Oracle study reveals the shape of tomorrow’s supply chain

In its report, UK supply-chain professionals express confidence in their current policies, but experts on sustainable supply and procurement models question whether they are good enough – suggesting that the industry is cherry-picking initiatives. Entitled ‘Demanding a Framework for the Science of Sustainability’, its report appears to recognise the difficulty in identifying the limits of responsibility and control of supply chain operations. Dave Food, supply chain director, Oracle UK, makes the point that companies could be counting processes in a never-ending chain – meaning, for example, where does measurement of the carbon footprint in food production end? Should assessment include the emissions produced making the machines that farm the crop? “If dark green is the nirvana, then supply chain operations must understand that it will require an integrated change management programme,” says Food. “That places a combined emphasis on business processes and changing the behaviours of people, with the building of a sophisticated technology platform. For all firms working through these stages, it is vital they have in place flexible systems that can adapt as the principles of sustainable and collaborative business practices become established.”