and services for our pets in all those areas and more.  The environmental impact of the pet sector is huge. Did you know that 300 million pounds of packaging is sent to land fill each year? Finally, the pet industry has often overlooked and serious social sustainability challenges as well. Pet ownership has been directly linked to home ownership, but with systematic racist policies historically making home ownership out of reach for communities of color, what are the Justice, Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion implications of the industry itself? Why aren’t people aware or talking about this?  In Episode 40, Sheri Hinish discusses massive opportunities in pet sustainability, in caring differently for our furry friends, with MelissaBauer from the Pet Sustainability Coalition. PSC has a super cool origin story starting with Chris Bentley. A lover of life and an environmentalist at heart, Chris Bentley has spent several decades looking for ways to minimize his environmental footprint. Based in Colorado, Chris was active in the entrepreneurial business community where he saw the Natural Foods movement adopt Organic Certification and the Outdoor Industry collaborate to build innovative sustainability tools. With over 25 years of success in the pet products industry, first with Aspen Pet and then with Only Natural Pet and “I and Love and You,” he knew there was an opportunity to drive impact in an industry he had grown to know and love. Together with fellow sustainable business leader Marty Grosjean at Only Natural Pet, Chris partnered with sustainability icon Hunter Lovins at Natural Capitalism Solutions to develop a suite of sustainability tools that could provide their respective companies the resources they needed to implement sustainable business processes. The outcome of this project was a world class toolkit built by Natural Capitalism Solutions that had far reaching potential. The new vision for these tools was to serve as a transformative catalyst that would enable the entire pet industry to engage more positively with the environment and communities where they do business. When complete, Chris, Natural Capitalism Solutions, the Outdoor Industry Association, and 25 business leaders met at Global Pet Expo 2013 where they formed a new nonprofit collaborative that would share tools and resources to encourage adoption of sustainable business practices. KD Frueh at KONG Company, Tony de Vos at Cardinal Pet Care, Jim Thomas at Petco, Spencer Williams at West Paw, Stephanie Volo at Planet Dog, and Aaron Lambstein at Worldwise joined Only Natural Pet and I and Love and You to become Founding Members of the Pet Sustainability Coalition. These 8 Founding Members continued to make large financial contributions for five consecutive years that served as the Coalition’s primary revenue and lifeblood! To get involved and learn more about Pet Sustainability Coalition, visit https://www.petsustainability.org Find us, connect, and explore at https://www.supplychainrevolution.com/ & Sheri Hinish at https://www.supplychainqueen.com

The tire industry consumes 70% of the natural rubber. Issues like deforestation, child rights, land grabbing are at the center of WHY we need a global movement for sustainable natural rubber. Joined with physicist turned green advocate Stefano Savi, this episode explores a new collaborative platform to help the Producers, Processors & Traders, Tire makers and other rubber makers/buyers, Car makers, other downstream users and Financial Institutions, and Civil society transition, sustainably. What's interesting is many of the supply chain challenges like traceability, transparency, and moving beyond Tier 2 - 4 are being addressed by GPSNR and its members - Ford, BMW, Continental, Good Year, General Motors, and many more. One company can not transform an industry alone. In this episode we explore traceability, transparency, and stakeholder requirements to build the platform at scale - a way of working that can be applied to many supply chain segments, including cool advances in satellite mapping. We talk about the future of mobility, material science a bit, and learn about Stefano's journey, with a touching message at the end that had Sheri on the verge of tears! To learn more about Stefano, visit https://www.linkedin.com/in/stefano-savi-2a690526/ To learn more about the recent advances from GPSNR, visit https://gpsnr.org/ Find us, connect, and explore at https://www.supplychainrevolution.com/ & https://www.supplychainqueen.com

