Supply Chain Monthly
Current News
  
CSCMP’s mission to advance the supply chain profession by connecting, educating, and developing the world’s supply chain management professionals throughout their careers includes supporting those same professionals as they deal with any constraint standing in the way of supply chain progress.
 
In our work around the world, CSCMP and its Roundtables strive to promote equitable, open access to people, networks, and educational content that improve the world’s supply chains. That work includes all aspects of supply chain sustainability; economic, ethical, and environmental progress.
 
The unprovoked invasion of Ukraine by Russia threatens that mission and the values we hold dear.
 
We stand with our CSCMP Roundtable community in Ukraine, our friends and colleagues, and support their right to live peacefully in a sovereign, free country without the threat of coercion. Today, we join those calling for Russia to end its aggression in Ukraine and withdraw its troops immediately.
 
Our thoughts and prayers go out to our CSCMP community and the people of Ukraine.
  
“Vice presidents and EVPs of supply chain did not understand the magnitude of risk within their supply chains, at least to the extent that they thought they should, or that they thought they had,” says CSCMP President and CEO Mark S. Baxa in Transport Topics.

Read the full article by Gregory Van Tighem from Transport Topics, including Mark's thoughts on the origins of supply chain disruptions and the ongoing changes in relationships among suppliers, their carriers, and 3PL providers.
  
The Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP) and Supply Chain Quarterly (SCQ) bring you a new series-based podcast filled with more content, SCM exposure, and pinpointed, deep industry discussions with top thought innovators from the end-to-end supply chain.

In themed, multi-episode series, the new weekly podcast, Supply Chain in the Fast Lane, fast tracks topics you need to know from leaders you want to know. An interview about inventories with Zac Rogers, assistant professor of operations and supply chain management at Colorado State University’s College of Business kicked off the State of Logistics series, sponsored by HERE, on March 8, 2022. 
  
Imagine that your company is gearing up to launch a new product. Take a minute to consider all the complexities and hurdles that a new product introduction generally involves from a supply chain perspective. Now imagine that this product is based on brand new technology that would require manufacturing processes unlike the ones that your company currently uses. And that this product is extremely delicate and would require a specialized temperature-controlled transportation and distribution network.
 
Now imagine that the customer base for this product numbers is in the billions — spread all over the world. And that these billions of customers are eagerly awaiting (and closely scrutinizing) your new product — the eyes of the world are fixed upon you. Now imagine that you had to design that supply chain in less than a year.
 
That was the daunting and pressure-filled challenge Jim Cafone and his team at the pharmaceutical giant Pfizer faced when they were working to create the supply chain for the COVID-19 vaccine in conjunction with their partner BioNTech.
  
GS1 US has published a Barcode Capabilities Test Kit to help retailers evaluate their readiness to transition from linear Universal Product Codes (U.P.C.) to data-rich 2D barcodes on product packaging by 2027 — a timeline set by the retail industry in collaboration with GS1 US to equip consumers with more information about the products they buy. The transition is part of a phased migration plan for implementing 2D barcodes, dubbed "Sunrise 2027 – A New Dimension in Barcodes," which will guide brands through labeling transition considerations while further ensuring reliability of 2D barcode scanning.
 
Thank you Carrie Wilkie, senior vice president, standards and technology, GS1 US for sharing this Hot Topic.
   
Red Classic Transportation Services, LLC
   
CSCMP Awards and Recognition
Time is running out! You have exactly one day left to submit a nomination for CSCMP’s prestigious Distinguished Service Award (DSA), the Emerging Leader Award (ELA) and the Supply Chain Innovation Award (SCIA). We will accept nominations received by Wednesday, March 16, 2022 at 11:59pm CDT. 
 
Distinguished Service Award
Presented annually during the CSCMP EDGE conference, the DSA honors an outstanding individual who exemplifies significant, consistent, and career-long contributions to the development of the logistics and supply chain management disciplines. Submit a nomination today! 
 
Emerging Leader Award
CSCMP invites you to nominate an emerging leader for the 2022 Emerging Leader Award. Share with us your candidate’s achievements and they could be recognized as one of CSCMP’s Emerging Leaders during EDGE 2022!Help us recognize an emerging leader! Submit your nomination today!
 
