This conversation moves beyond resumes. Yaseen shares why he sees talent access, circular economy, and Africa-centered systems leadership as part of one larger operating philosophy: redesign the flow, restore agency, and build pathways to opportunity that are more inclusive by design. 

Listeners will hear how Luna responds to an increasingly automated and impersonal hiring landscape, why human judgment still matters in talent development, and how supply chain thinking can help leaders rethink access, resilience, and value creation at scale. 

Key Insights 

• Why Yaseen views careers, circularity, and regional development as one connected systems challenge 

• How Luna was built to restore agency in a job-search process that often feels automated and generic 

• Why access should be treated as infrastructure, not as a matter of chance 

• What global leaders still misunderstand about African markets, innovation, and supply chain potential 

• How circular thinking applies not only to materials, but also to where value is created, captured, and shared 

• What employers, students, and operators can do now to build pathways that are more fair, practical, and future-ready 

What Listeners Will Learn 

• How a supply chain lens can strengthen talent systems, sustainability strategy, and community impact 

• Why personalized guidance can outperform one-size-fits-all career support when the stakes are identity and opportunity 

• How young leaders can balance execution, systems thinking, and ecosystem building 

• What it means to design opportunity systems that are both human-centered and scalable 

Why This Conversation Matters 

The episode frames opportunity as a design question. Rather than treating career access, sustainability, and regional development as unrelated topics, it shows how thoughtful system design can surface value that traditional models often miss. 

Who Should Listen 

Ideal for students, early-career professionals, hiring leaders, supply chain operators, sustainability advocates, and anyone interested in building more inclusive systems of opportunity. 

About the Guest 

Yaseen Ahmid is the founder and CEO of Luna, a personalized resume review service designed to help students and young professionals communicate their strengths with clarity and confidence. Across his broader work in consulting, circular economy, and student leadership, he brings a consistent focus on access, agency, and system redesign. 

About the Series 

Student Voices is a new curated conversation within the Supply Chain Revolution pod featuring emerging leaders whose stories, ideas, and operating philosophies can help shape the future of supply chain. 

🔗 Connect & Learn More

🌐 Supply Chain Revolution® Podcast: www.supplychainqueen.com/podcast

💬 Follow Sheri Hinish (The Supply Chain Queen®): linkedin.com/in/supplychainqueen

📺 YouTube: youtube.com/@supplychainqueen

📸 Instagram: instagram.com/supplychainqueen

📱 TikTok: @supplychainqueen

🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/supply-chain-revolution

🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/supply-chain-revolution

In this final episode of the Supply Chain Revolution's 10 Big Ideas to Transform Supply Chains for a Regenerative Future, hosts Sheri Hinish (Supply Chain Queen) and co-host James George close the series with a conversation that ties it all together: end-to-end decarbonization powered by precision data. 

Their guest is Constantine Komodromos, founder of VesselBot and a Time 100 Award honoree, who built his company after a visit to the Parthenon in Athens changed everything. What began as a maritime optimization platform evolved into a mission-critical data infrastructure company helping shippers understand — in real time — the emissions their carriers are generating, and what it's actually costing them. 

In this episode, you'll learn: 

• Why spend-based emissions accounting creates dangerous blind spots for large organizations 
• How one automotive customer discovered €300K to €1M+ in preventable cost exposure from 160,000 tons of emissions they didn't know they had 
• Why 40% container utilization is a fixable problem that saves money and carbon simultaneously 
• How real-time vessel data — including Suez Canal rerouting and fuel consumption shifts — gives shippers an edge in volatile geopolitical environments 
• Why sustainability embedded into daily operations is more durable than compliance-driven initiatives 

Sheri connects Big Idea 10 to themes across the series: James Mnyupe's case for CBAM as a business ROI lever (Big Idea 9) and Sophie Beckham's packaging taxation insights (Big Idea 7), reminding listeners that data literacy at every node of the value chain is what makes regenerative transformation real. 

Ideas 1 through 6 asked us to envision what's possible. Ideas 7 through 10 showed us how to execute. This is the one that brings it home. 

Nothing's stopping us now. 

supplychainqueen.com

Episode Tags: supply chain, decarbonization, emissions data, maritime logistics, transportation sustainability, VesselBot, EU ETS, CBAM, regenerative supply chain, supply chain queen, circular economy, data-driven sustainability 

This episode is part of the 10 Big Ideas to Transform Supply Chains for a Regenerative Future series and reveals the structural choices, systems thinking, and policy frameworks that determine how African nations own the value chains they create in clean industrialization revolution happening now in the global south.

Featuring James Mnyupe, Senior Vice President for Sub-Saharan Africa at ThyssenKrupp Uhde. James brings rare perspective having architected Namibia's green industrialization blueprint from the government side and now scaling the model across 49 African nations through a European industrial platform. His work spans everything from fertilizer and food security to mineral beneficiation, mobilizing fit-for-purpose capital while ensuring African ownership of technology, data, and manufacturing capacity. His TED Talk on economic diplomacy and industrial policy has inspired leaders globally to rethink development partnerships.

Chapters

00:00 - Introduction to Clean Energy and Industrialization

00:15 - Navigating Geopolitical Tensions in Clean Energy

06:45 - Blueprint for African-Led Clean Industrialization

14:19 - Redefining Bankability in African Terms

25:22 - African Sovereignty and Global Partnerships

29:11 - Looking Ahead: The Future of African Industrialization

Connect with the Supply Chain Revolution

Subscribe for the full "10 Big Ideas" series exploring how to transform supply chains for a regenerative future. Follow the Supply Chain Queen on LinkedIn for additional insights and resources.

Namuun brings an extraordinary blend of experiences: born and raised in Mongolia's deeply communal, nature-centered culture, MIT-trained in supply chain management, and seasoned across consulting, Amazon operations, and retail leadership. As someone who grew up learning that wellbeing depends on the wellbeing of people and nature around you - persevering through -40°C winters and seasonal apprenticeships—she offers a unique lens on building regenerative organizations. 

Currently leading the eyewear category at Amazon Retail US, Namuun's journey spans sourcing, supplier development, packaging sustainability, network design, and procurement decarbonization. Throughout her career, she's discovered that Mongolian worldviews of interdependence, stewardship, and dialogue pair naturally with analytical training and technical skills. One helps understand people, relationships, and long-term impact. The other helps design mechanisms and make data-driven decisions. 

For anyone feeling the pressure to find perfect AI-powered answers, Namuun's story is permission to progress without perfection, to trust in timely human action, and to see supply chains as living networks.

Key Insights: 

• The Bridge Between Worlds: How indigenous wisdom about community resilience and long-term stewardship complements modern capabilities in data, AI, and digital transformation 
• Progress Over Perfection: The Mongolian saying "even muddy water can put out fire"—why timely human action matters more than waiting for perfect solutions 
• Seasonal Discipline as Systems Thinking: How growing up with nomadic rhythms—spring for growth, fall for preparation, winter for protection—builds natural understanding of adaptive networks 
• Building Capability, Not Just Output: Why the most regenerative solutions focus on strengthening people and systems, not just delivering projects 
• Co-Creation at Scale: How to build solutions with the people who will own them after implementation—from Amazon's supplier-facing teams to retail operations 
• The Interdependence Question: "Who else needs to thrive for this work to succeed?"—a frame that widens perspective and reveals the true system 
• Cultural Translation in Corporate Settings: Navigating the tension between communal, nature-based values and P&L-driven global logistics operations 
• Resilience as Foundation: How harsh climates and seasonal adaptation build the perseverance required for systems transformation 

About Namuun Purevdorj: 

Namuun is Category Leader for Eyewear at Amazon Retail US. Previously, she led procurement decarbonization initiatives at Amazon, building tools and training for thousands of supplier-facing teams. Her background spans consulting, logistics, and procurement, an MIT master's in supply chain management, and early career work in international economics.

Connect with the Supply Chain Revolution: 

Subscribe for the full "10 Big Ideas" series exploring how to transform supply chains for a regenerative future. Follow the Supply Chain Queen on LinkedIn for additional insights and resources. 

Featuring Sophie Beckham, Chief Sustainability Officer of International Paper and one of the world’s most respected leaders in forestry and biodiversity stewardship, this conversation reframes forests as living infrastructure that underpins long term business resilience, economic value, and climate stability.

Drawing on decades of experience across forest management, conservation partnerships, and large scale industrial operations, Sophie shares how supply chains that depend on forest systems must move beyond short term optimization toward multi generational regeneration. Forests are not interchangeable inputs. They are place based systems that require trust, data, collaboration, and long horizon thinking.

In this episode, you will learn why deforestation free is only the starting point, how forest positive supply chains actively enhance biodiversity, water quality, and ecosystem health, and why nature must be treated as a core stakeholder rather than an externality. The discussion spans landowner trust, regulatory uncertainty on EUDR, data and GIS enabled transparency, climate volatility, and the role of fiber based packaging in keeping forests standing.

Key themes include how forests function as living infrastructure that cannot be relocated, why regenerative forestry does not require economic tradeoffs, how early data driven interventions create positive outcomes on the ground, and why nature is the silent guarantor of all other forms of capital.

This is not a theoretical sustainability discussion. It is a practical, business grounded exploration of how supply chains can become regeneration catalysts that strengthen operations, protect assets, support communities, and restore biodiversity at scale.

Perfect for supply chain leaders, sustainability and ESG executives, risk and resilience leaders, operations and procurement teams, and anyone responsible for long term sourcing, infrastructure, or climate adaptation strategies.

What You Will Learn

• Supply chains can act as catalysts for forest regeneration.
• The European Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) poses challenges for businesses.
• Technology is essential for bridging gaps in forestry management.
• Understanding the interconnectedness of forest ecosystems is crucial.
• Nature should be viewed as a key stakeholder in supply chains.
• Balancing commercial viability with sustainability is a complex challenge.
• Adapting to climate change is vital for forestry management.
• Consumers play a significant role in promoting sustainable packaging.
• Forests have the potential to contribute to climate change mitigation.
• The future of forestry lies in sustainable and regenerative practices.

Sound Bites

• "We should lean into unsentimental valuation."
• "What can the average consumer do?"
• "How do we deliver sustainable outcomes?"

Chapters

00:00 - Introduction to Supply Chains and Regeneration

02:07 - Understanding the European Deforestation Regulation (EUDR)

06:08 - Technology Bridging Gaps in Forestry Management

09:32 - The Interconnectedness of Forest Ecosystems

12:04 - Nature as a Stakeholder in Supply Chains

15:01 - Balancing Commercial Viability with Sustainability

18:14 - Adapting to Climate Change in Forestry

21:22 - Consumer Responsibility in Sustainable Packaging

25:36 - Looking Ahead: Future of Forestry and Sustainability

Keywords

supply chain, forest regeneration, sustainability, EUDR, technology in forestry, biodiversity, climate change, consumer responsibility, packaging, carbon sequestration

In this episode of the Supply Chain Revolution podcast, hosts Sheri Hinish (Supply Chain Queen) and James George sit down with Sandra Leyva Martinez, Head of Sustainability for CHEP Americas at Brambles—the world's largest circular asset pooling company. Sandy brings extraordinary experience from leading transformation at Amazon, managing sustainability across 40,000 suppliers, and building the first sustainability hub for Amazon's 2.5 million selling partners. 

Together, they explore how circular distribution infrastructure serves as the invisible backbone for regenerative communities, moving beyond basic sustainability to systems that actively restore ecosystems and create distributed economic opportunity. 

Key insights from this conversation: 

• Why seamless integration makes circular supply chains invisible—and why that's exactly the point 
• How data analytics and traceability enable collaborative decision-making across stakeholders 
• The strategic shift from planting trees by units to measuring impact by hectares for biodiversity 
• Why creating your own sustainable timber source makes business sense in a world of certified forest scarcity 
• How "infrastructure as a service" forces companies to rethink ownership and access 
• The role of local repair hubs in decentralizing logistics and creating community employment 
• Why the best use of AI combines data processing with human quality oversight 
• Sandy's "nothing is stopping us" philosophy—it's about strategic timing, not barriers 
• How to reduce empty miles and pilot alternative fuels through partnership models 
• The urgent need for innovation hubs to address electronic waste infrastructure gaps 

Sandy shares CHEP and Brambles' journey from pioneering circular economy models in 2017-2018 to today's regenerative ambitions, revealing how efficiency, resilience, and business continuity create the perfect conditions for transformation. 

This is Big Idea 6 in our series on transforming supply chains for a regenerative future. The message is clear: start now. 

Connect with the Supply Chain Revolution: Subscribe for the full "10 Big Ideas" series exploring how to transform supply chains for a regenerative future. Follow the Supply Chain Queen on LinkedIn for additional insights and resources. 

Guest: Sandra Leyva Martinez, Head of Sustainability, CHEP Americas (Brambles) 

Hosts: Sheri Hinish & James George 

Series: 10 Big Ideas to Transform Supply Chains for a Regenerative Future 

In this episode of The Supply Chain Revolution®, host Sheri Hinish (The Supply Chain Queen) and co-host James George are joined by Professor Gautam R. Desiraju, one of India’s most distinguished scientists and co-author of India’s Supply Chains in a World at War. Together, they uncover how supply chains — once designed for efficiency and control — have become tools of conflict and power.

But within this chaos lies a blueprint for regeneration.

Through stories spanning semiconductors, pharmaceuticals, energy, and even extraterrestrial logistics, this conversation explores how nations like India are leveraging strategic autonomy, capability building, and cultural wisdom to create supply chains that regenerate economies, ecosystems, and communities.

💡 What You’ll Learn:

• Why “decolonizing resilience” may be the most important shift in global supply chain strategy

• How the Global South is rewriting the rules of economic power

• The emerging science and policy behind regenerative development

• What companies can learn from India’s approach to sovereignty, cooperation, and innovation

This is more than an episode — it’s a journey from conflict to cooperation, from extraction to regeneration, and from efficiency to equity.