Networks are all about meaningful connections. When we think about the future of digital supply chains and ‘the network of networks “ powering the world, it’s just as much about connecting people with accurate information, partners, and ideas, as much as it is about connecting people with opportunities across plan, source, make, deliver, and reimagining conventional business models. In the future of work, we will exist in ONE multi-enterprise business network (MEBN), a super-highway connecting your business, products, services, and impacts to global trading partners.  In Episode 38, Christine Barnhart from Infor Supply Chain Strategy and Lora Cecere’s ‘Network of Network’ consortium joins friend Sheri Hinish to explores the supply chain of the future. Concepts like solutions vs. software, single information models, interoperability, real-time vs. near time interactions, functional specialization across nodes, partner selection in digital transformation, and key-takeaways around why change management is critical in supply chain technology implementation. In the 2nd half of this episode, we explore why diversity & inclusion is important in technology. Who wants an echo chamber of ideas? Christine explores her journey as a supply chain Rebel, transitioning as a supply chain leader/practitioner to technology. We also explore the ‘Network of Networks’ thought leadership pioneered by Lora Cecere, where Sheri and Christine met many years ago. The power of relationships is evangelized in this episode. Christine's lessons learned as a Rebel: 1. be tenacious 2. be patient but not complacent 3. be willing to continuously learn and push those around you 4. develop you tribe 5. your best ideas are not always part of a formal process Please show your support by subscribing, giving a 5-star like, and sharing with your network! Reach out, connect, and learn more... Find Christine Barnhart https://www.linkedin.com/in/cmbarnhart/ Find us, connect, and explore at https://www.supplychainrevolution.com/ & https://www.supplychainqueen.com

“The only way to end systemic inequality is to invest in minorities, the underrepresented, and women.” Access to education, healthcare, clean water, and economic development opportunities remain key priorities for many countries. Entire populations and children are being left behind and marginalized through climate change, disruptions, and globalization. Addressing generational poverty and transformation can take decades. How might we learn from current success stories, work that can scale to other parts of the world in sustainable development? Great ideas and innovation are everywhere, but often access to funding, relationships, and networks present hurdles particularly for young, underrepresented (often female, black, and non-binary) people. How can we access to funding so great ideas can thrive?  In this episode, Taylor Hebble joins the Supply Chain Revolution to discuss two cool organizations addressing these unmet needs in sustainability, sustainable development, and innovation that transforms the world. Taylor Hebble and Sheri Hinish met at Harvard this summer in a learning cohort that trains leaders in the change leadership needed for sustainable development. Through meaningful interactions, Sheri learned about Taylor’s work at Hope for Haiti and SoGal Foundation. Taylor describes some of the initiatives at Hope for Haiti around clean water, education, and healthcare, including an inspiring story of triumph after a small school was destroyed by Hurricane Matthew. How can we truly transform the donor relationship and sustainable development? Listening to what communities need most! We discuss simple solutions and Taylor describes a few including a clean water project at scale. We also explore SoGal Foundation, founded in 2014 by Pocket Sun and Elizabeth Galbut, and its current Black and non-binary peoples cash grants program that provides immediate access to fund incredible ideas. SoGal Foundation is the largest global platform for women and diverse entrepreneurs and investors with over 40 chapters across 5 continents. Its mission is to close the diversity gap in entrepreneurship and venture capital. By bringing access, capital, and education to underprivileged entrepreneurs, SoGal Foundation has grown from a classroom side project to a global movement for women and underrepresented people to live on their own terms. It represents: a fearless, inspirational spirit + a constant, relentless execution mode + a collaborative and supportive community + young women with entrepreneurial ambitions. SoGal provides multiple series of events, including the SoGal Summit, which was the largest female entrepreneurship conference in Southern California. Super excited to bring awareness to this inspiring organization.

