Supply chains can use purchasing power to fight inequity

Spending more on local sourcing mitigates socioeconomic and health disparities, strengthens supply chain resilience and reduces carbon emissions, writes Kaiser Permanente's supply chain and procurement chief.

By Mary Beth Lang • Oct. 29, 2020

Maersk partners with COVID-19 vaccine developer on distribution plan

A variety of factors make vaccine distribution a difficult undertaking — ranging from temperature requirements to the tight capacity in the freight market.

By Matt Leonard • Oct. 27, 2020

Explore the Trendline➔

Sustainable supply chains

Amid pressure from consumers, investors and governments, companies are scrambling to measure and reduce the impact of their supply chains on the world.

By Supply Chain Dive staff

Coupa initiative focuses on business spend to increase supplier diversity

There is nearly $2 trillion transacted over the Coupa platform, and the software company aims to redirect spend toward diverse suppliers.

By A.B. Brown • Oct. 22, 2020

Demand for temp workers to lose momentum for remainder of 2020, report finds

The pandemic created an initial demand for temp workers, but uncertainty is causing a slowdown in hiring, according to the Palmer Forecast. 

By Sheryl Estrada • Oct. 22, 2020

Child labor in cocoa production rises despite industry promises, report says

A large part of the difficulty of eliminating this form of forced labor is the complexity of integrating transparency into supply chains.

By Jessi Devenyns • Oct. 22, 2020

CBP issues forced labor finding for stevia imports from manufacturer in China

The enforcement finding follows a civil penalty of $575,000 imposed on Pure Circle U.S.A. for importing stevia extracts and derivatives from the company identified in the report.

By A.B. Brown • Oct. 21, 2020

There is more than one way to move sourcing out of China in a post-pandemic world

Diversifying global supply chains is often thought as an all-or-nothing action. It is not, writes a senior director analyst at Gartner Supply Chain Practice.

By Kamala Raman • Oct. 15, 2020

Caps and pumps: Johnson & Johnson's packaging changes put it on the path to a circular supply chain

J&J's Healthy Lives Mission includes conversion to 100% recyclable, reusable or compostable plastic, and recycled paper and pulp-based materials by 2025.

By Deborah Abrams Kaplan • Oct. 13, 2020

Supply chain pros embrace AI for forecasting, inventory despite limitations during pandemic

Rigid systems that don’t respond to rapid market shifts and a lack of reliable data frustrated respondents in a survey from Secondmind.

By Matt Leonard • Oct. 13, 2020

US, EU buyers canceled $16B in apparel purchase orders in the spring: report

A 49% drop in apparel exports to the U.S. between April and June consisted largely of finished or in-progress goods, meaning suppliers had already fronted the cost of materials and labor, according to the report.

By Emma Cosgrove • Oct. 13, 2020

CMA CGM reboots e-commerce site following cyberattack

The reinstatement of the website came just two days after the Federal Maritime Commission posted the carrier's request for a 60-day filing exemption.

By Matt Leonard • Oct. 12, 2020

Nestlé will support farmers to achieve net-zero carbon by 2050, supply chain chief says

The world's largest food company said it would commit up to $10 million through its multi-year partnership to help scale farm access to sustainable resources and technology.

By Lillianna Byington • Oct. 12, 2020

Microfulfillment centers are changing grocery e-commerce. But are they right for everyone?

Grocers face unique e-commerce challenges that make deciding whether to automate fulfillment operations a complex choice, experts say.

By Sam Silverstein • Oct. 12, 2020

Grocers focus on disclosure, traceability for seafood sourcing

Giant Food and Albertsons join the growing list of grocery retailers committing to sustainable seafood supply chains.

By Jessica Dumont • Oct. 9, 2020

Amazon tests electric last-mile vans for consumer deliveries

Electrification is key to Amazon's Climate Pledge to reach net-zero carbon in its own operations by 2040.

By Emma Cosgrove • Updated Feb. 3, 2021

Robust analytics, data sharing are crucial to procurement risk management, experts say

Experts on a Jaggaer webinar advocated for full data integration, advanced assessment and sustainability practices in building successful risk management plans. 

By A.B. Brown • Oct. 8, 2020

Cargill, Shell and 15 others form group to get ocean shipping in line with IMO climate goals

More detailed disclosures could offer the industry valuable data to help factor climate concerns into shipping decisions.

By Emma Cosgrove • Oct. 7, 2020

Adidas coaches its suppliers in the sustainability marathon

The sportswear brand applies the 80/20 rule to reducing emissions with a focus on strategic tier 1 and 2 suppliers, and a recognition that not every tactic works for every vendor.

By Emma Cosgrove • Oct. 5, 2020

The pandemic opened cybersecurity gaps in the supply chain. How do managers close them?

Attacks on climate control IoT sensors could destroy food, pharmaceuticals or eventually a coronavirus vaccine at a time when these supplies are critical.

By Morgan Forde • Oct. 5, 2020

Conagra: Demand exceeds supply as grocers stock up early for holidays

Grocers aren't taking chances with stockouts, altering the usual cadence of shipments through the end of the year for their suppliers.

By Emma Cosgrove • Oct. 2, 2020

CBP blocks imports from major palm oil producer over forced labor allegations

Nestlé, Unilever and L'Oréal have already taken steps to distance themselves from FGV, the subject of the withhold release order.

By Matt Leonard • Oct. 1, 2020

Uighur labor will be tough to avoid with about 20% of cotton connected to Xinjiang: GlobalData

The ubiquity of Xinjiang cotton in finished garments brings into sharp focus the immense challenge of enforcing legal bans related to the Uighur crisis and the challenge for procurement officers seeking to comply. 

By Emma Cosgrove • Oct. 1, 2020

JLL: 78% of US cold storage warehouses are at least 20 years old

Cold chain operators choose between upfront expense with lower operating costs long-term and lower initial cost with more restrictive conditions in the booming, but bifurcated, cold storage logistics market.

By Emma Cosgrove • Sept. 30, 2020

Start preparing for when the new normal becomes the next normal

A former Johnson & Johnson executive advises businesses to focus on agility and preparing for peak season while in the eye of the storm, a moment of calm before the winds pick back up.

By Katherine Ross • Sept. 29, 2020

Were supply chains too lean during the pandemic? A survey shows an industry divided.

Lean supply chain principals lower costs, but leave a company with less flexibility to respond to demand shocks. 

By Matt Leonard • Sept. 29, 2020