🎧 Tune in to learn how the future of global supply chains will be written by collaboration, capability, and regeneration. 

Order his new book here - https://www.amazon.in/dp/9365479908

In this episode of the Supply Chain Revolution's "10 Big Ideas" series, you'll learn how Julia's team has pioneered Integrated Planetary Intelligence™—a platform that translates the complexity of Earth's natural systems into actionable business insights to build regenerative supply chains. As a top Microsoft partner serving Fortune 500 companies and now featured on NASDAQ DataLink with 800,000 users, Earth Knowledge is transforming how companies understand their planetary dependencies. 

Key Insights: 

• The Five Critical Planetary Dependencies: Water availability, soil health, biodiversity, energy demands, and agriculture/food vulnerabilities—and why supply chains are blind to these risks until crisis hits 
• Digital Twin Technology: How Global Twins (1km resolution, forecasts from 1900-2100) and Regional Twins (250m resolution with daily forecasts) enable both strategic planning and real-time operational decisions 
• From Compliance to Competitive Advantage: Why planetary intelligence transforms environmental data from reporting burden to profit driver 
• Real-World Applications: How companies use daily forecasts to optimize inventory, protect infrastructure, and adapt agricultural sourcing ahead of climate impacts 
• The $7 Trillion AI Opportunity: Balancing data center growth with water and energy availability—why site selection now requires planetary intelligence 
• California's Climate Whiplash: How atmospheric rivers delivering "two Amazon rivers" require 10-day forecasts for emergency preparedness and groundwater recharge 
• Integration Strategy: Why Earth Knowledge plugs into existing platforms (Microsoft Fabric) rather than requiring new infrastructure 

What You'll Learn: 

• How extreme weather events costing $1 billion+ now occur every three weeks instead of every four months 
• Why $44 trillion of economic value (over half of global GDP) depends on nature's services 
• How Fortune 500 companies are shifting from transition risk to physical asset risk assessment 
• The difference between managing water like a "bank account" vs traditional approaches 
• Why inventory decisions based on last year's sales are being replaced by planetary forecasts 
• How wine and agriculture companies use long-term forecasts to identify optimal growing regions decades in advance 

Julia shares compelling examples of companies discovering that planetary intelligence isn't just for compliance—it's needed across risk management, real estate, site selection, business continuity, supply chain operations, and strategic planning. 

This isn't theoretical sustainability—it's practical guidance on using Earth systems data to build resilient, regenerative supply chains while improving business outcomes. 

Perfect for: Supply chain leaders, sustainability executives, risk managers, operations professionals, and anyone responsible for long-term business resilience. 

About Julia Armstrong D'Agnese: Co-Founder and CEO of Earth Knowledge, Julia brings decades of entrepreneurial experience including scaling a company from trailers to IPO in four years. Earth Knowledge's team includes five IPCC/National Climate Assessment authors, President Obama's former White House climate director, and pioneers in Earth systems science. Founded in 2003, Earth Knowledge was ahead of the market in understanding that businesses need integrated planetary intelligence to make decisions that serve people, profits, and planet. 

Connect with the Supply Chain Revolution: Subscribe for the full "10 Big Ideas" series exploring how to transform supply chains for a regenerative future. Follow the Sheri Hinish on LinkedIn for additional insights and resources. 

Episode Length: 28 minutes 

In this episode of the Supply Chain Revolution's "10 Big Ideas to Transform Supply Chains for a Regenerative Future" series, discover how companies are leveraging AI and exponential technologies to create regenerative manufacturing outcomes. Teesee, leading a fourth-generation, family-owned Certified Women's Business Enterprise with over 100 years of history, shares insights from navigating multiple industrial revolutions—from electrification through automation to today's AI transformation. 

Key Insights: 

• How to turn "transformation into trust" by inspiring people to embrace AI-driven change at the individual level 
• Why growing power demands from AI data centers are driving innovation in sustainable energy solutions 
• The role of microgrids, atmospheric water generation, and advanced battery technologies in creating regenerative systems 
• How digital twins and IoT enable comprehensive Scope 3 emissions reporting across supply chains 
• Why new market mechanisms are financing the energy transition beyond government subsidies 
• The critical importance of systemic thinking: changes must benefit individuals, teams, companies, and customers 

What You'll Learn: 

• Practical approaches to enterprise-wide AI transformation that creates sustainability benefits 
• How to manage cultural resistance when implementing exponential technologies 
• Real examples of innovative solutions like utility-grade water-from-air generation coupled with renewable energy 
• Why successful transformation requires augmenting individual skill sets and building appetite for change 
• Technology solutions making regenerative manufacturing tracking and optimization possible 
• The business case for resilience: how microgrids and energy independence create competitive advantage 

Teesee shares compelling stories from the frontlines of AI transformation, including how companies are solving the "juice problem" in the grid through market-driven innovation and why the biggest risk with AI is ignoring it rather than embracing it thoughtfully. 

This isn't theoretical sustainability talk – it's a practical guide to using AI and exponential technologies to build regenerative manufacturing systems while creating business value. 

Perfect for supply chain leaders, manufacturing executives, sustainability professionals, and anyone interested in leveraging AI for regenerative transformation. 

Connect with the Supply Chain Revolution: Subscribe for the full "10 Big Ideas" series exploring how to transform supply chains for a regenerative future. Follow the Supply Chain Queen on LinkedIn and James George for additional insights and resources. 

About Teesee Murray: Teesee Murray is Group President of Turtle | CEO of TurtleX. Turtle is a global leader in electrical distribution, industrial MRO, automation, technology, supply chain solutions, and energy management. As a fourth-generation, family-owned Certified Women's Business Enterprise (WBE) with over 100 years of history, Turtle delivers mission critical solutions through radical collaboration, technical expertise, innovation, and sustainability. Visit www.turtle.com. 

In this episode of the Supply Chain Revolution's "10 Big Ideas to Transform Supply Chains for a Regenerative Future " series, discover how companies are moving beyond recycling to create true circular materials economies. Dr. Cooper, CEO and Founder of Rheaply, shares insights from 10 years of building one of the country's largest reuse networks, revealing why the global circularity rate has actually declined despite increased awareness. 

Key Insights: 

• Why there's literally a trillion-dollar economy of unused materials beneath our feet 
• How businesses can generate immediate ROI from materials they're currently throwing away 
• The infrastructure gap preventing circular economy adoption and how technology is solving it 
• Why reuse and repair should come before recycling in the circular hierarchy 
• The critical importance of designing products for multiple lifecycles from the start 
• The mindset shift from seeing "waste" as problems to recognizing valuable assets 

What You'll Learn: 

• Practical KPIs that matter for circular materials implementation 
• How leading companies are capturing value from products across multiple lifecycles 
• Why designing for reuse from the start is essential for true circular materials economy 
• Technology solutions making circular materials tracking and verification possible 
• The business case beyond sustainability: faster sourcing, reduced costs, supply chain resilience 
• Future trends: take-back programs, carbon accounting integration, and mainstream adoption 

Dr. Cooper shares compelling stories from the frontlines of circular economy implementation, including how Northwestern University labs sparked a reuse revolution and why companies are paying millions to throw away materials that other projects desperately need. 

This isn't theoretical sustainability talk – it's a practical guide to unlocking hidden value in your supply chain while building a regenerative future. 

Perfect for supply chain leaders, procurement professionals, sustainability executives, and anyone interested in turning waste streams into revenue streams. 

Connect with the Supply Chain Revolution: Subscribe for the full "10 Big Ideas" series exploring how to transform supply chains for a regenerative future. Follow the Supply Chain Queen on LinkedIn for additional insights and resources. 

About Dr. Garry Cooper: Dr. Cooper is the CEO and Founder of Rheaply, a technology platform that enables organizations to track, manage, and exchange resources to reduce waste and create value. With a background in neuroscience and a passion for systems thinking, Cooper has spent over a decade building one of the country's largest reuse networks. 

Takeaways

-Regenerative sourcing represents a fundamental shift in supply chain thinking.

-The focus should be on creating net positive outcomes rather than just reducing harm.

-Systemic thinking is essential for understanding the interconnectedness of supply chain elements.

-Practical examples of regenerative sourcing can be found in agriculture and textiles.

-Technology plays a crucial role in enabling regenerative practices and data transformation.

-Future supply chain strategies must integrate regenerative principles to remain competitive.

-Consumer demand is shifting towards brands that prioritize sustainability and regeneration.

-Long-term strategies are necessary for meaningful change in supply chains.

-Engagement and collaboration are key to advancing regenerative practices.

-Being aggressively curious is vital for understanding and implementing regenerative sourcing.

Sound Bites

"We need to think about new and radical ideas."

"We need to think about it very differently."

"Be aggressively curious."

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Regenerative Sourcing

03:33 The Shift from Sustainability to Regeneration

06:27 Understanding Regenerative Sourcing

09:32 Practical Applications in Agriculture

12:34 Innovative Practices Across Sectors

15:35 The Role of Technology in Regenerative Sourcing

18:43 Future Trends in Supply Chain Practices

21:29 Closing Thoughts and Call to Action

About

The Supply Chain Revolution® isn't just a top-ranked podcast—it's a movement reimagining global networks as pathways of restoration. Host Sheri Hinish (Supply Chain Queen), a globally recognized thought leader in sustainability and supply chain innovation, challenges the notion that we can only be "less bad." Instead, she explores how supply chains can actively regenerate our world.

In our groundbreaking new series "10 Big Ideas to Transform Supply Chains for a Regenerative Future," co-hosted with James George, former Ellen MacArthur Foundation leader, we move beyond incremental sustainability to explore transformative approaches that regenerate natural and social systems. From Regenerative Sourcing to Transparent Value Chains, each episode unpacks revolutionary concepts with world-class experts and provocative voices disrupting the status quo.

As a recognized pioneer and leader with a distinct point of view, Sheri brings unparalleled expertise in technology-enabled transformation, circularity, sustainability innovation and the most advanced 'sustainable' supply chain practices. This podcast delivers actionable insights where innovation meets impact—equipping professionals to design supply chains that heal rather than harm.

Join our vibrant community of Rebels who are forward-thinking practitioners and leaders committed to disrupting the status quo for positive transformation. Subscribe now to architect a world where business success and environmental prosperity grow together. Engage other Rebels in our community who share your passion and vision for a new world where people, planet, and business can thrive.

Takeaways

• The conversation around sustainability is still lacking in action.
• Personal motivations, like family, drive the urgency for change.
• Supply chains can be a conduit for global change.
• It's essential to operationalize ambitious sustainability goals.
• Building resilience in supply chains is crucial for future success.
• The upcoming season will explore ten transformative ideas.
• Legacy and future generations are central to the discussion.
• Economic opportunities can arise from sustainable practices.
• The focus should be on doing more good, not just less bad.
• Innovation in sourcing is a key theme for the first episode.

Sound Bites

• "It's a legacy conversation."

About

The Supply Chain Revolution® isn't just a top-ranked podcast—it's a movement reimagining global networks as pathways of restoration. Host Sheri Hinish (Supply Chain Queen), a globally recognized thought leader in sustainability and supply chain innovation, challenges the notion that we can only be "less bad." Instead, she explores how supply chains can actively regenerate our world.

In our groundbreaking new series "10 Big Ideas to Transform Supply Chains for a Regenerative Future," co-hosted with James George, former Ellen MacArthur Foundation leader, we move beyond incremental sustainability to explore transformative approaches that regenerate natural and social systems. From Regenerative Sourcing to Transparent Value Chains, each episode unpacks revolutionary concepts with world-class experts and provocative voices disrupting the status quo.

As a recognized pioneer and leader with a distinct point of view, Sheri brings unparalleled expertise in technology-enabled transformation, circularity, sustainability innovation and the most advanced 'sustainable' supply chain practices. This podcast delivers actionable insights where innovation meets impact—equipping professionals to design supply chains that heal rather than harm.

Join our vibrant community of Rebels who are forward-thinking practitioners and leaders committed to disrupting the status quo for positive transformation. Subscribe now to architect a world where business success and environmental prosperity grow together. Engage other Rebels in our community who share your passion and vision for a new world where people, planet, and business can thrive.

Follow Supply Chain Revolution: https://www.linkedin.com/company/supply-chain-revolution + supplychainqueen.com/podcast

Follow Sheri Hinish: https://linktr.ee/Supplychainqueen

Follow James George: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-a-george/

Additional topics covered in this episode include: how tech adoption has shaped and helped humanity, how technology has repurposed jobs, the digital divide, the impact of AI and ChatGPT on the future of work and automation, and freeform flow on sustainability, quantum, nuclear, and many other political, provocative topics!

In the Magic Conveyor Belt, Professor Sheffi lays the foundation for understanding supply chains and the characteristics that make them complex. In Part 1 of the book “The Global Dance,” he delves into the often-hidden intrinsic structure of supply chains to ground the reader in the challenges of managing the mammoth networks involved.

Part 2, “Further Complexity and Challenges,” shows how the last 50 years have added even more complexity to supply chains. This part covers the rising demand for goods, as well as the increasing consumer expectations for fast, perfect delivery services.

The relevance on technology creates a sobering thought around the digital divide. The digital divide is multifaceted and includes many factors such as access, affordability, quality, and relevance. As Michael Kende wrote, “the digital divide is not a binary.” These gaps in availability, affordability, interest, and digital literacy. The UN’s Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development estimates that nearly 3.6 billion people remain totally unconnected to the Internet by any measure. This means there are around 4.1 billion people online, about 53.6% of the global population. 

What does the future hold for global supply chains and countries, economies, marginalized communities left behind in a technology infused world? 

The capabilities and future roles of automation, robotics, and artificial intelligence are changing and augmenting the jobs held by workers—covered in Parts 3 and 4. Elements of the book trace the implications of multiple trends in the operating environment for tomorrow’s global supply chains, as they change and augment the jobs held by workers.

While many of the new skills require technical knowhow, it is social skills, ironically, that may be a key for future human employment in an economy dominated by technology.