Supply Chain Innovation Award
Don’t miss your chance to have your team recognized for their forward-thinking innovations in supply chain. If your team…
  • Invented, improved or implemented new supply chain technologies
  • Employed unique strategies for supply chain optimization, finance or risk management
  • Defied conventional thought when it comes to packaging, order fulfillment and sourcing
  • Broke barriers in robotics, AI, or blockchain
…then tell your story as a competitor for the 2022 Supply Chain Innovation Award! Submit your case study!
Mark Your Calendars: Nomination Period Opens March 22!
 
The Gail Rutkowski Transportation Excellence Award (GR-TEA) recognizes companies or individuals that have excelled in using their knowledge, connections, and industry expertise to educate, support and create long-term impact through excellence in transportation-related fields.
 
The GR-TEA is named for the former Executive Director of NASSTRAC, Gail Rutkowski who has dedicated a lifetime of service to the trade as a shipper, carrier representative and consultant; also serving as a champion and advocate of the transportation industry. Gail Rutkowski’s passion and dedication have inspired so many, and she epitomizes what it truly means to be a transportation professional.
 
Mark your calendars to nominate a leader in the transportation industry when the nomination period opens on March 22!
Remember to participate in the Young Professionals Video Contest! 
 
Are you a solution-oriented young professional or student CSCMP member aged 32 or under? If you find yourself thinking deeply about innovative ways to improve current challenges in supply chain management and logistics, the Young Professionals Video Contest is your opportunity to shine!
 
The winner of the contest will receive one complimentary registration* to EDGE 2022, hotel lodging and a $500.00 U.S. travel stipend. The winner will also receive written recognition before and after EDGE as well as an announcement during the Future Leaders Reception. Submissions are due by April 1, 2022.
 
*Travel expenses not included. Breakfast and lunch provided on Monday, September 19, 2022, and Tuesday, September 20, 2022. Refreshments provided on Wednesday, September 21, 2022.
The annual Supply Chain Sustainability Award has been established by the CSCMP Sustainable Supply Chain Committee in order to recognize an individual(s) who has made a positive and genuine impact in advancing social and environmental sustainability in the supply chain. The work of the individual(s) inspires others and stands out in the supply chain profession. Accepting nominations through May 31, 2022.

Categories include:
  • Supply Chain Team or Individual – Recognizes a visionary, innovative development, or creation of a new idea, program, and its successful execution in order to further the area of sustainability by either an individual or cross-functional team (if a team, team must include a third-party/external partner and no more than five (5) team members in total)
  • Academic/Researcher – Recognizes the contribution to the body of knowledge supporting sustainable supply chains and increased educational resources in sustainability
  
SCPro™ Certification is a three-tiered program that assesses progressive knowledge and skills across integrated supply chain activities. This process validates an individual’s ability to strategically assess business challenges and effectively implement supply chain improvements through the analysis of real-world case studies and developing a comprehensive project plan to achieve results such as a positive ROI.
How to scale up for peak fulfillment
6 River Systems, Inc®
It’s never too early to start thinking about peak preparation, especially if your business experiences several seasonal spikes throughout the year.

To get ready for peak season, it’s now time to evaluate processes, from hiring seasonal labor to managing accurate inventory.

Read on to learn how you can:
  • Implement flexible labor strategies to meet demand
  • Stay ahead with “just in case” inventory
  • Achieve customer satisfaction
Learn More
Advertisement
CSCMP Featured Members
  
Jacksonville Roundtable
Jackie recently re-joined CSCMP in January 2022. "I originally joined around 2010 while I was finishing my Bachelor's Degree at University of North Florida. Being surrounded by experts in their field of supply chain creates a beneficial think tank where everyone is able to share and learn best practices."
  
Secretary of the Atlanta Roundtable
"I joined CSCMP mid 2021 as I was looking to meet other supply chain professionals. I have been thrilled with the community I have found, having already made a number of great connections in just this first year of membership. The EDGE show was also an excellent opportunity to get connected with the industry. It's going to sound cliche, but you get what you put into it. When I first joined, I reached out to a number of folks on the national level as well as in my local Atlanta Roundtable. Since then, I have continued to get involved on a local level, joining the Atlanta Roundtable Board and attending as many events as possible. These local events are crucial to maximizing your membership, and a great way to learn and make connections. Many of the connections I have made, I consider very valuable."
  