Why does Diversity and inclusion matter? What impact does the Black Lives Matter movement have on/in the workplace? How does one navigate discrimination and is there more awareness in corporate America around racism and breaking systemic barriers, including how to engage HBCUs and communities who have talent, but may lack access? How do we make diversity and inclusion REAL? Is it just lip service and social washing? These are questions being asked during a very real inflection point, in the midst of social and human health crises unfolding globally.  In this episode, we are joined by Dr. Justin Goldston, an advisor/professor/consultant/5X Tedtalk/ and evangelist for creating Diversity & Inclusion in supply chain and academia. As an African American who grew up in the south, started his supply chain journey at an HBCU, and then transitioned to manufacturing, Justin offers a unique perspective into the racism and bias that exists - still - in many supply chain organizations. After leaving industry, he explores opportunities for inclusion in consulting, and lastly the power of education for access. Justin currently teaches supply chain management at Penn State and Georgetown, organizing a TedX PSU series that gives young people the space to share on a global stage.  This is a longer episode that is one of the most provocative to date, potentially uncomfortable for some, however necessary for divergence and awareness. Topics covered include: how to engage historically black colleges and universities in SCM talent management, the internal headspace needed to navigate discrimination, cultural intelligence, bias in hiring from application to boardroom, the “echo chamber” in supply chain orgs that don’t embrace D&I, how the shift to remote work has accelerated D&I, and unpacking the Black Lives Matter movement for awareness in corporate America and academia.  Reach out, connect, learn more, and get started... Find Dr. Justin Goldston at https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-goldston/ Find us, connect, and explore at https://www.supplychainrevolution.com/ & https://www.supplychainqueen.com

Let’s face it. Despite what many technologists think, most supply chains are not run on laptops. We know the promise that advanced supply chain technology holds…agility, velocity, scale, resilience, transparency, and better customer experience. Yet, when I talk to supply chain leaders, many have shiny object fatigue. Have we failed supply chain leaders and professionals by not adding tangible value for impact? Digital transformation isn’t just a thing that you can you can buy and plug into an organization or a switch you flip. It’s complicated and doesn’t just involve technology. Digital transformation is an ongoing process of changing the way you do business. It requires foundational investments in skills, projects, infrastructure, and, often, in cleaning up IT systems. It requires mixing people, machines, and business processes, with all of the messiness that entails.  Why are technology vendors failing to deliver the promise? Is it a 2 way street? What are the value levers in delivery, is there a silver bullet? Business and supply chain leaders simply want to make better decisions, how does technology enable time-to-value in 30 days? We go there… In Episode 35, Tim Judge, CEO of Agillitics and industry veteran joins the Supply Chain Revolution to talk technology, leadership, decision management, and the new blended role of supply chain/IT that is the new normal. This is a longer episode and we cover a breadth of topics: 1) what do people want in supply chain tech, 2) piloting to redefine the value delivery model, 3) standing up for the clients best interest (its tougher than you think), 4) short-term versus long-term thinking in tech investments, 5) who is qualified to be the best supply chain leader, 6) values versus virtues in the purpose economy, 7) shifting reactive thinking to proactive decision management, 8) sustainability is a priority, 9) 3 top areas to get time-to-value in 30 days, and 10) is the future of work in supply chain a blended role with IT?  Reach out, connect, learn more, and get started... Find Tim at https://www.linkedin.com/in/timpjudge/ Find us, connect, and explore at https://www.supplychainrevolution.com/ & https://www.supplychainqueen.com

This is the second part of a 2-part lightning talk series. We hear so much about AI and the convergence of tech in digital transformation. But do we know where humans add the most value, particularly in digital supply chain? According to Forbes, 2/3 of a company’s competitive edge comes from its customer experience. Consumers who have an emotional connection with a brand have a 306% higher lifetime value. Moreover 67% of consumers will pay more for a great experience. How do we create good UI and UX? The answer is inclusive design and the conduit is diversity. The reality is design that excludes a segment of consumers will fail to reach its full market potential.  In Episode 34, Suuchi Ramesh joins the SupplyChainQueen to chat about the future of work, how diversity creates inclusive design and better customer experience. In this episode, we also discuss Suuchi’s journey as a woman in STEM, woman in technology, and an immigrant in the start-up world. She shares her story on building the right team and leading for diversity in supply chain and tech.  Reach out, connect, learn more, and get started... Find Suuchi, Suuchi Inc at https://www.linkedin.com/in/suuchi-ramesh-219480111/ & https://www.linkedin.com/company/suuchi/ Find us, connect, and explore at https://www.supplychainrevolution.com/