To learn more about The Magic Conveyor Belt, visit https://a.co/d/0mUVNYq

To connect with Yossi Sheffi on linkedin, visit https://www.linkedin.com/in/yossi-sheffi-b38b731/

To connect with Host Sheri Hinish, visit https://www.linkedin.com/in/supplychainqueen/

Companies who’ve developed strong Environment Social Governance (ESG) standards are seeing better profitability, stronger financial performance, and happier employees. But this transformation isn’t just about transforming our economies, operating models, and supply chains, it is about transforming lives by putting people and trust at the heart of decisions we anchor in sustainable development.

When Can, Care, and Do come together, something interesting happens: trust is formed. Across regions, cultures, and languages, trust is a common currency - the connective tissue that makes all positive action possible. In an exclusive Earth Day Special, Jim Massey lays out the case for why all progress in sustainability depends on trust - the basis of successful selves, teams, and systems. In a time when many are rapidly losing trust in our institutions – whether in government, society, or finance – it’s more critical than ever that leaders cultivate their ability to build trust. 

Episode 76 is the 3rd Earth Month feature celebrating provocative themes and people in sustainability, supply chain innovation, and circularity. Jim Massey is a Chief Sustainability Officer, Global ESG Expert, and former VP of ESG Sustainability, Ethics, and Compliance at AstraZeneca. 

In our chat, Jim unpacks wisdom from Trust in Action, including:

* where will leaders have the greatest impact

* what is the “breakthrough” proven trust model for sparking action

* how can folks listening drive positive change in their organization

* what are some of the actionable repeatable approaches for working with teams to tackle today's toughest problems 

* what words of wisdom can you give others leading or have the ambition to lead in sustainability?

This year, we rally behind the Earth Day theme “Invest In Our Planet”, which highlights the importance of dedicating our time, resources, and energy to solving climate change and other environmental + social issues. Our world needs transformation. Solving the environmental crisis calls for bold, creative, and innovative solutions and leadership. This will require action at all levels, from business and investment to city and national government. Investing in our planet is necessary to protect it and the best way to pave a path towards a prosperous future. When we Invest In Our Planet together, we are supporting healthy, happy, and thriving communities worldwide.

To learn more about Jim Massey and Trust in Action, visit https://www.jimmassey.co/

The way supply chain planning has been done for the last 30 years has been under the assumption that computers were slow and data was expensive, and so they needed to make a lot of simplifying assumptions.. Very importantly, they ignore probabilities and complex pattern recognition that are all allowed by this more advanced mathematics.

To Learn more about Steve - visit https://noodle.ai/ or https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephen-pratt-094b5916/

Circular economy is increasingly recognized as a better alternative to the dominant linear (take, make, and dispose) economic model. Circular Supply Chain Management (CSCM), which integrates the philosophy of the circular economy into supply chain management, offers a new and compelling perspective to the supply chain sustainability domain.

Two aspects that make a CSCM unique: 1) its restorative and regenerative cycles designed based on circular thinking; 2) the vision of a zero-waste economy that is inherent in the CE philosophy. This is CEO Steve Pratt + Noodle AI's mission - to build and design a world without waste. Steve also walks the talk as a farmer and student of nature, where he brings inspiration like the Noodle culture mantra BCHILL, and planting seeds of innovation for long-term value creation.

Steve is an O.G. Rebel and friend of the podcast, one of the original supporters. He is an incredible technical background and at every turn has pushed boundaries with tenacity and a 'people and planet first' north star. His journey in consulting started at Deloitte. He went on to start Infosys, had a brief stint at IBM, then founded Noodle with a lingering nudge 'there has to be a better way' and a vision of a world where nothing is wasted where technical, natural, and human systems exist in harmony.

About Noodle: Noodle.ai software uses some of the most advanced math on the planet to tame global supply chain chaos—so the right stuff gets to the right place at the right time with less drama. More importantly, Noodle's 'Value at Risk' shows you the hard money costs of each of the millions of errors made by your planning stack, for both demand and supply, across raw materials, production, and distribution.

This episode is packed full of lessons in big transformation, inspirational messages, and pragmatic reasons why circular supply chains provide the conduit for marrying the environmental, social, and economic benefits for change. Sectors and client examples highlighted are from CPG, Industrial and automotive. Everything we need exists NOW to build and empower better decisions for a circular and inclusive world.

What is sustainable marketing? Sustainable marketing is a marketing approach that emphasizes the long-term health and well-being of the environment, society, and economy. It involves creating and promoting products, services, and business practices that are environmentally responsible, socially equitable, and economically viable.

Sustainable marketing aims to minimize the negative impact of business activities on the environment and society while promoting positive social and environmental outcomes. This approach often involves integrating sustainability principles into all aspects of a company's operations, from product design to manufacturing processes to marketing and advertising.

Sustainable marketing also seeks to educate consumers about the benefits of sustainable products and services and encourage them to make more environmentally and socially responsible purchasing decisions. This can include highlighting the eco-friendly or socially responsible features of products or services, as well as providing information and resources to help consumers reduce their environmental impact.

What is Greenwashing and why should you care? Greenwashing is a marketing technique in which a company makes misleading or exaggerated claims about the environmental benefits of its products or services. There are several types of greenwashing, including:

1. Hidden trade-offs: This is when a company promotes a product as environmentally friendly while ignoring other environmental impacts. For example, a product may be advertised as eco-friendly because it is made from recycled materials, but the company may ignore the fact that the product was transported long distances, resulting in a high carbon footprint.
2. Vague or misleading claims: This is when a company makes vague or ambiguous claims that are difficult to verify. For example, a product may be labeled as "all natural" or "chemical-free," but these claims are meaningless without further explanation or context.
3. Irrelevant claims: This is when a company makes environmental claims that are technically true but are irrelevant to the product. For example, a company may promote a product as "CFC-free," even though CFCs have been banned for decades and are no longer used in the product.
4. Lesser of two evils: This is when a company promotes a product as environmentally friendly when compared to a similar product that is even worse for the environment. For example, a company may promote a car as "eco-friendly" because it gets better gas mileage than other cars in its class, even though it is still a gas-powered vehicle with a high carbon footprint.
5. Fibbing: This is when a company outright lies about the environmental benefits of its products or services. For example, a company may claim that its product is certified by an independent third party when in fact it is not.

This is an action-packed and provocative dialogue that will not disappoint as James and Sheri discuss solutions and best practice to ensure you don't fall prey or misstep in a world of greenwashing,

To learn more about James George, visit https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-george-20995b75/

Why now and what's packed in this episode? Transformation is tough and we are at a crossroads. The leadership stories offer important insights into what it takes to be a successful supply chain leader and these themes have been neatly summarized through what the authors call the CHAIN Model for Supply Chain Leadership, or Chain (C-H-A-I-N), which stands for: Collaborative, Holistic, Adaptable, Influential, Narrative.

A winning combination of entertaining stories about life at the top, how to get there, and rigorous business insights. The book features some of the most successful global operations and supply chain business leaders.

Learn more about From Source to Sold here: https://sourcetosold.com/

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

RADU PALAMARIU https://www.linkedin.com/in/radupalamariu/  Managing director of Alcott Global, the leading global executive search firm focused on operations and supply chain. He works on C-level assignments with Fortune 500 companies and local conglomerates in manufacturing, logistics, transportation, supply chain management and eCommerce.

KNUT ALICKE  https://www.linkedin.com/in/knut-alicke/  Partner at McKinsey & Company, part of the global supply chain leadership team, and a visiting professor of supply chain at the University of Cologne. He advises clients on a variety of topics around supply chain, including digital supply chains, risk and resilience, advanced analytics, and supply chain transformations.

FEATURED CONTRIBUTORS

Yossi Sheffi, Director, MIT Center for Transportation & Logistics

Ivanka Janssen, Chief Supply Chain Officer/EVP, Philips

Ernest Nicolas, Chief Supply Chain Officer, HP Inc.

Sandra MacQuillan, Ex - EVP and CSCO, Mondelēz International

Jim Rowan, CEO and President, Volvo Cars

Tan Chong Meng, Group Chief Executive Officer, PSA International (PSA)

Thomas Netzer, Global COO, Wayfair

Lynn Torrel, Chief Procurement and Supply Chain Officer, Flex

Pier Luigi Sigismondi, President (Worldwide Food & Beverage Group), Dole Sunshine Company

Sami Naffakh, Chief Supply Officer, Reckitt

Tommy Rahbek Nielsen, Executive Vice President & COO, Vestas

Essa Al-Saleh, CEO and Board Member, Volta Trucks

Deepak Garg, CEO & Founder, RIVIGO

Ken Allen, Chair of the Supervisory Board, ProGlove, Ex CEO DHL Express

Vikram Agarwal, Chief Operations Officer, Danone

Beatrix Praeceptor, Ex - Chief Procurement Officer, Mondi Group

Michael Corbo, Ex - Chief Supply Chain Officer, Colgate-Palmolive

Andres Krinninger, President Industrial Trucks & Services EMEA, KION Group

Jay Lee, Former Foxconn Vice Chair

Bonnie Fetch, VP and Head of Global Supply Chain and Manufacturing, Cummins Inc.

Achim Duennwald, COO GLS Germany

Dirk Holbach, CSCO Beauty/Laundry & Home Care, CSVP, MD, Henkel

Donna Warton, CVP Supply Chain and Sustainability, Microsoft

Women and girls remain underrepresented across the creation, use and regulation of technology. In the face of escalating global crises, we stand at a crossroads. I wanted to share insights from UN Women released today.

-63% of women have access to the internet, compared to 69% of men. And women are 12% less likely to own a mobile phone, a figure virtually unchanged since before the pandemic.

-Women remain a minority in both STEM education and careers, representing only 28% of engineering graduates, 22% of artificial intelligence workers and less than 1/3 of tech sector employees globally. 

-Women in tech often face an actively hostile environment, with a significant pay gap of 21% and considerably lower rates of promotion (52 women for every 100 men). Nearly half (48%) report experiencing workplace harassment and 22% say they are considering leaving the workforce altogether due to the treatment they’ve received in the sector.

What are some key pathways to create and build a safer, more sustainable, more equitable future?

1. Close all gaps in digital access and skills, whereby race, age, disability, socioeconomic status and location all play a role in determining women’s digital access and use.

2. Support women and girls in STEM. Providing universal broadband access for teachers, students and schools—and ensuring digital literacy for its users—can increase girls’ exposure to STEM. Digital learning provides new opportunities to adapt educational environments and curricula to the needs of girls and students from marginalized groups.

3. Create tech that meets the needs of women and girls. The importance of cognitive diversity can not be understated. Technology reflects its creators. Digital access gaps mean women produce less data than men, and a lack of data disaggregation leads to unequal representation in data sets. A global analysis of 133 AI systems from 1988 to today found that 44% displayed gender bias, with 25.7% exhibiting both gender and racial bias—which led to lower service quality, unequal resource distribution and the reinforcement of harmful stereotypes.  

4. Address technology-facilitated gender-based violence. There is continuum between real-world and online violence, with technology helping to perpetuate and heighten surveillance, trafficking and other forms of abuse especially impacting intersecting forms of discrimination for women of color, LGBTIQ+, and women with disabilities.

These are conversations I hope we have every day, not just on March 8th. What would you add as a key pathway to create a safe and equitable world for women and girls?

To learn more about the podcast, please visit supplychainqueen.com or pod.co/supplychainrevolution

#IWD2023 #sustainability #supplychain #technology #diversityandinclusion

Deforestation in the supply chain is bad for several reasons. First and foremost, deforestation has a significant negative impact on the environment, leading to loss of biodiversity, soil erosion, and carbon emissions. Deforestation also contributes to climate change by reducing the number of trees that can absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

In addition to the environmental impact, deforestation can also have negative social and economic consequences. Forests are often home to indigenous and local communities who rely on the forest for their livelihoods, including hunting, fishing, and gathering of forest products. Deforestation can displace these communities and disrupt their way of life.

From a business perspective, deforestation can also pose a risk to companies that source products from areas affected by deforestation, such as palm oil, soy, beef, and timber. Consumers are increasingly aware of the impact of deforestation and may choose to avoid products that contribute to it. In addition, regulatory frameworks aimed at reducing deforestation are being put in place in many countries, and companies that fail to comply with these regulations may face legal and reputational risks.

As part of the Rainforest Partnership, the goal of Gen Z for the Trees is to inform the world about sustainable living, stakeholders in the rainforest, and current grassroots efforts to mitigate climate change. They also commit to promoting the work of indigenous rainforest communities while celebrating these communities’ deep and unique understanding of the rainforest.

Gen Z is the generation of change: many of these changes, like climate change, were set in place generations ago but threaten our future on this planet. As temperatures climb, sea levels rise, and natural disasters intensify each year, Gen Z must grapple with the inevitability of change. As the most connected, diverse, and largest generation in the history of the world, Gen Z is driven by immediate action and near instant togetherness. Gen Z makes up 40% of consumers both in the United States and globally. By 2026, Gen Z will be over 40% of the workforce with influence far-reaching, they are poised to create a more sustainable future.

If you like to learn more about Gen Z for the Trees, visit and follow the links below: https://www.rainforestpartnership.org/gen-z-for-the-trees

https://www.rainforestpartnership.org/blog/gen-z-for-the-trees-brings-hope-for-the-future

https://www.instagram.com/genzforthetrees/?hl=en

https://twitter.com/genzforthetrees?lang=en

https://www.rainforestpartnership.org/blog/call-for-volunteers-gen-z-for-the-trees

‍

Key topics include:

🔹 The world is changing – the global economy is about to become the climate economy

🔹 Business decisions will not only be weighed by financial implications, but climate implications

🔹 Both employees & customers have high expectations around the sustainability

agenda set by companies

🔹 Actions Organizations Should Take to set targets, measure and report, and convert

🔹 2020s & ‘The Decade of Action’ - What the 2030s & 2040s will look like as it relates to climate

🔹The social impact of climate

🔹How this shows up in responsible business

To learn more about Tom Raftery and his podcasts: visit https://www.climate21podcast.com/

To learn more about the Supply Chain Revolution podcast: visit supplychainqueen.com

Have you wondered how to drastically reduce your corporate carbon footprint by filling the empty miles driven by your carriers?