Reveal helps organizations optimize supply chain performance through the smart use of SAP. They have a proven methodology, ongoing Value optimization (oVo), that is a proven, internationally validated, value-driven business approach to improving business performance. The methodology embeds education, enablement, accountability structures, measurements, behavior change, and best practices to increase operating efficiency. They have had the pleasure of working with a wide range of organizations that all have one thing in common, they run SAP and want to improve supply chain performance by working smarter, not harder.
Improve On Time, In Full Delivery
Tive®
OTIF may be the most important metric associated with any supply chain; failure to deliver on time and in full can lead to lost revenue, angry customers, fines, or even legal action. This report takes a closer look at OTIF and how to leverage visibility technology to measure and improve it. 
Read now
Advertisement
CAREER CENTER
  
Spring has almost sprung! Perhaps you have your Spring-cleaning checklist for your house, but what about your career? It is the perfect time to organize your garage, closets, and your resume! CSCMP is here with a number of resources to help you find your next supply chain career opportunity. 
 
Career Spring Cleaning Checklist:
  • Resume – Is your resume updated with your current role, achievements, goals met, certifications, etc? TO DO: Once your resume is updated, be sure to sign up on the CSCMP Career Center and post your resume!
  • LinkedIn – Include all those updates to your resume on your profile along with updating profile picture, headline, education, etc. It is also a great time to review your connections. Who can you check in with or what new connections can you make? Don’t forget to join the CSCMP group!
  • Professional Development – CSCMP members have access to many research reports and publications. Perhaps you are ready to explore certifications? Start with the SCPro™ Fundamentals or check to see if you are qualified to pursue the SCPro™ Level One Certification
It’s no secret that, for the first time ever, the supply chain industry is now in the spotlight. This has brought a heightened need for qualified supply chain professionals. The path to becoming a supply chain professional is often unique. Whether you are just at the beginning of your career or have been through all the twists and turns and are nearing the end of your path, CSCMP would love to hear about your journey.
 
Share your story about how you found supply chain and the lessons learned along the way with us at careers@cscmp.org. Your story could be in the next CSCMP Supply Chain Monthly Newsletter.
Connect
With all of the changes we've been through within our supply chain and professional lives, now is a great time to connect with your supply chain peers and take advantage of CSCMP benefits and new-member pricing (last year we reduced our Premier membership from $325 to $299 per year).
 
CSCMP offers a Basic Membership for only $179, an affordable membership option which provides access to a wide variety of member benefits:
  • Preferred pricing at local roundtable events and access to CSCMP research and publications, such as the annual State of Logistics Report™, and more.
  • Access to member-only resources, like webinars and the member directory, career resources, networking opportunities, mentorship, volunteer and leadership opportunities, and preferred pricing on SCPro™ Certification materials.
Basic Membership does not include preferred pricing for EDGE. If you plan to attend CSCMP’s annual EDGE Conference, then Premier Membership will be the best option.
 
Welcome to our new CSCMP Corporate Members: Arrive, Avalon, JT Logistics, Reveal, The Watkins Company, and new CSCMP Enterprise Member, MercuryGate!

CSCMP has membership, education, and event opportunities to help develop your team and remain competitive in today’s disruptive supply chain industry. Get access to best practices, up-to-date trends, and solutions to challenges from the people who know it best. Improve productivity, build skills, network and increase your team’s supply chain knowledge.
  
