When I was in London recently at the Start Summit on sustainability that we organized with the Prince of Wales, I was impressed to see how committed companies remain to greening their supply chains. This was particularly evident among many of the UK's biggest retailers that participated in the Summit.
You might think that, in difficult economic times, sustainability would fall by the wayside. In fact, we heard first-hand how critical, economically and socially, sustainability is to companies. Investing in sustainability isn't charity. When you put money into improving a business, whether it's for product quality or sustainability, the savings and the value you wring out can pay for themselves and position you to be the low-cost provider.
The reason why companies are working with their suppliers is clear. According to estimates, 80 percent of the greenhouse gas emissions of some companies' supply chains occur outside of the company's own operations. The emissions of shipping finished goods alone can be cut 10 percent by setting up guidelines for energy use and monitoring supplier performance, with corresponding savings in energy costs.
Much of the focus we're seeing is on changing the way energy and water is used or the handling of waste in the production and packaging of products in order to reduce carbon footprints and conserve precious resources.
I see two other areas that are ripe for innovation:
The technology and the business processes that make traceability possible are available now. I'm convinced that the ability to provide traceability will differentiate low cost providers from those who will be endangered species.
One of the conference's goals was to encourage more collaboration around issues such as traceability and logistics. Rather than focusing on the supply chains within their narrow industries, for instance, businesses have an opportunity to learn from each other and share best practices.
In fact, supply chain challenges are actually quite similar across many industries. Not one of us can do it alone. Businesses and their suppliers will benefit greatly with they work in tandem with governments and NGOs on making supply chains more sustainable.
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http://www.endicottalliance.org/allianceibmsimplefactsheet2.htm
I am struck by the absence of truly understanding just what Logistics is.
The USA Electorate simply does not seem to know just where their daily bread comes from nor how it gets to the table. This is the simplest Logistics trail imaginable.
Farmer seeds dirt, rain falls, wheat grows, farmer harvest wheat, Loggies transport wheat, Bakers grind and bake wheat, Loggies transport bread, Electorate buys bread, Children eat bread. end trail
Note the Intersections. This is the Logistics point of impact. Seeds, falls, grows, harvest, transport, all are Logistics Verbs for Intersection points. It is at these points that a Cost Determination can be accomplished.
There is a lot to Logistics. Just Maybe, Huff Posters have hit on a theme that will transcend Idealogy and improve the lot of the USA Electorate.
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As a Professional Retired Loggie, I was really surprised to read this on Huff Post. Not a sign of
Anti this or that.
Now. Logistics is truly an art not a science. The esoteric math, the systems used, the very idea of transportation processing, are all key to simply understanding Logistics. The CPL exam for Loggies bears this out. Recc Huff Post do an article on the exam. Logistics, per se, is not the answer to all the economic woes of the USA.
BUT. Logistics is and always will be the Key to Productivity. This would require a whole article in itself to explain.
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Instead, innovation is about enabling society to have more time to engage in other activities besides pursing money, like the arts, science, philosophy, travel, and other personally rewarding experiences. Innovation is about creating a society that is desirable for ourselves and future generations. Somehow, our society has lost sight of this goal and how to reach it.
We would all be pursuing our "Time to engage in other activities besides pursuing money" IE. Laying about the house, couch potatoe style and watching the Arizona Cards snatch defeat from the jaws of Sunday NFL victories.
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this would lead to higher retail prices, but lower overall prices, and more thoughtful consumption. local, organic, non-polluting goods should be favored over cheap, exploitive, destructive crap.
but, the pyramid scheme of capitalist globalism was never intended to help people or the planet. it was intended to enrich the few while exploiting the many and nature. it's doing an excellent job.
Capitalism has been and is the greatest force for life, morality, sustainability, and humanity that has ever existed.
An easy out for not facing Logistics facts. Getting materials from one place to another = Logistics. This entails buying something. Trucks cost, money. Gas costs money. Truckers get paid. Highways need to be maintained. Truck stops provide services AT A COST.
Pyramid scheme of capitalism feeds entire Nations. Try doing w/o the Logistics Capitalism for a 24 hour period, and note the hunger pains.
Feeding folks, Providing Logistics for folks, is not "intended to enrich the few". Logistics is blind to idealogy.
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