According to Leaf:

— 30% of truck carbon emissions are not associated with material utility for value-added goods delivery 

— Independent drivers spend 30% of travel time without a paid load 

— Companies spend 30% of their logistics budgets on non-value-added services 

In episode 69, host Sheri Hinish chats with Anshu Prasad, CEO of Leaf Logistics and Transportation-Tech extraordinaire who is building a more transparent industry-wide network that reveals exponentially more opportunities for people and planet positive network coordination. When shippers, carriers, brokers, and other partners coordinate across the Leaf platform, over $100 Billion in efficiencies can be identified in this $1 Trillion industry. 

Learn more about why sustainable logistics and transportation planning/execution is a key driver in CO2e reductions toward SBTi and net-zero targets.

To reach out to Anshu directly, visit anshu@leaflogistics.com, https://www.linkedin.com/in/anshuprasad/ or https://www.leaflogistics.com/

Read more about IBM's alliance with Leaf https://www.ibm.com/blogs/services/2022/01/12/the-profitable-journey-to-sustainable-logistics-operations/

-In its 2016 study, the International Labour Organization (ILO) estimated that 40.3 million people worldwide were victims of modern slavery at any given time, 25 million of whom were in forced labor.

-To narrow the focus further, an estimated 16 million people were exploited in the private sector. A few years earlier, in 2014, the ILO estimated that forced labor generated annual profits estimated at USD 150 billion.

-Women and girls are disproportionately affected, accounting for 71% of those affected by modern slavery. Children represent one-quarter of the total number of victims.

President Biden on Dec 23, 2021 signed into law the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, a bipartisan bill that bans imports from China’s Xinjiang region unless the importer can prove they were not made with forced labor.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/biden-uyghur-labor-law/2021/12/23/99e8d048-6412-11ec-a7e8-3a8455b71fad_story.html

In Episode 68, Justin Dillon, CEO of FRDM shares that, “The COVID-19 pandemic has taught us how broken and opaque supply chains truly are. Supply chain operations and oversight has lagged far behind the innovation curve. Companies today are expected to solve bigger and deeper problems in their supply chains, such as environmental and human rights risks.”

➡️ I am proud to have Justin back as a retuning guest on MLK day to kick off 2022 and to help organizations ensure human rights are protected across global networks by:

– Understanding and mapping your network

-Organizing your company’s supplier and spend data

– Creating a predictive bill of materials for everything you buy and applying estimates about environmental, social and business continuity risks

– Helping you engage with suppliers, using its toolkit to reduce risk and increase your resilience

– Producing helpful reports for your team, stakeholders and regulators

– Helping you track improvements to your supply chain and constantly improving your resilience

FRDM is the next wave in predictive and proactive ESG risk resilience to realize sustainable outcomes. Organizations that lead on sustainability and impact do not approach them as secondary objectives. They integrate the related objectives into their core motivation, radically altering the corporate equation for success. Companies face numerous barriers to addressing modern slavery, but technology can be an enabler for change. Modernizing the supply chain for greater transparency can create a more visibility and equity for all.

FREE WHITE PAPER ➡️ https://lnkd.in/eEr_hWv7

Learn more FRDM and Justin here - FRDM.co

2021 has been another "Year of the Pledges". From setting 2030 to 2050 goals and claiming carbon-neutrality, one thing is for sure...you can pull up to many tables, but which ones? Has this been the year of social and green washing and what can we expect in the new year?

James George from the Pyxera Global has taken over the Supply Chain Revolution® in this special holiday edition - Episode 67. We explore BOLD topics and trends in 2021 and what is front of mind in circularity, sustainability, and supply chains in 2022, including:

How can you get people to care, more, about sustainability? And an inspirational message in the rise of empowerment where how you show up in the world matters. Do people ever go back and check build sustainability commitments?

Lastly, how can we actually get people to care? 2021 has been the rise of empowerment in many ways. Where and how you show up in the world matters. You have control over what you do and mobilizing can be transformative.

We all have a sphere of influence. How will you use yours in 2021?

To Learn more about James please visit the link below:

James: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-george-20995b75/

Find us, connect, and explore at supplychainqueen.com & https://www.supplychainqueen.com

Sending a big thank you for tuning in and please follow us on social media as we unveil insights LIVE from the COP26 Green Zone starting next week. “You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference and you have to decide what kind of a difference you want to make.”

—Jane Goodall

To learn more about James, visit https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-george-20995b75/ and https://www.pyxeraglobal.org/

Learn more about the podcast at supplychainqueen.com

In Part 2, we explore how reliable is data + if disclosures really create transparency, financing the gap in climate transition, the types of data and insights that create space to rage against the machine (systems change/stress testing we need). 30 year legacy data feeds won't model scenarios for the next 10 years. We discuss a real world example shared over lunch that nearly had us in tears.

We need data to see where we should focus our efforts, but not let perfect get in the way of starting. IPCC report came out 3 months ago, and not much heard now. We all have to change and disrupt our quality of life and the types of choices we make. If we don't do it now, it will only get worse.

Where are the grown ups? Consumerism is destroying our planet.

COP26 aspirational goals and commitments to impact include:

1. Secure global net zero by mid-century and keep 1.5 degrees within reach

Countries are being asked to come forward with ambitious 2030 emissions reductions targets that align with reaching net zero by the middle of the century.

To deliver on these stretching targets, countries will need to:

• accelerate the phase-out of coal
• curtail deforestation
• speed up the switch to electric vehicles
• encourage investment in renewables.

2. Adapt to protect communities and natural habitats

The climate is already changing and it will continue to change even as we reduce emissions, with devastating effects.

At COP26 we need to work together to enable and encourage countries affected by climate change to:

• protect and restore ecosystems
• build defences, warning systems and resilient infrastructure and agriculture to avoid loss of homes, livelihoods and even lives

3. Mobilise finance

To deliver on our first two goals, developed countries must make good on their promise to mobilize at least $100bn in climate finance per year by 2020. 

International financial institutions must play their part and we need work towards unleashing the trillions in private and public sector finance required to secure global net zero.

4. Work together to deliver

We can only rise to the challenges of the climate crisis by working together.

At COP26 we must:

• finalize the Paris Rulebook (the detailed rules that make the Paris Agreement operational)
• accelerate action to tackle the climate crisis through collaboration between governments, businesses and civil society.

To learn more about James, visit https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-george-20995b75/ and https://www.pyxeraglobal.org/

Learn more about the podcast at supplychainqueen.com

Join host Sheri Hinish LIVE from the COP26 floor with returning guest James George (formerly of Ellen MacArthur Foundation and now with Pyxera Global). You can't do business on a dead planet, right? Amongst the walls and halls of pledges, panels, and provocative dialogue, this 3 part series will bring you the pulse of COP, the highlights and what doesn't make the headlines.

COP26 aspirational goals and commitments to impact include:

1. Secure global net zero by mid-century and keep 1.5 degrees within reach

Countries are being asked to come forward with ambitious 2030 emissions reductions targets that align with reaching net zero by the middle of the century.

To deliver on these stretching targets, countries will need to:

• accelerate the phase-out of coal
• curtail deforestation
• speed up the switch to electric vehicles
• encourage investment in renewables.

2. Adapt to protect communities and natural habitats

The climate is already changing and it will continue to change even as we reduce emissions, with devastating effects.

At COP26 we need to work together to enable and encourage countries affected by climate change to:

• protect and restore ecosystems
• build defences, warning systems and resilient infrastructure and agriculture to avoid loss of homes, livelihoods and even lives

3. Mobilise finance

To deliver on our first two goals, developed countries must make good on their promise to mobilize at least $100bn in climate finance per year by 2020. 

International financial institutions must play their part and we need work towards unleashing the trillions in private and public sector finance required to secure global net zero.

4. Work together to deliver

We can only rise to the challenges of the climate crisis by working together.

At COP26 we must:

• finalize the Paris Rulebook (the detailed rules that make the Paris Agreement operational)
• accelerate action to tackle the climate crisis through collaboration between governments, businesses and civil society.

To learn more about James, visit https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-george-20995b75/ and https://www.pyxeraglobal.org/

Learn more about the podcast at supplychainqueen.com

In episode 62, Sheri Hinish (SupplyChainQueen) explores key themes in our world's transformation with two thought leaders - Mark Perera (Founder of Procurement Leaders and CEO of Vizibl) + Peter Smith (CIPS and the epic OG of Procurement, literally). Mark and Peter have authored a new, provocative book called 'Procurement with Purpose' and encourage everyone to look deep in your supply chain to make a world of difference. (https://www.procurementwithpurpose.com/)

Procurement with Purpose describes a powerful new movement - how organizations can use the money they spend with suppliers to help address these issues. That “buying power” is now being used to drive change across the business world. 

Mark and Peter share case studies from firms including Unilever and Bayer that have taken the lead in Procurement with Purpose, as well as good practice advice on implementing these ideas  at all stages of the buying cycle. We unpack supplier diversity, and development. and insightful analysis of  “purposeful business” concepts and describe the key environmental, social and economic issues that can be addressed through these approaches. 

Both an inspirational call to action, and a practical guide to implementing real change, Procurement with Purpose suggests that we can still change the world for the better thru disruptive thinking and disrupting incrementalism in sustainable transformation.

Pre-order your copy here (https://www.procurementwithpurpose.com/) All profits from the book will go to support environmental, social and health charities. 

The mystery of human existence lies in finding something to live for; what wakes you up each morning? Will you join us?

Follow Mark Perera https://www.linkedin.com/in/markperera/

Follow Peter Smith https://www.linkedin.com/in/gpetersmith/

In Episode 61, Sheri Hinish joins Sandra Macquillan, EVP + CSCO of Mondelez, an epic leader and Rebel extraordinaire who is forging a bold path for sustainability and being people positive across supply chains in the world we share.

Sewing the threads of sustainability to form the basis of transparency is no easy task. In this episode, you'll learn how Sandra started her journey as an engineer and was drawn to supply chain because she loves people and the chance to make an impact.

We unpack moving from ambition to insights in Consumer Sustainability and how Mondelez puts the consumer experience and building a better world at the heart of every transaction. This includes exploring cool innovation in agri-tech and empowering smallholders.

Sandra describes how to fund sustainability in your organization + the transition from specialist to leadership in a vulnerable and elegant message to 'always be yourself' explaining why diversity wins.

Lastly, we settle the debate of lowest cost versus risk competitiveness: is lowest cost a thing of the past in disruptive transition?

To learn more about Sandra, visit https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandramacquillan

To learn more about the podcast, visit supplychainqueen.com

Topics include: 1) defining accountability, 2) causality challenges, 3) fair living wage, 4) how lowest price encourages bad behavior in supply chains, 5) what is the total cost of ownership and why should we care, 6) the shift toward planet positive and how we will become consumers of environmental services, 7) getting the right info and source of truth in complexities (COP26), 8) the rise of the expert versus the rise of the connector, 9) the beauty of unusual collaborators to drive systems change for social impact.

Be sure to connect and follow James doing epic things in the world - linkedin.com/in/james-george-20995b75

Connect with Sheri + learn more about how you can be on the podcast - supplychainqueen.com

Freedom. We all want it, even in our supply chains to unlock visibility and truth, a prerequisite to freedom as described by our guest. Episodes 59 explores the intersection of technology, human rights in ethical trade, and the urgency in sustainable supply chain risk management w/ Justin Dillion founder of FRDM, a social tech company improving the world through supply chain transparency.

Justin is a prominent advocate and champion for human rights in the supply chain. I learned about Justin several years ago and from his work with the Obama administration (slaveryfootprint.org), his charity “made in a free world,” and his book "A selfish plan to save the world".

Although governments require companies to publicly disclose reduction of slavery everywhere in their supply chain, over 2/3 of all supply chain leaders admit zero visibility beyond their direct suppliers. Slavery affects over 40 million people and another 85 million children under the age of 11 work in hazardous labor conditions. Yet despite these facts, many still can't rely on transactional data, or tracing their dollar upstream to get closer to the truth.

People have a will to fix big problems but they don’t know how. There are real trade implications in sustainable supply chains. FRDM (sounds like freedom) has created a team of researchers, economists, and engineers to build a library of product genomes which can trace human rights abuse deep in supply chains. When we think about the ‘S’ in ESG, it gets very complicated to marry disclosure and self-reported “sustainable business practices” with ground truth in upstream visibility especially in your supply base beyond tier 1.

In this episode, we explore how a predictive bill of materials, smart AI, supplier segmentation overlaid with risk hotspots and probabilistic modeling can help you get closer to the truth, freedom in your supply chains. The gestation of change takes time. Will finds a way, but we have to use supply chains to fulfill the ethics and promise to create sustainable and scalable change over time.

Justin on Linkedin – https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrjustindillon

FRDM - https://www.frdm.co/

Justin’s Charity - https://madeinafreeworld.org/

Justin’s book ‘A Selfish Plan to Save the World’ https://www.amazon.com/Selfish-Plan-Change-World-Problems/dp/0718084535/ref=asc_df_0718084535/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312025908234&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=14113460305328320108&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9007825&hvtargid=pla-328116248148&psc=1

Learn more about the Supply Chain Revolution – supplychainqueen.com

Today is World Oceans Day, observed by United Nations member states to bring discussions, policies, and people impacted by ocean and coastal degradation worldwide.

In Episode 58, Sheri Hinish (SupplyChainQueen) chats with Plastic Bank CEO and Founder, David Katz, who describes himself as a creator in world who wants to make an impact improving the quality of life for others, connected to the ocean, poverty, and improving marine life. David's company is empowering the regenerative society turning plastic into gold by revolutionizing the world’s recycling systems to create a regenerative, inclusive, and circular plastic economy POWERED by supply chains. Clients include Henkel, SC Johnson, and Aldi to name a few...

The Plastic Bank builds ethical recycling ecosystems in coastal communities, and reprocesses the materials for reintroduction into the global manufacturing supply chain. Collectors receive a premium for the materials they collect to better help them provide basic family necessities such as groceries, school tuition, and health insurance.Collected material is reborn as Social Plastic® which is reintegrated into products and packaging. This creates a closed-loop supply chain while helping those who collect it.

Plastic Bank is creating a new monetary standard in new school banking systems. Using a proprietary blockchain platform secures the entire transaction and provides real-time data visualization: allowing for transparency, traceability, and rapid scalability.

In this episode, David challenges the concept of "the plastics problem" and says it's an "us problem". Describing the short-sightedness of convenience, he is on a mission to change the paradigm so people view the material differently in a world where everyone is part of the solution, not pollution.

We explore secondary plastics, the social impact and need for a regenerative economy, how supply chains make it happen, and the creation of new standards and economies enabled just by thinking about materials differently, where waste is resource, We unpack ocean health and some stats around plastics. Also how we must urgently turn off the tap of virgin plastics.

In closing David urges us to think about "what if it was profitable to have more love in the world and be stewards of the oceans, the people and marine life"? What an inspirational story to share on World Oceans Day,

To learn more about David, visit https://plasticbank.com/

To learn more about the podcast, visit SupplyChainQueen.com

In episode 57, host Sheri Hinish (SupplyChainQueen) chats with Veera Johnson - supply chain extraordinaire, woman of many trades including owning a retail operation at 16 + an acting feature in Aladdin, and current co-founder of Circulor. We explore why sustainable benefits in supply chains have historically been consequential, not intentional. Veera urges that traceability at scale - including digital identity and the tracking of physical material composition - is available now to enable 2nd and 3rd use, in a reuse, circular economy.

Traceability-as-a-Service, to verify responsible sourcing, and to underpin effective reverse supply chain infrastructure is unpacked, including the parts of OEM's supply chains that most currently have little real visibility into. Within mapped supply chains, Veera shares how she has proved responsible sourcing in mining cobalt and 28 other raw materials including green steel in battery production in engagement with Volvo and Polestar. Lastly, with a breadth of experience, Veera shares hard-earned lessons that patience, creating the space for change, and self care are critical to success.

To learn more about Veera and Circulor, visit https://www.circulor.com/ and connect on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/veera-johnson-3830271/

To learn more about the Supply Chain Revolution, visit SupplyChainQueen.com

​

In one of the most inspiring episodes to date, Thomas Udeson, Chief Procurement Officer at Bayer and Co-Founder of the Sustainable Procurement Pledge (SPP.Earth) chats with Sheri Hinish (SupplyChainQueen) about his journey, the power of uniting under the SDGs for climate action and sustainability, and how procurement professionals are uniquely positioned to make this happen.

For Thomas, it started with a global curiosity hearing his father talk about shipments. He eloquently describes that "supply chains are the pulse of our society and humanity. Supply chains make things happen and what makes the world the great place it can become. And if you work in a supply chain you naturally get exposed to the beauty of people and diversity."

The Sustainable Procurement Pledge (SPP) was born out of the climate strikes in late 2019. Thomas fundamentally believes that we have everything to make a meaningful impact and change. The SPP builds on commitments at the individual level. 

The Sustainable Procurement Pledge (SPP) is a pro-bono community of those committed to embedding sustainability in to their procurement practices - and sharing knowledge and tools of how to do so.

To take the pledge and learn how to get started in embedding sustainability in your organization, visit spp.earth.

To connect with Thomas and SPP on LinkedIn, visit https://www.linkedin.com/company/sustainable-procurement-pledge/

Please join the Ambassador LinkedIn Group on www.linkedin.com/groups/8845732/ !

To learn more about the podcast, visit supplychainqueen.com

Meet Cogniac.

In Episode 55, Sheri Hinish (Supply Chain Queen) chats with Chuck Myers, CEO of Cogniac and serial innovator with an accomplished career in defense, automotive, telco, and scaling start ups to successful companies.

Chuck shares the key to his success, diverse teams. No surprise here folks. He shares hard earned lessons about leading and selling successful companies, where he describes, "its better to be lucky, than good. I've had a lot of doubles. You have to be a bit paranoid, hire good people, be a loyal person and put people in the right job and treat them right."

Industry 4.0 leaves many questioning how do humans fit into AI/ML, big data, and automation. 'Human in the loop' makes Cogniac different because it is essentially building AI for AI, including the quality SME. Chuck explains an example of Cogniac in railroad, where it visualizes for inspection about 22M trains wheels a month, 30,000 miles of track in near real time. AI makes a determination of high probability and elevates to the 'human in the loop' with immediate intervention. In this example, critical decisions by the human are value add and elevated in the enterprise. This union illustrates the marriage of AI in the future of work across global supply chains and Industry 4.0.

To learn more about Cogniac, visit https://cogniac.co/

To connect and explore the Supply Chain Revolution, visit supplychainqueen.com

In Episode 54, host, Sheri Hinish, also called the SupplyChainQueen, joins CEO of ShipHawk Jeremy Bodenhamer, Supply & Demand Chain Executive Green Award Winner, Author of Adapt or Die, and Supply Chainer ranked on the INC 5000 list who is 100% Rebel! How does logistics save the day and deliver the type of CX that customers have come to expect but in a sustainable way? We talk about the intersection of logistics and technology for positive social impact, omni-channel commerce + the circular economy, and how ShipHawk is helping EPIC sustainable brands do some cool things in supply chain. 

A lot has happened in the e2e supply chain ecosystem space but we still have a gap in creating a world where shipping positively impacts societies without the impacts to people, the environment, or eroding profitability. Many would argue that the sheer nature of 'shipping things' in a complex supply chain, hurts sustainable progress. Jeremy unpacks how the intersection of tech and logistics is helping the triple bottom line, including the fulfillment efficiency card and how do you factor in carbon and non-financial performance indicators to get started on your journey?

To learn more about Jeremy, visit https://www.jeremybodenhamer.com/

To connect and learn more about us: visit supplychainqueen.com/podcast

Join host Sheri Hinish (SupplyChainQueen) and Anthony Day (IBM Blockchain Partner and host of the podcast "Blockchain Won't Save the World) as they unpack how to build supply chain of the future that transform the world we share. Topics discussed include:

-The convergence of technology and 8 themes that when used in concert with the SDGs can change the world

-Creating transformational social impact with blockchain including climate action, sustainable supply chains, micro-financing, and renewable energy transition

-Socio-economic and earth system trends in the great acceleration within planetary boundaries; what we do has a direct impact on Earth systems especially our climate and oceans. Population and energy use are growing exponentially. If we don’t reverse these Earth system trends in a on-linear way.

-Moving from a scarcity to an abundance mindset as we transition to a circular economy. A scarcity mindset is closed and can lead to fear, not stepping out and up to the challenges our generation faces to address the climate emergency and collapse of biodiversity. An abundance mindset is critical in how you show up and embody transformation in the world we share.  

-Data leads to the ability to educate the population on how to make an impact. How do we get more access to capital to transition to renewable energy? How can we open up a market to provide financial collateral in exchange for kilowatts? Blockchain enables this + carbon credits and trading, tokenizing through cryptocurrency also. Project Drawdown explores how to reduce carbon impact like adopting solar and wind renewable energy, reducing refrigeration, food waste, educating girls, and family planning. 

-AI , Blockchain, IoT use cases in cold chain, fold supply chain track and trace. IBM Partner Food Cloud and reducing food waste reduction in PLCM.

-Anthony chats about why aren’ these amazing ideas scaling? Desirability, technical feasibility, viable from a commercial case, the business case...

More about Anthony Day -

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthonyjjday/

https://www.blockchainwontsavethe.world/

Brilliant Video of Anthony from FinTech WorldWide - https://youtu.be/JYLFEQhelnY

Learn more about SupplyChainQUeen + Supply Chain Revolution at http://www.supplychainqueen.com

With little transparency and traceability, it's still a challenge for consumers to validate the sustainability and ethics of that 1st sip of morning brew and also ensure that farmers are receiving fair wages and decent acceptable working conditions. Data ownership down to farmer and privacy are important as we digitalize the first mile; farmers and owners should own data and should benefit from monetization of information they catalyze. What if there was a way to humanize consumption through technology, putting empathy at the center of the solution and supply chains?

Meet Farmer Connect. In episode 52, host Sheri Hinish chats with Farmer Connect's CEO Michael Chrisment about building a sustainable ecosystem using technology that connect farmers and consumers, even whereby consumers can tip the farmer responsible for a good cup of joe. How cool is this!?!?!

Episode 52 unpacks an inspiring mission with Farmer Connect, an IBM Blockchain partner, who urges us to think about the legacy we are leaving our children and how we can use technology to address economic empowerment, climate change, and biodiversity in the world we share. They think tech should bring people together, make the world smaller, more inclusive, empower the individual and small business while reducing costs and inefficiencies for global enterprises. How does it happen? Using several emerging technologies, such as blockchain, self-sovereign identity, and artificial intelligence. Questions we chat about include:

1. Coffee Supply Chain – why do we need a solution like FarmerConnect? Can you share a bit about the unmet need Farmer Connect fills?
2. Lifecycle journey in traceability for supply chain provenance– how does it work?
3. A huge tenet of Farmer Connect is inclusion – transforming the lives of smallholders by empowering ESG. Tell me more…
4. Values – the world needs more empathy. Why is this at the heart of your solution and how do you prioritize your values in partnerships/business?

To learn more about Farmer Connect, visit https://www.farmerconnect.com/

Links to find us, connect, and explore:

Website:

http://www.supplychainqueen.com

https://www.supplychainrevolution.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/supply-chain-revolution/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/_SC_Revolution

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/supply_chain_revolution/

This is the secondary, circular, marketplace of NOW enabled by a super-cool company called Rheaply. Circular supply chains + Rheaply's approach empowers any organization to harvest their internal resources before making any purchasing decision, making the management, exchange and tracking of assets more transparent, sustainable, traceable, and ultimately profitable.

In episode 51, host Sheri Hinish is joined with Bharani Sankar, circular economy + supply chain enthusiast/ engineer and head of alliances at Rheaply. In this chat, we cover circular resource management and how standardization enables reuse across global supply chains. Bharani describes how a secondary materials marketplace works, how material-value flows, and nuances of agglomeration at scale. And lastly, we discuss the benefits of waste diversion - a $100B annual cost in the US alone - and how you can get started in new school traceability and transparency.

It's real and its happening now as we build the supply chains of the future and cities where no one is left behind. Won't you join us?

To learn more about Rheaply, visit https://rheaply.com/about-us/

To learn more about Bharani, visit https://www.linkedin.com/in/bharanivyas-sankar/

Find us, connect, and explore at https://www.supplychainrevolution.com/ & https://www.supplychainqueen.com

Women accounted for 100% of the 140,000 jobs shed by the U.S. economy in December, more than 111% of jobs lost last month. 5.4 million women have been affected since February — equal to 55% of all U.S. jobs lost. We need bold steps in 2021 to build back better, not only messages of inspiration but deep insights around the tools and skills needed for women and underrepresented groups to succeed in the fields of supply chain, technology, and innovation start ups.

In this 1st episode of Season two, host Sheri Hinish (SupplyChainQueen) joins Sallie Jian, Silicon Valley superstar who's touched SAP, eBay, Linkedin, Box, and Uber. She shares her journey from investment banking to technology and sustainability.

In episode 50, you'll hear insights on top skills needed in the tech world, what's driving leadership in global supply chains, the common threads of success in scaling innovation, and how to leverage the SDGs in your partnerships and hiring practices.

Sallie Jian shares why she decided to lead the SAP.iO NY foundry: (1) the opportunity to build out a world class portfolio of next-generation software startups; (2) SAP’s No Boundaries commitment to building out a startup portfolio comprising of 50% women and minority founders. She believes that "from an enterprise perspective, when a company builds a product or an algorithm that is not representative of the population they serve, there will be missteps or gaps in the long-term sustainability of the technology. From a societal perspective, the collective of the best minds means we must embrace minds from all backgrounds. Finally, it’s smart business since diverse leadership teams are proven to lead to more innovation and improved financial performance across all industries."

To join the free SAP.iO supply chain -focused demo day for COVID resilience on January 21, 2021, check out the links below.

• Blog article with info on startups applications and demo day https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:6755527497221251072/
• Demo Day RSVP page https://covid-19recoverycohortdemoday.splashthat.com

 And feel free to link out to Sallie and SAP.iO on social media! @sallie_jian | LinkedIn

Find us, connect, and explore at https://www.supplychainrevolution.com/ & https://www.supplychainqueen.com

James George from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation has taken over the Supply Chain Revolution® in this special holiday edition - Episode 49. We explore BOLD topics and trends in 2020 and what is front of mind in circularity, sustainability, and supply chains in 2021, including:

IWhy we buy stuff & the Minimalist Challenge.

tInclusive sustainability, what does it mean?

’Price parity at the shelf and sustainable brands.

sAll carbon is not created equally: the equation doesn't work in carbon offsets and neutrality.

Conscious consumerism.

aHow can you get people to care, more, about sustainability?

And an inspirational message in the rise of empowerment where how you show up in the world matters.

Do people ever go back and check build sustainability commitments? According to James George, carbon offsets and “net zero” may be a license to get yourself out of a sticky situation; all carbon cycles are not created equal. We talk about 'the minimalist challenge' - removing stuff that doesn’t spark joy; when you get to day 16, things start to get clearer and you decouple the "need" for stuff; Sheri explores why we buy things and what's behind mass-consumerism.

Lastly, how can we actually get people to care? 2020 has been the rise of empowerment in many ways. Where and how you show up in the world matters. You have control over what you do and mobilizing can be transformative.

We all have a sphere of influence. How will you use yours in 2021?