Supply chains power the world and companies realize planning and execution is a competitive weapon in the modern, digital economy. Advanced supply chain capabilities like agility, transparency, and visibility can support efficient, effective, and sustainable approaches that connect the digital landscape into business performance that is tangible and measurable. In Episode 33, Suuchi Ramesh joins the SupplyChainQueen to chat about the Age of Digital and sustainable supply chain. In this episode, we explore digital supply chains and the importance of connectivity, communication, and predictive data analytics in world-class supply chains. The convergence of tech has provided many options, yet are we closer to sustainability at scale in digital supply chain? What is the cost of trust and compliance? How do you build digital trust? How do you best solve for problems in the flow of goods and services? How do you scale B2B enterprise software and which investments should you consider? Technology provides accelerated benefits in both digital transformation and proactively managing risk hotspots in sustainability. Yet, when we imagine the autonomous supply chain in design to distribution, do outcomes and value derived meet expectations? Suuchi explores low-hanging fruit in digital supply chain, including the importance of traceability and accountability in global supply chains.  This is a 2-part lightning talk series. In part 2 (Episode 34), we explore where humans add the most value in the future of work, understanding the role of UI & UX in inclusive design, and Suuchi’s journey as a woman in STEM, woman in technology, and an immigrant in the start-up world. She shares her story on building the right team and leading for diversity in supply chain and tech.  Reach out, connect, and learn more... Find Suuchi Ramesh, Suuchi Inc at https://www.linkedin.com/in/suuchi-ramesh-219480111/ & https://www.linkedin.com/company/suuchi/ Find us, connect, and explore at https://www.supplychainrevolution.com/

Two Queens talk tech! Episode 32 is PART 2 of a 2-part lightning talk series exploring Stephanie Benedetto’s journey from corporate attorney, to sustainability tech entrepreneur. She is the co-founder of the Queen of Raw solution: a B2B platform for businesses to recapture value from their wasted materials and touts an impressive list of recents awards including MIT Solve Global Challenge Winner, LVMH Innovation Award, Google Women Who Tech Fashion Group International Rising Star, and thredUP Circular Fashion Fund Recipient. Technology and the future of fashion includes assuring brand identity and ethical supply chains with provenance. How does technology like blockchain, AI, deep ML, analytics, and digital supply chains bring us closer to sustainability and circularity in fashion? This episode explores the nitty-gritty of fashion supply chains and technology, including predictions for the future of fashion. Most notably, we break down how to monetize waste streams and optimize fashion supply chains from acquisition to manufacturing, to creating a brand that meets the triple bottom line: people, planet, profit. Learn about entrepreneurship in an age of Amazon: the Queen of Raw saw an opportunity in the B2B space and created a private portal to cater to large volume buyers and sellers and launched a partnership with SAP. And for Queen of Raw, fashion and textiles is just the beginning. Looking across industries and around the world, it has found the $1 trillion thread to solve the world’s water crisis.   Learn about using blockchain to rescue fashion’s dead stock: the Queen of Raw uses blockchain technology to provide transparency around wasted inventory and turn that pollution into profit by integrating with its global marketplace. Queen of Raw secures and verifies supply chain data to help companies save significant time and money. Blockchain is the new reality for wholesale and retail. Learn more about Stephanie here -  http://www.queenofraw.com  Industry: SaaS Software, Supply Chain, Textiles, Blockchain, Machine Learning/AI, Marketplace Launched: Q3 2018 Find us, connect, and explore at https://www.supplychainrevolution.com/

