Today’s special episode features Scott and Greg from Supply Chain Now! Scott, Greg and Sarah have a lively discussion about whether we are seeing the death of the end-to-end supply chain. You will also hear about how the circular economy and supply chain is the answer plus how the role of sustainability will play out with consumers and the future of consumerism.

Organizations have spent a lot of time and money trying to perfect their end to end supply chain, but Greg says the circular supply chain is here to stay. The circular supply chain consists mainly of turning waste into opportunity. As the world’s resources become increasingly limited, companies are having to look for other ways to source and distribute their products and services. This, together with a huge shift in consumer behaviour towards sustainable practices, means companies will soon have no other option but to adopt a circular mindset.

How can companies adopt a more sustainable supply chain? Sarah talks about collaborating with startups in order to find innovative solutions and challenge the status quo. Scott and Greg talk about the importance of changing mindsets and focusing on customer experience. This includes encouraging suppliers to take on more responsibility and looking for materials that are economically viable, sustainable and convenient for the customer (like 3D printing, for example). Companies should put more effort into building a brand and communicating their concept and vision, as well as identifying specific ambitions and building business cases. Some best practices include educating employees, finding the right KPIs and being willing to “do good” and talk about it.

In this episode we discuss:

• [1.15] End to End has been costly
• [12.26] Consumer behavior pushes for circular
• [26.40] Circular mindset shift
• [30.11] The key drivers to success
• [36.55] Best practices for a circular economy

Resources and links mentioned:

• Supply Chain Now