To Learn more about James and the Ellen MacArthur, please visit the links below:

James: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-george-20995b75/

EMF: https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/

Find us, connect, and explore at https://www.supplychainrevolution.com/ & https://www.supplychainqueen.com

In addition to being absolutely brilliant and an advocate for women in STEM, Layla is passionate about normalizing Hijabi in our domain and helping college graduates and millennials land the job of their dreams. She has a massive TikTok and Instagram following with millions of views (username @laylool). Layla believes that drivers have a really HARD job and so many focus on the last mile, but what about the last 100 feet?

Layla believes that the future of work is still human and the driver's experience IS the customer experience in many ways. In Episode 48, you'll learn about Layla's passion in customer service and solving wicked problems in logistics, problems that are relevant when we imagine the future of work, autonomous supply chains, drones, and autonomous delivery. She shares outcomes from customer stories of dramatic effects realized in CO2 reduction when using Wise Systems' AI-enabled optimization.

The expectation for enterprise applications is that they are as seamless like in the consumer world. Layla unpacks Dominos and Zappos examples where customer loyalty comes from good customer experience. She also describes diversity as a business imperative and insights as an SAP.iO foundry superstar (shout out to John Licata)! We have a huge industry with rapidly evolving needs. Where do you stand on innovation and embracing diversity for better product design and customer outcomes?

To anyone listening and/or reading this, Layla is hiring. Send her a DM on TikTok (she gives a shout out on how to land a job in this episode too).

To learn more about Layla and Wise Systems, visit: wisesystems.com or https://www.linkedin.com/in/lshaikley/

To learn more about SAP.io, visit https://sap.io/

Find us, connect, and explore at https://www.supplychainrevolution.com/ & https://www.supplychainqueen.com

In part 2, Episode 47, we'll explore doubling down on technology for transformative change. From AI, digital twins, and a deeper dive in human behavior, Dr. Sheffi gives you the steps to risk management and recovery in COVID and beyond when designing for resilience.

Topics in this episode include using AI to shape human behavior, the technology investments you should make in supply chain, steps to digital resilience learned in COVID, education needed to connect consumer behavior and sustainability, ESG prosperity and a PoV on BlackRock, plastic impacts on climate change reduction, LCIA and the impacts of meat-consumption, a word of CAUTION when using AI and machine learning in supply chain optimization & planning, and lastly lessons learned from his career as a Rebel in supply chain and logistics.

To learn more, visit https://sheffi.mit.edu/ and https://www.amazon.com/New-Ab-Normal-Reshaping-Business-ebook/dp/B08JHXQG1L/

Be sure to follow and subscribe to the Supply Chain Revolution wherever you get your podcasts.

In a 2-part series, Sheri Hinish (SupplyChainQueen) chats with a thought leader and supply chain advocate, Dr. Yossi Sheffi from MIT who has been teaching, learning, building, authoring many publications, including a new book 'the New (Ab) Normal' in a conversation that pushes boundaries highlighting areas that many in supply chain and technology shy away from discussing...getting real on transformation, innovation, and disruption.

In his new book, the New (Ab) Normal, Dr. Sheffi describes how supply chains - by and large- responded to the challenges during the COVID pandemic. Civilization depends on supply chains to convert the planet’s bounty into products and deliver those products affordably to 7.8 billion human beings. Sheffi exposes the critical role supply chains play in helping people, governments, and companies to manage that bounty. The book draws on executive interviews, pandemic media coverage, historical analyses, and themes from his books, "The Resilient Enterprise" (2005) and "The Power of Resilience" (2015) to suggest how companies become more resilient facing uncertainty. This must-read book helps companies and entrepreneurs adjust to a fast-evolving economic landscape.

We dig into the concept of resilience, but more importantly what should we expect in 2021? What's in store for retail, omni channel and ecommerce?

Fundamentally, The New (Ab)Normal is about businesses trying to create a better future in a time of extreme uncertainty. We explore incrementalism which is stifling supply chain innovation and perpetuating the 'we've always done it this way' paradigm. The problem is we iterate in a linear, bad system. And there are no good choices in a bad system, only choosing between less bad.

When we think about extending traditional planning boundaries and the buffet of 2020 supply chain buzzwords, are businesses missing an opportunity to be truly disruptive, to embrace circularity, new business models, and innovation? Why does the incremental approach, even when gaps are highlighted by COVID and climate change seem to persist? From non-linear thinking, to sustainability, producer responsibility, and the value action gap in consumption, we unpack the opportunity in building back better. What will it take to build the supply chains of 2030? *Hint: science is the connector and technology is the accelerator.

In part 2, Episode 47, we'll explore doubling down on technology for transformative change. From AI, digital twins, and a deeper dive in human behavior, Dr. Sheffi gives you the steps to risk management and recovery in COVID and beyond when designing for resilience.

To learn more, visit https://sheffi.mit.edu/ and https://www.amazon.com/New-Ab-Normal-Reshaping-Business-ebook/dp/B08JHXQG1L/

Be sure to follow and subscribe to the Supply Chain Revolution wherever you get your podcasts.

I met Garry a few months back at a Green Biz event and had chills after hearing him evangelize how the "circular economy can only be realized when it’s real for everyone, and everyone can participate. Materials flow everywhere.” I was blown away as he described his purpose "to make his story not remarkable,” empowering more people and particularly women of color to participate and not just be a passive stakeholder in making our communities sustainable. Rheaply is a part of Circular-City Chicago in tri-sector partnerships including local non-profit community champions. We pull on the threads of digital divide and food sovereignty, and hydroponic farming in Chicago too.

The future is bright. In Episode 45, he explores his journey as someone who wants to make an impact, and a black man in an almost exclusively white environment for most of his career. His dream for Rheaply is to operationalizing a net-zero waste strategy and help businesses be efficient in a COVID world by reducing holding and carrying costs, capturing material value and leveraging spend avoidance. However, we diverge and in a provocative discussion to explore the business case “let’s keep our marketplace on Earth” (not to be missed)!

As we unpack the business model emergency for circularity, the big question emerged…has COVID accelerated or decelerated climate and sustainability transition? We talk about recent weather disruptions and fires in California, and the burning question is “can you do business when folks can’t go outside?” The Earth is the business case. It’s not climate change, it’s a climate emergency. We also talk about doing the right thing particularly when it comes to social responsibility in forced child labor and the black lives matter movement. Do either of these pressing social issues really “need” a business case or is this a space to step up and be good stewards in business?

One of Rheaply’s key partners is SAP and Rheaply is currently in the SAP.iO Foundry. Big shout out to John Licata at SAP.iO. Garry explores his journey as a start up founder with lessons earned for other technologists. Also shout out to John Holm, a friend of Supply Chain Revolution from Pyxera Global, and a Circular Cities-Chicago advocate. Also, shout out to Harold Chapman for all the work you do to feed and teach the students in Chicago that there is sustainable way to live, eat, and learn. 

To learn more about Dr. Garry Cooper, visit https://rheaply.com/ or https://www.linkedin.com/in/garrycooperphd/

To learn more about the Supply Chain Revolution, visit supplychainqueen.com or supplychainrevolution.com

Nine-tenths of all solid waste in the United States does not get recycled. While landfills are among the biggest contributors to soil pollution (roughly 80% of the items buried in landfills could be recycled), our take-make-waste mindset and transition away from a linear economy presets a transformative opportunity. What’s the business case for change, for moving toward a sustainable and circular world? Recycling is a difficult business. The whole process is full of inefficiencies, has many stakeholders, and a lack of digital data to track a product's journey from creation to destruction. The challenge for the recycling business is supply chain visibility and traceability.

In Episode 44, Sheri Hinish chats with Stan Chen of RecycleGo. Stan is a 2nd generation recycler and believes there is a way to make supply chains sustainable and scale the circular economy- particularly how we use and source plastics- using disruptive innovation like blockchain, and data analytics. This episode was recorded just days after the US presidential election and Stan explores his experience as a 1st generation Asian American, growing up in the midst of racial change and while honoring his father’s legacy as a Taiwanese recycler. Irvington, N.J.-based recycling technology solutions provider RecycleGO is using Hyperledger Fabric, an open-sourced blockchain framework, to build a platform for any type of recyclable material to be tracked throughout its lifecycle. If you’re interested in learning about the impact of plastics, micros plastics, social environmentalism and its impacts, and innovation in recycling using technology like blockchain, this episode is for you. 

We also dive into the importance for making the business case in sustainability investments and the ROI period. The power of your purse is real and there’s never been a better time to invest in your future.

Benefits of using a SaaS, blockchain solution for recycling like RecycleGo include:

1.    Cross-organization supply chain recycling tracking that enables data transparency and provenance

2.    Tracking individual plastic items across their lifecycles to create incentives that reward manufacturers for designing easy-to-reuse or recycle plastics. Because reuse and recycling of products is so essential to the creation of sustainable supply chains, this data will be invaluable for businesses that make eco-friendliness a top priority.

3.    Providing better recycling incentives for consumers to reduce accumulated plastics in oceans and mass-ingestion of microplastics worldwide.

To learn more about Stan Chen and RecycleGo, visit https://recyclego.com/ and https://www.linkedin.com/in/stanchen/

To explore provocative

PoVs, visit supplychainqueen.com and supplychainrevolution.com

In Episode 43, Sheri Hinish (SupplyChainQueen) joins Natasha Franzen, COO of HERO an SAP.iO Foundry superstar. With customers like Levis, Nike, Jonathan Adler, Herman Miller, Rag & Bone, and countless others, HERO is bringing next level human commerce to retail with conversational commerce to help stores unlock their competitive edge. Stores create 1 in 10 of the world’s jobs, more than any other sector. HERO exists to not only keep these stores and their employees at the heart of communities and the economy, but to empower them with the technology that unlocks their unique advantage over the e-commerce giants. Whether in-person, via text, chat or video, HERO is empowering store associates to thrive during COVID injecting gamification and the human layer into the store, complementing the convenience of online shopping, even during periods of low foot traffic.

To learn more about HERO, visit usehero.com or https://sap.io/ who is helping innovators inside and outside of SAP build products, find customers, and change industries.

Find us, connect, and explore at https://www.supplychainrevolution.com/ & https://www.supplychainqueen.com

Through the lens of business transformation, a common challenge for many is knowing what levers to pull strategically, reinventing portions of their business in a digital way. The biggest issue is not tech, it's the lack of skill and culture needed to scale disruptive change.

In Episode 42, Sheri Hinish welcomes Jennifer Bryne, digital empowerment evangelist and rebel who is exploring the next chapter in her career after retiring from Microsoft as the US Chief Technology Officer. Jennifer is now working with start-ups, giving back in. the tech community, and writing her first book. She has a fascinating career path starting in non-profit management and social services, then transitioning to cybersecurity sales and engineering teams.

Learn from Jennifer as she shares her experience leading, developing, and executing vertical industry and go-to-market strategies, while managing global alliances and partner ecosystems.

In this Episode, we explore the keys to accelerating your success in AI Digital transformation, the future of work and AI, patterns in change management that can be applied to solve supply chain/human/and business problems, and key tips that have helped Jennifer in her journey as a woman in STEM for career advancement, and positioning herself for leadership roles.

To learn more about Jennifer Bryne, visit https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-byrne-talks/

Find us, connect, and explore at https://www.supplychainrevolution.com/ & https://www.supplychainqueen.com

Imagine a world where supply chains are flipped upside down, a world where we send files, not parts? A world that empowers the end consumer to produce what is needed on-demand through cloud based technology, including recycling on site in a circular transition?

In Episode 41, CEO of Ivaldi (Espen Sivertsen) joins Sheri Hinish to talk about the future of digital supply chains, on-demand additive manufacturing and the business case for change, industrial sustainability, and the power of diversity in technology. Espen is part of the SAP.iO Foundry bootcamp and shares observations he’s gathered from Silicon Valley and beyond, that diversity fuels innovation. Segments Ivaldi serves include maritime, industrial, mining, energy (gas turbines and power plants), and automotive. 

One of Espen’s guiding quotes are “we did not inherit the Earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.” He also dives into the sustainability aspects on on-demand, additive, local manufacturing environments through digital distribution. Digital distribution is the process of sending digital part files to local manufacturers for on-demand production and distribution. Digital distribution bypasses physical distribution limitations such as sourcing disruptions, carry costs, late shipments, minimum quantities, obsolete inventory and environmental contamination by storing parts in a virtual warehouse and only manufacturing parts when and where they are needed through a distributed network of local manufacturers. As production tools such as 3D printing, robotic fabrication and other CNC systems get faster, better and cheaper, an increasing range of parts can be cost-effective to manufacture on-demand. Digital distribution is fundamentally changing supply chain dynamics as user-needs supplant centralized manufacturing limitations as the driving force in the industry.

This episode is part of a new partnership highlighting innovation and diversity in supply chain start ups at SAP.iO. To learn more, visit https://sap.io/ Shout out to John Licata for making the introductions!

To learn more about Ivaldi, visit https://www.ivaldi.io/

Find us, connect, and explore at https://www.supplychainrevolution.com/ & https://www.supplychainqueen.com

The environmental impact of the pet sector is huge. Did you know that 300 million pounds of packaging is sent to land fill each year? Finally, the pet industry has often overlooked and serious social sustainability challenges as well. Pet ownership has been directly linked to home ownership, but with systematic racist policies historically making home ownership out of reach for communities of color, what are the Justice, Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion implications of the industry itself? Why aren’t people aware or talking about this? 

In Episode 40, Sheri Hinish discusses massive opportunities in pet sustainability, in caring differently for our furry friends, with MelissaBauer from the Pet Sustainability Coalition. PSC has a super cool origin story starting with Chris Bentley. A lover of life and an environmentalist at heart, Chris Bentley has spent several decades looking for ways to minimize his environmental footprint. Based in Colorado, Chris was active in the entrepreneurial business community where he saw the Natural Foods movement adopt Organic Certification and the Outdoor Industry collaborate to build innovative sustainability tools. With over 25 years of success in the pet products industry, first with Aspen Pet and then with Only Natural Pet and “I and Love and You,” he knew there was an opportunity to drive impact in an industry he had grown to know and love.

