6 Way to make your supply chain more sustainable.




The global supply chain has worked to connect many businesses and customers together and help source products all over the world. These supply chains have also caused huge environmental concerns. In this article, I want to break down 6 steps for a more sustainable supply chain that not only helps reduce environmental impacts but provides huge benefits for businesses using these methods.

1. Create a detailed map of the supply chain

By creating a detailed map of the supply chain you can effectively see the whole process from start to finish. This will allow you and your team to fully visualize the supply chain and give insights on how much labor and resources are utilized at each step and stage of the supply chain. 

2. Identify issues within the supply chain.

After you have built out a detailed map of the supply chain you can then use this detailed map to see where bottlenecks are in the operation. By breaking down the supply chain into different steps you can identify areas for improvement. These areas of improvement might not be obvious and could take some digging to really understand how that process works and how it affects the supply chain's sustainability as a whole. 

4. Use ethical sourcing and engage suppliers

Another great practice is to use ethical sourcing while engaging suppliers in your goals. Suppliers are businesses too and by sharing your sustainability goals and guidelines you can then manage how suppliers are producing and extracting raw materials for use.

5. Reduce unnecessary fuel consumption and improve energy efficiency

One trend we are seeing is the reduction of fuel consumption within the supply chain. For example, UPS has created a system that makes UPS trucks' GPS systems take more right turns than left turns. This is because left turns are seen as inefficient and cause trucks to sit longer in traffic idling and burning unnecessary fuel. UPS estimates that 90% of the turns UPS trucks take are right turns. this is just one example of companies changing how their supply chain operations to reduce fuel consumption and in the process improve efficiency.

6. Collaborate with other companies

The last step for ultimate sustainability is collaborating with other companies in an effort for maximum supply chain sustainability. We have seen many companies doing this to reduce environmental impact and improve their efficiency. One reoccurring example is Pepsi and Cocacola working together to share delivery truck space in an effort to save costs and improve their supply chain sustainability. They might be direct competitors, but they are still working together to minimize their environmental impact. 

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