This is Part 1 of a 2 part lightning talk series. "Are you naked right now? You’re not…because you’re using fabric. It’s everywhere! It’s where it’s supposed to be, covering things like us, and where it’s not supposed to be.” This was the opening 10 seconds of Stephanie’s award-winning pitch to Ashton Kutcher, Sean “Diddy” Combs, & Gary Vaynerchuk in 60 seconds at the WeWork Creator Awards where she scored a grand prize of $360,000. Queen of Raw then closed a $1.5M priced seed round led by True Wealth Ventures with minority investor MIT Solve. You’ll hear it in this episode along with insights on how to get funding for your tech start up with a winning pitch. Episode 31 is a 2-part lightning talk series exploring Stephanie Benedetto’s journey from corporate attorney, to sustainability tech entrepreneur. Her family has been in the fashion supply chain business for over 100 years! Benedetto saw the problem first hand and together they built the Queen of Raw solution: a B2B platform for businesses to recapture value from their wasted materials rather than burning them.  This episode provides: an overview of the fashion supply chain, its impact on the world we share and why textile production is the second biggest polluting industry in the world. Did you know that one tee shirt takes 700 gallons of water to produce? Bringing $120 billion worth of unused textiles back to life, the Queen of Raw has already saved over one billion gallons of water while saving businesses millions of dollars with supply chain efficiency. Why is an optimized supply chain the solution for people, for planet, and for profit? You’ll learn why sustainability and circularity are the answer in the future of fashion.  We also explore Stephanie’s journey including her advice to women-owned technology start-ups! Some of Stephanie’s awards include: Grand Prize WeWork Creator Awards, Cartier Women’s Initiative, Laureate MIT Solve Global Challenge Winner, LVMH Innovation Award, NASA/NIKE/IKEA/DELL Innovator Finalist, Google Women Who Tech Fashion Group International Rising Star, thredUP Circular Fashion Fund Recipient Learn more about Stephanie here -  http://www.queenofraw.com  Industry: SaaS Software, Supply Chain, Textiles, Blockchain, Machine Learning/AI, Marketplace Launched: Q3 2018 Find us, connect, and explore at https://www.supplychainrevolution.com/

There is a misconception that sustainability and circular economy is philanthropy... that it's a project or an initiative. Circular thinking can be compared to Lean; it's a mindset, it's a space where you're able to connect a vision, a product to the individuals inside and outside your organization, across your supply chain. The truth is that there is a business case for change and the transition toward a circular world is a fiscal argument. For example, there are companies like Adidas, Nike, Puma, and Reebok doing cool things in footwear using plastic waste as a feedstock and creating new, innovative products with a circular/sustainable bend. In Episode 30 (part 3 of a lightning talk series), John Holm from Pyxera Global explores the business case for sustainability and circular economy including product innovation, culture, and legislation. In the US, there simply isn't enough happening in regulatory environments around single-use plastics and extending producer's responsibility. However, there are bright spots and John describes the sea-change happening when you get it right using the apparel/footwear industry. COVID is impacting everything we do, including organizations in the social impact sectors. John touches on how PPE is impacting our oceans and why we should think about micro-plastics, how supply chains can help. Lastly, we describe how you can get involved and champion the work being done. If you like this series, please subscribe and share a review. We thank John and the Pyxera Global team for all their work to make the world a better place. Reach out, connect, learn more, and get started... Find John Holm, Pxyera Global at https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnholm/ & https://www.pyxeraglobal.org/ Find us, connect, and explore at https://www.supplychainrevolution.com/

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), also known as the Global Goals, were adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015 as a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity by 2030. It is a bold vision referred to as the 2030 agenda and includes 17 interconnected goals, and 169 targets. The SDGs also position the roadmap for sustainable supply chains. However, many argue that the vision lacks local context and has failed the global development community. In Episode 29, one of our most provocative episodes to date, we explore this topic with John Holm from Pxyera Global. Episode 29 answers: have we failed the global development community by positioning a broken vision, is the top of the food chain motivated to build an equitable society, how to influence success in reduce/reuse/recycle initiatives at the community level, and how do we forge tri-sector partnerships in social/public/private sectors? We unpack women's rights, and how companies like 3M and BASF have clear line of sight using ESG frameworks, making sustainability everyone's priority (not a department). Achieving the SGDs requires investments and policies that affect specific places, and there is increasing realization that overall global progress will depend in significant measure upon local leadership and action. These local leaders, the people who care deeply about community issues, who implement initiatives and who shape local development, represent a huge window of opportunity for global social change.Using their direct contact with communities, local leaders are uniquely positioned to push forward ideas, galvanize others and create immediate social impact. Mayors and local government officials are forming the frontlines of SDG implementation, translating the agenda’s lofty and sometimes abstract aspirations into progress felt by real people living in real communities. Reach out, connect, learn more, and get started... Find John Holm, Pxyera Global at https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnholm/ & https://www.pyxeraglobal.org/ Find us, connect, and explore at https://www.supplychainrevolution.com/

