We use cookies to provide you with a better experience. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies in accordance with our Cookie Policy.
  • INDUSTRY PRESS ROOM
  • SUBMISSIONS
  • MEDIA FILE
  • Create Account
  • Sign In
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Free Newsletters
  • MAGAZINE
    • Current Issue
    • Archives
    • Digital Edition
    • Subscribe
    • Newsletters
  • STRATEGY
  • GLOBAL
  • LOGISTICS
  • MANUFACTURING
  • PROCUREMENT
  • VIDEO
    • News & Exclusives
    • Viewer Contributed
    • CSCMP EDGE 2023
    • Upload your video
  • PODCAST ETC
    • Podcast
    • White Papers
    • Webcasts
    • Events
    • Blogs
      • Reflections
      • SCQ Forum
    • Mobile Apps
  • MAGAZINE
    • Current Issue
    • Archives
    • Digital Edition
    • Subscribe
    • Newsletters
  • STRATEGY
  • GLOBAL
  • LOGISTICS
  • MANUFACTURING
  • PROCUREMENT
  • VIDEO
    • News & Exclusives
    • Viewer Contributed
    • CSCMP EDGE 2023
    • Upload your video
  • PODCAST ETC
    • Podcast
    • White Papers
    • Webcasts
    • Events
    • Blogs
      • Reflections
      • SCQ Forum
    • Mobile Apps
Home » Four tips for creating a more resilient supply chain
CSCMP EDGE 2020

Four tips for creating a more resilient supply chain

Panel discussion at the CSCMP EDGE conference identified best practices that can help a supply chain respond better to a crisis.

September 22, 2020
Supply Chain Quarterly Staff
No Comments

This year’s COVID-19 pandemic shoved risk management and resiliency to the top of the list of priorities for supply chain leaders. But what does it take to actually create a resilient supply chain? A panel of supply chain experts gathered virtually for the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP) EDGE 2020 conference, offered the following tips.

Know who’s in your supply chain. Many companies still are not able to map their suppliers’ supply chains, according to Dale Rogers, ON Semiconductor Professor of Business at Arizona State University. Rogers acknowledged that conducting such a mapping exercise is “always expensive and time consuming” but says it’s increasingly necessary to do as the number of supply chain disruptions increase.

Plan ahead. Simply having a plan on paper before a risk event hits can go a long way toward responding efficiently and effectively, according to Rob Haddock, group director of planning and logistics for The Coca-Cola Co.—North America. Haddock stresses that the plan does not even have to be a perfect match for the particular event.

For example, while Coca-Cola North America did not have a pandemic risk management plan before this year, the company did find that it’s risk management plan for hurricanes provided an effective framework, he said. During the pandemic, people shifted where they purchased beverages away from “out of house” locations and toward grocery retail. A similar dynamic often occurs after a hurricane, said Haddock. 

Have a crisis management team. Part of that risk management plan should be a framework for who does what during a crisis. According to Simon Ellis, supply chain vice president, at the analyst firm IDC, companies that have responded the best to the COVID pandemic have been ones that had a pre-defined crisis management team. While these team members may not work in risk management full time, according to Ellis, they are identified as the “go-to” resources within the company, which allows the company to respond more quickly to an event.

Take advantage of emerging digital technology. One way that The Coca-Cola Co. is trying to become more resilient in North America is to use artificial intelligence to process all the information that company is receiving so that it can identify and respond to events in real time, according to Haddock.

Strategy
    • Related Articles

      Supply chain resilience: Lessons learned from the pandemic

      Creating a consumer-friendly supply chain continues to challenge retailers

      Today is the time to act on creating a sustainable supply chain

    Recent Articles by Supply Chain Quarterly Staff

    C.H. Robinson: Retailers are ordering merchandise in smaller amounts

    Georgia Ports Authority launches $127 million rail project

    Ryder signs first two customers for its electric vehicle advisory package

    You must login or register in order to post a comment.

    Report Abusive Comment

    Most Popular Articles

    • Walmart to open fifth “next-gen” fulfillment center in 2026

    • 53% of procurement leaders expect to increase their spending in 2024

    • U.S. faces permanent labor shortage, says University of Tennessee economist

    • Pepsi exec highlights four key structural changes in the supply chain

    • What skills will you need in the Age of AI?

    Featured Video

    Edge2023 innovationtheater here technologies

    CSCMP EDGE 2023 Innovation Theater: Enabling Peak Performance in Last-Mile Delivery Through Private Mapping and Custom Routing - HERE Technologies

    CSCMP EDGE 2023
    At HERE Technologies, we understand the hypercompetitive world of e-commerce, retail, and parcel delivery is increasing in complexity every day. End customers demand ever-increasing delivery performance levels regarding on-time arrivals, flexibility in delivery schedules, pricing and payment options, and more....

    FEATURED WHITE PAPERS

    • Balancing Act: How Freight Brokers Help Shippers Navigate Uncertainty

    • Quarterly Freight Data Report: Q3 2023

    • A Brighter Future: How COVID-19 Continues to Change Freight Procurement Strategies for the Better

    • Five questions to ask before electrifying your indoor forklift fleet

    View More

    Subscribe to Supply Chain Quarterly

    Get Your Subscription
    • SUBSCRIBE
    • E-NEWSLETTERS
    • ADVERTISING
    • CUSTOMER CARE
    • CONTACT
    • ABOUT
    • STAFF
    • PRIVACY POLICY

    Copyright ©2023. All Rights ReservedDesign, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing