How will we define 2020 in the future? As a year of change? A year of disruption? A time of innovation? As the decade for supply chain?

Recently, I wrote, “With the pandemic disrupting supply chains, industry professionals have an opportunity to create innovative solutions and rewrite the future supply chain landscape.” We are certainly traveling that path now as we rely upon the perspectives and experiences of those around us. We are creating solutions, some of necessity, some of opportunity, that we will undoubtedly rely on for years to come.

I recall a marine slogan that inspired me years ago, “Adapt, improvise, and overcome.” It was a rallying cry as the supply chain world was turning and focusing like never before on customers and consumers while simultaneously adapting to new technology. My colleagues and I improvised and created solutions that were built into our everyday supply chain execution. This included overcoming all kinds of dynamics like capacity shortages, weather-related disasters, and other types of disruptions that today’s professionals now consider standard operating procedure.

Innovation knocks infrequently, so take this opportunity to welcome it. During the uncertainties in which we find ourselves, we are still facing the disruptions and innovations we have been discussing for years like blockchain, artificial intelligence and deep machine learning, drone technology, and more. COVID-19 entered our reality and our focus immediately shifted from these strategic innovations to the urgent and necessary like securing our supply availability, making massive switches to alternative channels due to the shutdown, and instilling a relentless focus on safety for both our employees and the customers we serve. We’ve altered delivery processes, installed new safety and security protocols, upgraded our technology to support new channels with speed and accuracy. And we did most of this while simultaneously adjusting to working from our homes.

CSCMP’s 31^st Annual State of Logistics Report^® indicates that 2019 U.S. business logistics costs rose slightly to $1.63 trillion, or 7.6% of 2019’s $21.43 trillion GDP. The report is aptly titled, “Resilience tested.” The “big picture” may be hard to grapple with at the moment as we’re still in our journey through the pandemic, but the report features some of the strengths in 2019, highlights of what we are facing currently, and a lens of what we should consider in the future. Creativity is alive and well, innovation continues to be a foundational element of modern day supply chain management, and CSCMP stays on top of this for you, we care, and we want you to stay connected.

CSCMP’s EDGE 2020 Supply Chain Conference and Exhibition has innovated like never before – for the first time in history we are 100% “Virtual.” EDGE 2020 Live! is where industry meets community in a true commitment to end-to-end supply chain education. Supply chain’s premier event™ has been re-imagined as a virtual experience unlike anything you have seen! Scheduled over three and a half days and featuring even more access to relevant content and industry thought leaders, EDGE 2020 will deliver a digital experience where attendees can learn, interact, and connect with professionals from anywhere in the world.

Supply Chain is still a people business. It’s our people who innovate, together, in our connected and never wavering supply chain community.

Written by CSCMP Corporate Member Erik Olson, Managing Director, Strategy & Consulting, Supply Chain & Operations, North America Lead, Accenture. Thank you for sharing this Hot Topic with CSCMP.
 
Supply chains have traditionally been linear and inflexible, built to support multiple segments at scale with single products. With the onset of digital technologies and the COVID-19 crisis, this scenario has shifted. Customers and consumers are now in the driver’s seat, demanding tailored, customized products, services and experiences in real time.

Written by CSCMP Corporate Member, Lorin Seeks of Convoy. Thank you for sharing this Hot Topic with CSCMP.
 
Convoy recently announced their new predictive crash capability that uses machine learning and automation to qualify safe drivers into their freight network, yielding 16% fewer accidents versus the industry average. This not only helps keep the roads safer, but it also increases on-time deliveries and cost savings for shippers, with lower claim rates and fewer cargo incidents. Commercial crashes are one of the major contributors to cargo loss, which is estimated to exceed $50 billion globally every year. Today, Convoy experiences a cargo claim less than once per 2,000 loads, whereas the industry experiences a cargo claim about once per 100 loads.

Matthew A. Waller, Ph.D., will receive the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals' (CSCMP) 2020 Distinguished Service Award during the CSCMP EDGE 2020 Live! Conference and Exhibition Opening General Session, September 20, 2020.

Matthew A. Waller, Ph.D. is Dean of the Sam M. Walton College of Business. He is also Professor of Supply Chain Management and holds the Sam M. Walton Endowed Leadership Chair in Business at the University of Arkansas.

"Get involved and get excited about what CSCMP can offer to your professional growth. It became evident to me early on in my career that a company can have the best of products, but if their strategy does not incorporate an integrated supply chain and logistics strategy, the concept will fail. Supply Chain is about the DNA and integration to excellence in execution."