Helen Keller said, "Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” Building a better world is almost impossible without industry-wide collaboration, cooperation, and consensus. Circularity, like supply chain, is becoming more popular in business discussions. However, we are at an inflection point where there are no good choices in a bad system. It’s powerful because we inadvertently make decisions that are “less bad” rather than designing solutions that proactively solve wicked problems 100 years from NOW. How do we get the public, private, and social sectors to collaborate? How do make the transitions real for marginalized communities and shift the paradigm that circular economy is a siloed “project”? How do we design solutions that fit the world proactively? "It takes courage to forge a true partnership. It takes compromise. It takes respect for one another’s goals, experiences, knowledge, processes, and approaches. It takes courage, if you are a donor institution or an NGO, to accept that your private sector partner has a goal, even an obligation, to drive business value—that is, to ultimately profit from this work. And that is a valid goal, and should be embraced as part of the partnership.” (Deidre White of Pyxera Global) Episode 28 is a 3 part series of lightning talks with John Holm from Pyxera Global. In this episode he explores how public, private, and social sector organizations engage to address global challenges to solve the world’s biggest problems, including the low hanging fruit in circular transition. He also describes the circular cities model and zero waste communities (btw he LOVES waste pickers and is a huge advocate)! As cities embrace the concept of the circular economy by reducing the amount of waste and working to decouple economic activity from the consumption of finite resources, making it real and accessible for consumers becomes critical. We also discuss the lack of recycling infrastructure in the United States and how mayors can help influence circular models. How can we shift business to service contracts versus selling more products? We unpack a few examples and the benefits of using P-a-a-S (product as a service). Part 2 - Episode 29 explores "Sustainable Development & the SDGs, Have We Failed the Global Development Community with the Wrong Context, Womens Rights and Building an Equitable Society" Part 3 - Episode 30 explores "How to Frame and Lead the Business Case for Sustainability and Circular Economy, Ocean Plastics & PPE, and the Sea Change in Circular Products in Footwear & Apparel" Reach out, connect, learn more, and get started... Find John Holm, Pxyera Global at https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnholm/ & https://www.pyxeraglobal.org/ Find us, connect, and explore at https://www.supplychainrevolution.com/

We are facing unprecedented social, economic, and environmental crises. We've lost many lives to COVID and as unemployment reaches new highs, businesses and supply chains must navigate a new, never normal world. The business as usual operating model of globalization versus localized/shorter supply chains, lowest price versus value, opportunity versus obligation has created the status quo. Is incremental improvement or doing things "less bad" actually helping or hurting business and our planet? How do we connect the dots and show leadership during crisis using circularity? In Episode 27, James George from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation discusses that COVID has accelerated conversations for circular economy. Two distinct groups are emerging: 1) those who've been disrupted and don't know where to go or where to start, and 2) the businesses who are successful are prioritizing doing things differently, innovation, doubling down on circular economy grounded in the business case for change including agility, supply assurance, and designing risk out of your supply chain. Supply chain resilience is critical and how do you ensure the right work gets done? Lastly, we debate how sustainability and circularity may not exist in the same sentence. Is optimizing for "less bad" the right pivot to navigate COVID and beyond? How do you get started? Find James George, EllenMacArthur Foundation at https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-george-20995b75/ Find us, connect, and explore at https://www.supplychainrevolution.com/