Together with fellow sustainable business leader Marty Grosjean at Only Natural Pet, Chris partnered with sustainability icon Hunter Lovins at Natural Capitalism Solutions to develop a suite of sustainability tools that could provide their respective companies the resources they needed to implement sustainable business processes.

The outcome of this project was a world class toolkit built by Natural Capitalism Solutions that had far reaching potential. The new vision for these tools was to serve as a transformative catalyst that would enable the entire pet industry to engage more positively with the environment and communities where they do business.

When complete, Chris, Natural Capitalism Solutions, the Outdoor Industry Association, and 25 business leaders met at Global Pet Expo 2013 where they formed a new nonprofit collaborative that would share tools and resources to encourage adoption of sustainable business practices. KD Frueh at KONG Company, Tony de Vos at Cardinal Pet Care, Jim Thomas at Petco, Spencer Williams at West Paw, Stephanie Volo at Planet Dog, and Aaron Lambstein at Worldwise joined Only Natural Pet and I and Love and You to become Founding Members of the Pet Sustainability Coalition. These 8 Founding Members continued to make large financial contributions for five consecutive years that served as the Coalition’s primary revenue and lifeblood!

To get involved and learn more about Pet Sustainability Coalition, visit https://www.petsustainability.org

Find us, connect, and explore at https://www.supplychainrevolution.com/ & Sheri Hinish at https://www.supplychainqueen.com

What's interesting is many of the supply chain challenges like traceability, transparency, and moving beyond Tier 2 - 4 are being addressed by GPSNR and its members - Ford, BMW, Continental, Good Year, General Motors, and many more. One company can not transform an industry alone.

In this episode we explore traceability, transparency, and stakeholder requirements to build the platform at scale - a way of working that can be applied to many supply chain segments, including cool advances in satellite mapping. We talk about the future of mobility, material science a bit, and learn about Stefano's journey, with a touching message at the end that had Sheri on the verge of tears!

To learn more about Stefano, visit https://www.linkedin.com/in/stefano-savi-2a690526/

To learn more about the recent advances from GPSNR, visit https://gpsnr.org/

Find us, connect, and explore at https://www.supplychainrevolution.com/ & https://www.supplychainqueen.com

Access to education, healthcare, clean water, and economic development opportunities remain key priorities for many countries. Entire populations and children are being left behind and marginalized through climate change, disruptions, and globalization. Addressing generational poverty and transformation can take decades. How might we learn from current success stories, work that can scale to other parts of the world in sustainable development? Great ideas and innovation are everywhere, but often access to funding, relationships, and networks present hurdles particularly for young, underrepresented (often female, black, and non-binary) people. How can we access to funding so great ideas can thrive? 

In this episode, Taylor Hebble joins the Supply Chain Revolution to discuss two cool organizations addressing these unmet needs in sustainability, sustainable development, and innovation that transforms the world.

Taylor Hebble and Sheri Hinish met at Harvard this summer in a learning cohort that trains leaders in the change leadership needed for sustainable development. Through meaningful interactions, Sheri learned about Taylor’s work at Hope for Haiti and SoGal Foundation. Taylor describes some of the initiatives at Hope for Haiti around clean water, education, and healthcare, including an inspiring story of triumph after a small school was destroyed by Hurricane Matthew. How can we truly transform the donor relationship and sustainable development? Listening to what communities need most! We discuss simple solutions and Taylor describes a few including a clean water project at scale.

We also explore SoGal Foundation, founded in 2014 by Pocket Sun and Elizabeth Galbut, and its current Black and non-binary peoples cash grants program that provides immediate access to fund incredible ideas. SoGal Foundation is the largest global platform for women and diverse entrepreneurs and investors with over 40 chapters across 5 continents. Its mission is to close the diversity gap in entrepreneurship and venture capital. By bringing access, capital, and education to underprivileged entrepreneurs, SoGal Foundation has grown from a classroom side project to a global movement for women and underrepresented people to live on their own terms. It represents: a fearless, inspirational spirit + a constant, relentless execution mode + a collaborative and supportive community + young women with entrepreneurial ambitions. SoGal provides multiple series of events, including the SoGal Summit, which was the largest female entrepreneurship conference in Southern California. Super excited to bring awareness to this inspiring organization.

In this episode, we are joined by Dr. Justin Goldston, an advisor/professor/consultant/5X Tedtalk/ and evangelist for creating Diversity & Inclusion in supply chain and academia. As an African American who grew up in the south, started his supply chain journey at an HBCU, and then transitioned to manufacturing, Justin offers a unique perspective into the racism and bias that exists - still - in many supply chain organizations. After leaving industry, he explores opportunities for inclusion in consulting, and lastly the power of education for access. Justin currently teaches supply chain management at Penn State and Georgetown, organizing a TedX PSU series that gives young people the space to share on a global stage. 

This is a longer episode that is one of the most provocative to date, potentially uncomfortable for some, however necessary for divergence and awareness. Topics covered include: how to engage historically black colleges and universities in SCM talent management, the internal headspace needed to navigate discrimination, cultural intelligence, bias in hiring from application to boardroom, the “echo chamber” in supply chain orgs that don’t embrace D&I, how the shift to remote work has accelerated D&I, and unpacking the Black Lives Matter movement for awareness in corporate America and academia. 

Reach out, connect, learn more, and get started...

Find Dr. Justin Goldston at https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-goldston/

Find us, connect, and explore at https://www.supplychainrevolution.com/ & https://www.supplychainqueen.com

Why are technology vendors failing to deliver the promise? Is it a 2 way street? What are the value levers in delivery, is there a silver bullet? Business and supply chain leaders simply want to make better decisions, how does technology enable time-to-value in 30 days? We go there…

In Episode 35, Tim Judge, CEO of Agillitics and industry veteran joins the Supply Chain Revolution to talk technology, leadership, decision management, and the new blended role of supply chain/IT that is the new normal. This is a longer episode and we cover a breadth of topics: 1) what do people want in supply chain tech, 2) piloting to redefine the value delivery model, 3) standing up for the clients best interest (its tougher than you think), 4) short-term versus long-term thinking in tech investments, 5) who is qualified to be the best supply chain leader, 6) values versus virtues in the purpose economy, 7) shifting reactive thinking to proactive decision management, 8) sustainability is a priority, 9) 3 top areas to get time-to-value in 30 days, and 10) is the future of work in supply chain a blended role with IT? 

Reach out, connect, learn more, and get started...

Find Tim at https://www.linkedin.com/in/timpjudge/

Find us, connect, and explore at https://www.supplychainrevolution.com/ & https://www.supplychainqueen.com

In Episode 34, Suuchi Ramesh joins the SupplyChainQueen to chat about the future of work, how diversity creates inclusive design and better customer experience. In this episode, we also discuss Suuchi’s journey as a woman in STEM, woman in technology, and an immigrant in the start-up world. She shares her story on building the right team and leading for diversity in supply chain and tech. 

Reach out, connect, learn more, and get started...

Find Suuchi, Suuchi Inc at https://www.linkedin.com/in/suuchi-ramesh-219480111/ & https://www.linkedin.com/company/suuchi/

Find us, connect, and explore at https://www.supplychainrevolution.com/

In Episode 33, Suuchi Ramesh joins the SupplyChainQueen to chat about the Age of Digital and sustainable supply chain. In this episode, we explore digital supply chains and the importance of connectivity, communication, and predictive data analytics in world-class supply chains. The convergence of tech has provided many options, yet are we closer to sustainability at scale in digital supply chain? What is the cost of trust and compliance? How do you build digital trust? How do you best solve for problems in the flow of goods and services? How do you scale B2B enterprise software and which investments should you consider?

Technology provides accelerated benefits in both digital transformation and proactively managing risk hotspots in sustainability. Yet, when we imagine the autonomous supply chain in design to distribution, do outcomes and value derived meet expectations? Suuchi explores low-hanging fruit in digital supply chain, including the importance of traceability and accountability in global supply chains. 

This is a 2-part lightning talk series. In part 2 (Episode 34), we explore where humans add the most value in the future of work, understanding the role of UI & UX in inclusive design, and Suuchi’s journey as a woman in STEM, woman in technology, and an immigrant in the start-up world. She shares her story on building the right team and leading for diversity in supply chain and tech. 

Reach out, connect, and learn more...

Find Suuchi Ramesh, Suuchi Inc at https://www.linkedin.com/in/suuchi-ramesh-219480111/ & https://www.linkedin.com/company/suuchi/

Find us, connect, and explore at https://www.supplychainrevolution.com/

Technology and the future of fashion includes assuring brand identity and ethical supply chains with provenance. How does technology like blockchain, AI, deep ML, analytics, and digital supply chains bring us closer to sustainability and circularity in fashion?

This episode explores the nitty-gritty of fashion supply chains and technology, including predictions for the future of fashion. Most notably, we break down how to monetize waste streams and optimize fashion supply chains from acquisition to manufacturing, to creating a brand that meets the triple bottom line: people, planet, profit.

Learn about entrepreneurship in an age of Amazon: the Queen of Raw saw an opportunity in the B2B space and created a private portal to cater to large volume buyers and sellers and launched a partnership with SAP. And for Queen of Raw, fashion and textiles is just the beginning. Looking across industries and around the world, it has found the $1 trillion thread to solve the world’s water crisis.  

Learn about using blockchain to rescue fashion’s dead stock: the Queen of Raw uses blockchain technology to provide transparency around wasted inventory and turn that pollution into profit by integrating with its global marketplace. Queen of Raw secures and verifies supply chain data to help companies save significant time and money. Blockchain is the new reality for wholesale and retail.

Learn more about Stephanie here -  http://www.queenofraw.com 

Industry: SaaS Software, Supply Chain, Textiles, Blockchain, Machine Learning/AI, Marketplace Launched: Q3 2018

Find us, connect, and explore at https://www.supplychainrevolution.com/

Episode 31 is a 2-part lightning talk series exploring Stephanie Benedetto’s journey from corporate attorney, to sustainability tech entrepreneur. Her family has been in the fashion supply chain business for over 100 years! Benedetto saw the problem first hand and together they built the Queen of Raw solution: a B2B platform for businesses to recapture value from their wasted materials rather than burning them. 

This episode provides: an overview of the fashion supply chain, its impact on the world we share and why textile production is the second biggest polluting industry in the world. Did you know that one tee shirt takes 700 gallons of water to produce? Bringing $120 billion worth of unused textiles back to life, the Queen of Raw has already saved over one billion gallons of water while saving businesses millions of dollars with supply chain efficiency. Why is an optimized supply chain the solution for people, for planet, and for profit? You’ll learn why sustainability and circularity are the answer in the future of fashion. 

We also explore Stephanie’s journey including her advice to women-owned technology start-ups! Some of Stephanie’s awards include: Grand Prize WeWork Creator Awards, Cartier Women’s Initiative, Laureate MIT Solve Global Challenge Winner, LVMH Innovation Award, NASA/NIKE/IKEA/DELL Innovator Finalist, Google Women Who Tech Fashion Group International Rising Star, thredUP Circular Fashion Fund Recipient

Learn more about Stephanie here -  http://www.queenofraw.com 

Industry: SaaS Software, Supply Chain, Textiles, Blockchain, Machine Learning/AI, Marketplace Launched: Q3 2018

Find us, connect, and explore at https://www.supplychainrevolution.com/

In Episode 30 (part 3 of a lightning talk series), John Holm from Pyxera Global explores the business case for sustainability and circular economy including product innovation, culture, and legislation. In the US, there simply isn't enough happening in regulatory environments around single-use plastics and extending producer's responsibility. However, there are bright spots and John describes the sea-change happening when you get it right using the apparel/footwear industry.

COVID is impacting everything we do, including organizations in the social impact sectors. John touches on how PPE is impacting our oceans and why we should think about micro-plastics, how supply chains can help. Lastly, we describe how you can get involved and champion the work being done. If you like this series, please subscribe and share a review. We thank John and the Pyxera Global team for all their work to make the world a better place.

Reach out, connect, learn more, and get started...

Find John Holm, Pxyera Global at https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnholm/ & https://www.pyxeraglobal.org/

Find us, connect, and explore at https://www.supplychainrevolution.com/

Episode 29 answers: have we failed the global development community by positioning a broken vision, is the top of the food chain motivated to build an equitable society, how to influence success in reduce/reuse/recycle initiatives at the community level, and how do we forge tri-sector partnerships in social/public/private sectors? We unpack women's rights, and how companies like 3M and BASF have clear line of sight using ESG frameworks, making sustainability everyone's priority (not a department).

Achieving the SGDs requires investments and policies that affect specific places, and there is increasing realization that overall global progress will depend in significant measure upon local leadership and action. These local leaders, the people who care deeply about community issues, who implement initiatives and who shape local development, represent a huge window of opportunity for global social change.Using their direct contact with communities, local leaders are uniquely positioned to push forward ideas, galvanize others and create immediate social impact. Mayors and local government officials are forming the frontlines of SDG implementation, translating the agenda’s lofty and sometimes abstract aspirations into progress felt by real people living in real communities.

Reach out, connect, learn more, and get started...

Find John Holm, Pxyera Global at https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnholm/ & https://www.pyxeraglobal.org/

Find us, connect, and explore at https://www.supplychainrevolution.com/

"It takes courage to forge a true partnership. It takes compromise. It takes respect for one another’s goals, experiences, knowledge, processes, and approaches. It takes courage, if you are a donor institution or an NGO, to accept that your private sector partner has a goal, even an obligation, to drive business value—that is, to ultimately profit from this work. And that is a valid goal, and should be embraced as part of the partnership.” (Deidre White of Pyxera Global)

Episode 28 is a 3 part series of lightning talks with John Holm from Pyxera Global. In this episode he explores how public, private, and social sector organizations engage to address global challenges to solve the world’s biggest problems, including the low hanging fruit in circular transition. He also describes the circular cities model and zero waste communities (btw he LOVES waste pickers and is a huge advocate)!

