Today, the need for supply chain transparency to ensure safe, sustainable, and responsibly sourced products is a given across many industries. Consumers, governments, investors, and employees alike expect companies to prioritize sustainable practices to build a better future. Sustainability and responsible sourcing are key business drivers. But this was not…
Effective communication is essential when asking your supply chain to participate in a responsible sourcing program. This truth applies equally to all stakeholders throughout the supply chain: the brands, retailers, and manufacturers who spearhead corporate sustainability and compliance initiatives, as well as their suppliers whose support enables supply chain transparency…
Responsible sourcing programs cannot occur in a vacuum; they must be incorporated across an entire business to have a real and long-lasting impact. Proving the importance of such programs to departments beyond responsible sourcing or sustainability is key to making meaningful progress towards your organization’s responsible sourcing goals.
Supplier participation is one of the most important success factors of any supply chain transparency initiative. To gain insights into the product details that consumers care about—how a product was made, where it was made, and its impact on people and planet—those involved in its production must be willing to…
The benefits of responsible sourcing are well known. Today, the question most organizations have is not why they should ensure sustainable and responsible sourcing, but how. What is the best approach to responsible sourcing? Responsible sourcing is hardly one size fits all. According to Gartner, “there’s a variety of approaches…
The US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has increased scrutiny on cotton products coming from China due to concerns around forced labor in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of China (XUAR). On December 2, 2020, the CBP issued a detention order on cotton products made by Xinjiang Production and Construction…
Beyond supply chain transparency, supplier collaboration plays a huge role in ensuring supply chain integrity and enabling greater communication and visibility. Collaboration between a buyer and supplier creates a strategic partnership that ultimately helps both parties achieve business objectives and meet new supply chain expectations.
Discussions around supply chain transparency generally focus on brands and retailers—namely, those who directly interact with consumers and whose reputations are at stake when it comes to commitments for responsible sourcing. However, brands and retailers work with many suppliers who form the backbone of their supply chains. Collaboration with these suppliers is important to ensure brand and retailer supply chains meet commitments for transparency, sustainability, and responsible sourcing. The willingness to be transparent about their supply chains, share data with their clients, and implement responsible practices leads to significant benefits for suppliers both in the immediate and long term.
Supply chain transparency not always easy to achieve. Several barriers pose a challenge that can make it more difficult to convince your business to take the steps towards transparent supply chains. Different departments all benefit from achieving supply chain transparency—here’s how to make your case.
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