"Originally joined CSCMP after college over 20 years ago for career networking. Rejoined in 2013 after founding Ten Count Consulting to get better connected with peers and trends in supply chain. Have joined several other professional organizations, but found the networking, information, events and overall membership to be much more engaging in CSCMP."

Experts in frictionless supply chain execution and global trade, BluJay Solutions is helping companies worldwide move goods efficiently, safely, and on time through the fastest-growing collaborative network in the industry. BluJay’s innovative supply chain software and services are trusted by the world’s most progressive retailers, distributors, freight forwarders, manufacturers, and logistics service providers.

FourKites has pioneered the industry shift to real-time supply chain visibility, enabling shippers to improve on-time delivery and orchestrate their supply chains based on actionable data and predictive intelligence. With the largest visibility network in the world, which includes more than 380 of the world’s largest shippers and coverage in more than 80 countries, FourKites uses market-leading machine learning to track nearly 1 million shipments at any given time. 

Written by Donna Palumbo-Miele, CSCMP Board of Director/Chair, Sustainable Supply Chain Committee & Alexis Bateman, Director, MIT Sustainable Supply Chains. 
 
What does supply chain sustainability mean to you or your organization? How has your supply chain evolved from 2019 to 2020 and what may that trajectory be in 2022?
 
CSCMP and MIT Center for Transportation & Logistics (CTL) teamed up to explore how sustainability practices are being implemented in global supply chains and what that means for companies and professionals. This first annual edition of the report addresses numerous dimensions of supply chain sustainability and provides a snapshot to inform both supply chain professionals and future business strategy.
 
As your professional association, CSCMP is committed to both developing and arming supply chain professionals to be successful in their pursuit of excellence throughout their careers, as well as advancing our discipline and accomplishing CSCMP’s mission of a truly integrated, end-to-end supply chain. To that end, the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP) has partnered with MIT CTL to produce the first annual report. This year’s study tackles the pressure to act, how goals and investments are aligned (or not), corporate preferences for reporting mechanisms, as well as the role of the supply chain professional in sustainability. Insights were brought together from across industries, geographies, and roles to understand what supply chain sustainability looked like in 2019 at a high level to enable more informed decision making.  
 
The State of Supply Chain Sustainability 2020 Report research approach had three pillars: an anonymous survey of supply chain professionals, cross-industry executive interviews, and a systematic review of media coverage and corporate social responsibility reports. We believe that this approach will underpin a report that meets demands for information on supply chain sustainability that are not being met by current past research in this area.

Webinar hosted by Dan Gilmore, Chief Marketing Officer - Softeon
Thursday, July 30 ︱ 10:30 AM CDT
 
Warehouse Management Systems (WMS) are very mature, but continue to reinvent themselves to meet changing market needs.

This fast-paced broadcast, with Softeon's Dan Gilmore, will look at five key recent developments in WMS technology that are taking the category to whole new levels of performance after nearly 20 years of mostly incremental progress. Not to be missed by anyone interested in Warehouse Management solutions.

Dan Gilmore is one of the most recognized names in Supply Chain, as founder and editor of pioneering on-line publication Supply Chain Digest, and now as CMO at leading supply chain software firm Softeon. He is a known expert in Warehouse Management Systems.

According to June's Logistics Manager Index, the logistics industry continues to recover from April’s all-time low overall score of 51.3, following May’s reading of 54.5, with an overall LMI score of 61.7, the highest reading since February 2019. The reopening of the economy has played a role, with downstream firms reporting a significant surge in retail on-hand.This, combined with the already high levels of stock have driven up inventory metrics. The two readings in inventory and warehousing are continuations of trends observed last month, the major difference in June was the comeback of transportation, with both Transportation Utilization and Transportation Prices up by double digits. With the new round of COVID-19 outbreaks and the potential to re-shutter portions of the economy, whether or not this upswing will continue is anyone’s guess. For the moment however, the LMI is reporting growth levels not seen since late 2018.
 
Researchers at Arizona State University, Colorado State University, Rochester Institute of
Technology, Rutgers University, and the University of Nevada, Reno, and in conjunction
with the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP) issued the June report.

CSCMP will again be offering the SCPro™ Bridge Exam at EDGE 2020 Live! The SCPro™ Bridge Exam was created for professionals that already hold a previously earned credential or advanced degree similar to SCPro™.