As cities embrace the concept of the circular economy by reducing the amount of waste and working to decouple economic activity from the consumption of finite resources, making it real and accessible for consumers becomes critical. We also discuss the lack of recycling infrastructure in the United States and how mayors can help influence circular models. How can we shift business to service contracts versus selling more products? We unpack a few examples and the benefits of using P-a-a-S (product as a service).

Part 2 - Episode 29 explores "Sustainable Development & the SDGs, Have We Failed the Global Development Community with the Wrong Context, Womens Rights and Building an Equitable Society"

Part 3 - Episode 30 explores "How to Frame and Lead the Business Case for Sustainability and Circular Economy, Ocean Plastics & PPE, and the Sea Change in Circular Products in Footwear & Apparel"

Reach out, connect, learn more, and get started...

Find John Holm, Pxyera Global at https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnholm/ & https://www.pyxeraglobal.org/

Find us, connect, and explore at https://www.supplychainrevolution.com/

In Episode 27, James George from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation discusses that COVID has accelerated conversations for circular economy. Two distinct groups are emerging: 1) those who've been disrupted and don't know where to go or where to start, and 2) the businesses who are successful are prioritizing doing things differently, innovation, doubling down on circular economy grounded in the business case for change including agility, supply assurance, and designing risk out of your supply chain. Supply chain resilience is critical and how do you ensure the right work gets done? Lastly, we debate how sustainability and circularity may not exist in the same sentence. Is optimizing for "less bad" the right pivot to navigate COVID and beyond?

How do you get started?

Find James George, EllenMacArthur Foundation at https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-george-20995b75/

Find us, connect, and explore at https://www.supplychainrevolution.com/

The concept of a circular economy is a hot topic in the midst of COVID, not only because of its positive social, environmental, financial impacts but also the assuring of supply, mitigation of raw material price fluctuation, reduction of waste, and innovative revenue streams. As circular design ambitions grow, current advances in technology have made it possible for companies like Lego and IKEA to lead the transition to a circular economy. Lego is answering this question: how do we use creativity and play to help children reimagine and rebuild the world? And how do we engage AFOLs (adult fans of Lego) for current design ideas?

Technology alone cannot achieve CE at scale, so what role do humans and creativity play in the world achieving a true circular economy?

In Episode 26, James George from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation describes the importance of purpose, leadership, courage and risk in the Circular Economy. Using concrete examples of ingenuity, technology, and the human experience, we unpack Lego’s Circular & Sustainable journey “RePlay”…inspiring bold moves through play, creativity, and powerful leadership. IKEA is solving the wicked problem of food waste using AI, process optimization, demand planning. They pilot circular disruption at the store level and iterate to scale. Want to learn more? This is the episode for you. 

Circular economy is an investment lever many companies are pulling to weather long term disruption and build sustainable supply chains. Human and creativity play a role in achieving innovation at scale to build a better, healthier planet and economy.

How do you get started?

Find James George, EllenMacArthur Foundation at https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-george-20995b75/

Find us, connect, and explore at https://www.supplychainrevolution.com/

This episode touches on everything from SDG 13, to a comparison of renewable energy sources, how to build a green data center, why Google and Microsoft cloud environments are more sustainable than AWS, and the business case for transition to EVs (electric vehicles). What is the social cost of carbon? How do we trust businesses and suppliers to be sustainable in environmental stewardship? How can reporting and pricing carbon can reduce emissions and enable smarter planning in supply chains? According to conservation.org, the Price tag for climate change in the US is $ 140​ billion per year. This is what it would take to make the changes humanity needs to adapt to a warming world. It may sound like a lot, but it’s less than 0.2% of global GDP. And the cost will only increase the longer we take to act ambitiously.

Supply Chains, technology, and Industry 4.0 are a conduit for climate action using environmental risk management, the cost of carbon, and understanding consumer behavior where shifts like purchaser-to-participant and “shades of green” meet the consumer in their green journey. There are natural climate pivots like the “flexitarian diet” and small behavior shifts that pay dividends. There is a fiscal argument for climate action that is unpacked in this episode, inlacing SAP’s new Climate 21 initiative.

Climate change impacts natural and human systems globally through the increase globally averaged surface temperature, extreme weather events, changing precipitation patterns, rising sea levels and ocean acidification. These risks will ultimately impact people’s livelihoods, particularly marginalized groups such as women, children, and the elderly, as resources, food and water become more scarce. If you think about the SDGs, the lasting effects of climate change tied to SDG 13 makes it very difficult to achieve other goals. The green revolution starts with you. Learn more about how we can design a better future with zero waste, equality, and transition to carbon neutrality, and carbon negative solutions to unite people and our planet.

This is a longer discussion than other episodes but worth the listen!

Find us, connect, and explore at https://www.supplychainrevolution.com/

In Episode 22 (Part 2 of the discussion), we explore the principles of regenerative agriculture in the circular transition, including the tension of going local, integrating food education in public schools, the benefits of urban agriculture and holistic design, the importance of communities in agriculture and circularity, and how you can get started in your journey rethinking food and food security. The revolution starts at the bottom. Learn more about how we can design a better future with zero waste, equality, and transition to soil-to-soil approaches to unite people and our planet.

PS: This is the 2nd part of a long discussion. Part 1 is Episode 21, so if you haven’t listened to it yet it’s a good primer for this episode. It’s about 17 mins.

Find us, connect, and explore at https://www.supplychainrevolution.com/

In Episode 20 we are joined with Joanna Bichsel, Microsoft software developer turned CEO of health tech start up Kasha, pioneering women’s e-commerce and consumer driven supply chain in East Africa. At the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Joanna learned that women in Africa faced real challenges in buying sanitary pads and other basic health products. She thought, “Why not develop a e-commerce platform for women to buy affordable, high quality health products confidentially?” The idea for Kasha was born. 

This episode explores best practices in last mile delivery using mobile to deliver direct to consumer, discreetly, the consumer driven supply chain fueled by data and digital with the women in mind, using social media for market shaping, public private partnerships in working with governments to create access for people using technology, and empowering women to confidentially and affordably purchase the products they need to live their best lives.

To learn more about Kasha, visit: http://www.kasha.co

Find us, connect, and explore at https://www.supplychainrevolution.com/

Cameron Plese joins us from RSPO in one of our best discussions yet, to explore why palm oil is such an important topic. Provocative PoV on the impact of palm oil on the environment and economies, industry collaboration with CPG leaders like Proctor & Gamble (and their Smallholder Academy), Walmart (and Project Gigaton), Kelloggs advances in human rights, and Unilever's ongoing commitment to sustainability. Topics we cover include strategy in sourcing, policy and how to get started, technology in first mile sustainability including traceability, drones, and blockchain. If you ever wanted to learn about sustainability in sourcing, including smallholder farmer collaboration, this is a great episode.

To learn more about RSPO and their North America Sustainable Palm Oil Virtual Conference on June 16-18, 2020, visit https://www.rspo.org/

Find the Supply Chain Queen and Circular Nomad at https://www.supplychainrevolution.com/

You’ll find an intriguing discussion on the “gate of responsibility” in life cycle impact analysis and how to build “pragmatic sustainability” in your organization where “we do what we say we can do", no greenwashing, no hype. Dr. Dirk explores Henkel’s journey working in the secondary plastics market, an adoption of circular economy. Lastly, he explores transitioning from technician to strategic leader offering career path insights for supply chain professionals. 

To learn more about Dr. Dirk Holbach, visit: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-dirk-holbach-0518891/

Find us, connect, and explore at https://www.supplychainrevolution.com/

Just think about all the data that you have created online that you no longer use. Almost everything we do online increases our carbon footprint. We share some fun facts about everyday scenarios that bring awareness to your digital carbon footprint and most importantly, easy tips you can use to live waste-free (or make a step in the right direction).

Find us, connect, and explore at https://www.supplychainrevolution.com/

In this episode, you’ll hear why MANELS must STOP, why a level playing field with gender diversity is necessary, why being inclusive isn’t just about “inviting a women on a panel” or better yet “having a women moderate or interview the panel”. We describe changes in the supply chain workforce and population of recent graduates. Ageism and challenging traditional norms is a contentious task, but necessary to shift the status quo. Our hearts are in the right place during this difficult discussion. Women and members of underrepresented communities should also have an opportunity for speaking slots at high-level supply chain, STEM, and academic events and conferences. We urge you to take the panel pledge and draw the line by calling out actors who may unknowingly (or knowingly) participate in this stale and divisive tradition. 

To learn more about the MANEL pledge, visit: https://www.owen.org/pledge/

Find us, connect, and explore at https://www.supplychainrevolution.com/

In this episode, you’ll hear how to make the shift from old school to new school leadership; how getting to know a diverse group of people leads to a better understanding of yourself, and building better teams. This is particularly important as Angela describes how to acquire, inspire, and develop new graduates and a new workforce, a workforce with purpose who wants to have an impact on the world. We explore customer centricity at Microsoft and the importance of putting empathy at the center of everything you do and how to create lasting brand love.

To learn more about Angela Hession and her impact, visit: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angela-hession-a294ab17/

Find us, connect, and explore at https://www.supplychainrevolution.com/

In this episode, we discuss how supply chains provide are the perfect conduit for transformation to circular and sustainable business models. We dive into connecting local communities where supply chains touch to the sustainable development goals. We talk cloud, inventory, digital supply chain, leadership, and Sheri gives a powerful message on why and how we can change the world, each of us. Tom also has a Digital Supply Chain Podcast, so be sure to check it out, subscribe and follow!

To learn more about Tom Raftery and his impact, visit: https://tomraftery.com/category/digital-supply-chain/

Find us, connect, and explore at https://www.supplychainrevolution.com/

It’s time we expand our thinking around supply chain and how it’s a powerful conduit that can impact the lives of many, particularly the lives of women. How does supply chain best serve the people who need access the most…access to healthcare, medicine, sexual and reproductive health. Most of this access happens because of supply chains.

In this episode, we discuss how supply chains provide access to human health as a basic right which involves translating rights from the United Nations to the individual communities who need critical supplies, stakeholder engagement in defining the future of humanitarian supply chains, and the amazing work happening at the Africa Resource Center.

To learn more about Pretty: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pretty-mubaiwa-b5917086/; to learn more about ARC: https://www.linkedin.com/company/africa-resource-centre/about/

Find us, connect, and explore at https://www.supplychainrevolution.com/

International Development is an extremely complex environment. In many parts of the world, governments run humanitarian supply chains as a public service. Coordinating how the medicines are sourced, and working with donors and partners is often not well-coordinated. Problems start at the national level, and if the government doesn’t get it right, people lose their lives.

In this episode, we discuss the donor relationship, central medical stores, working without a demand signal, impacts of cold chain on inventory management, the opportunity for network infrastructure and 3PL/last mile delivery, and how supply chain is an underdeveloped industry without education programs in place to support the people who need it the most.

To learn more about Pretty: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pretty-mubaiwa-b5917086/; to learn more about ARC: https://www.linkedin.com/company/africa-resource-centre/about/

Find us, connect, and explore at https://www.supplychainrevolution.com/

Find us, connect, and explore at https://www.supplychainrevolution.com/

In this episode we discuss David’s journey in supply chain (which is actually a 2nd career), why supply chain is at a critical inflection point, the cognitive supply chain, and the importance of data, visibility, and the future of retail and demand planning. To learn more about David, please visit~> https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-warrick-2b617a3/ and check out Microsoft’s Intelligent Supply Chain~>https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/industry/manufacturing/intelligent-supply-chain?activetab=pillars%3aprimaryr4

Find us, connect, and explore at https://www.supplychainrevolution.com/

Find us, connect, and explore at https://www.supplychainrevolution.com/

In Episode 4, we discuss the shift in supply chains, how transparency and consumer trends are forcing the transition from black box to glass box. We dive into the paradigm of “old school leadership” versus "new-school styles", including two examples of new-school leaders at Starbucks. Also, Lauren describes why she considers herself a rebel and how she uses influence and change management in complex initiatives to deliver effective outcomes at scale in a large, global supply chain organization.

To learn more about Lauren and Starbucks, please visit the links~> Lauren: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurenacoba/. Starbucks: https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/sustainability

Find us, connect, and explore at https://www.supplychainrevolution.com/

A challenge can be getting inspired and getting started in circular and supply chain transformation. James is passionate about the circular transition and inspiring others in new ways of thinking about supply chain, materials, and technology. He engages opportunities across industries to help organizations connect with the right programs, platforms, and partners with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation.

In Episode 3, James discusses examples of circular business model successes happening right now, including Apple's transition to circular supply chains using product-as-a-service, and the future of mobility! This episode is packed with resources you can use in your own journey including where to find key collateral for your transformation in the domains of technology, innovation, digital, supply chain, material science, partnerships, culture, leadership, and being a REBEL! 

If you missed the part 1, visit Episode 2! It's all about new global leaders! It’s changing folks! James describes his journey, the types of leaders who are successful in transformation, and why rebels are essential in changing the world we share. 

To Learn more about James and the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, please visit the links below: James: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-george-20995b75/. EMF: https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/

Find us, connect, and explore at https://www.supplychainrevolution.com/

This episode is all about new global leaders! It’s changing folks! James describes his journey, the types of leaders who are successful in transformation, and why rebels are essential in changing the world we share. Because we covered so much, we will feature his discussion in a two-part series to learn more about the work he does, to dive deeper into circular concepts, and discuss transitioning toward a new global economy. A challenge can be getting inspired and getting started in circular and supply chain transformation. In part 2 (Episode 3), James discusses examples of circular business model successes happening right now and resources you can use in your own journey. You won’t want to miss it! 

To Learn more about James and the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, please visit the links below: James: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-george-20995b75/ EMF: https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/

Links to find us, connect, and explore: Website: https://www.supplychainrevolution.com/