CSCMP Corporate Member, The Shippers Group, has selected Synapse WMS, Zethcon’s flagship software to support their operations which provides leading third-party warehousing, packaging, ecommerce, and transportation services. The company’s commitment to innovate and continuously improve operating efficiencies has led to investment in a new WMS and will support growth of their operations which currently span over 5.4 million square feet in 12 locations.
Training and Development
CSCMP is excited to relaunch our mentorship program offering a new and improved platform and participant experience. Here are just a few of the new features we will launch for the Spring 2022 Program:
  • Innovative, user-friendly mentoring software & platform – with an app!
  • Ability to be both mentor & mentee (a highly requested feature!)
  • Suggested Matching – mentees pick top 3 mentor choices (CSCMP admin will assign partnerships based on algorithm results)
  • Visual personality survey for more accurate matching
  • Development Timeline, Goals & Milestones (set goals and track your progress)
  • Streamlined & shorter enrollment timeframe 
To qualify for the mentorship program, you must be an active CSCMP member. Mark your calendars to submit your application form when the enrollment period opens on March 21! 
Webinar︱Tues., March 22, 2022 ︱ 2:00 PM ET
 
Sign up today to join GS 1 US for The Making of an MVP: How Your Supply Chain Can Lead You to Victory
 
When your supply chain is optimized, it can serve as the MVP for your company’s success. You can attack inefficiencies offensively, play defense when disruption occurs, and expose better transparency. But to get to MVP status, you need to train with the best and leverage game-changers to overcome these opponents. Become a Supply Chain Hall-of-Famer and join us to learn how GS1 Standards gives you a competitive edge on automation, visibility, and trusted data.
 
This 90-minute session will be broken into short 15-minute huddles, where you’ll hear from winning subject-matter experts from GS1 US. 
 
  
Webinar︱Wed., March 23, 2022 ︱ 11:00 AM CT and 4 PM CT
 
Join CSCMP's Member Engagement Manager, Timothy Pajak, to learn about member-to-member relationship building, professional development, local Roundtables, the annual EDGE Conference, the Career Center, how to access the members-only directory, volunteer opportunities, and more.
  
Webinar︱Thurs., April 7, 2022 ︱1:00 PM CT
 
Warehouse labor is expensive to find and hard to keep. With customers demanding an easy, flawless omnichannel fulfillment experience, how do you protect your commitments and grow your business — when the future of your CX is in the hands of people who may or may not be there from one day to the next? 
 
In this seminar, see what high-growth companies are doing to alleviate the impact of labor and other customer-facing problems that put long-term growth out of reach. Join us for valuable strategies and technologies that will future-proof your labor management plan based on The 3 R's:
  1. Readiness – steps to mitigate the CX impact of disruptions like turnover, no shows, seasonal stress, walk-outs, performance, and new staff onboarding
  2. Retention – incentive programs and easy-to-use tools that improve job satisfaction on the floor, while lowering your overall cost to employ
  3. Robotics – new and innovative solutions to squeeze more from those high wages you pay; quickly dial-up order volume and dial down errors, without growing headcount 
Edge Conference
  
 
  
I’m Toni Stark, Director of Distribution Operations at Illinois Tool Works (ITW). I am honored to serve as your EDGE 2022 Conference Chair.
 
The EDGE Committee came together in the Fall of 2021 and established a theme for EDGE 2022: Supply Chain in the Spotlight - Positioned to Win. As a valued CSCMP member, you are invited to participate in The Annual Call for Sessions open through March 24. You will see that the 13 track topics are indicative of the current state of supply chain designed to influence the many layers of decisions a supply chain professional must make.
 
We want to hear your challenges, interests and ultimately who you think will benefit from attending your session.
Register today to join us in Nashville, Tennessee, September 18-21, at the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center, for the CSCMP EDGE 2022 Supply Chain Conference & Exhibition.
The Gaylord Opryland is where we’re hosting EDGE 2022, so you won’t have to go far to enjoy sessions, networking events and the Supply Chain Exchange Exhibition.
 
CSCMP has secured a $229* single/double occupancy rate, plus applicable state, local and any occupancy taxes. The guest room rate includes the resort fee. *You must be a registered EDGE participant to receive the CSCMP room rate.
Roundtables
Southern California Roundtable: SoCal CSCMP Golf Tournament
March 16, 2022 | 8:00 am – 1:00 pm PDT | Corona, CA
Register Now
 
Chicago Roundtable: CSCMP Chicago 2022 Annual Seminar
April 7, 2022 | 8:00 am – 6:00 pm CDT | Chicago, IL
Register Now