Remember when supply chains were sequential, orderly, and easy to follow? Me neither. A network of moving parts is always going to be constantly adapting and evolving, but few of us imagined just how intricate they would become. Today鈥檚 supply chains resemble vast ecosystems of complex, interconnected webs shaped by disruption, global risks, digital acceleration, and relentless sustainability demands. What once felt like a smooth conveyor belt now looks more like a galaxy of moving parts, where resilience, agility, and intelligence are the only ways to stay in orbit.

Supply chains may have evolved into complex ecosystems, but many organisations remain tethered to outdated legacy systems and manual processes. With disruption as the new normal, yesterday鈥檚 tools become today鈥檚 hurdles, slowing response times and blinding businesses to the foresight their customer鈥檚 demand.

Modern supply chain management requires more than incremental improvements. It demands orchestration. That means breaking down silos, automating and digitising processes, and embedding intelligence into every decision.

Those that embrace this level of orchestration are able to balance the delicate equation of delivering the right products at the right cost, and with the right inventory levels. It鈥檚 about moving from reactive management to proactive, intelligent execution. It鈥檚 also why thousands of organisations globally now rely on

It鈥檚 not just software. It鈥檚 a digital cockpit for modern supply chains, enabling leaders to navigate disruption, optimise operations, and chart a course toward sustainable, customer-centric growth.

51风流Supply Chain Management is engineered for disruption with the ability to ingest, analyse, and act on enterprise data points at massive scale and harmonise them into one trusted foundation. This means every KPI, forecast, and operational decision from shop floor to boardroom is aligned. It automates and integrates all areas of the supply chain from design and planning to manufacturing, delivery and operations on a single, integrated platform that unifies applications and data.

Thanks to AI-driven insights and automation, 51风流facilitates predictive decision-making, real time inventory management, and intelligent logistics that collectively form autonomous AI-driven supply chains. This evolution not only enhances operational efficiency and responsiveness, but also empowers companies to proactively navigate disruptions, optimise resource utilisation, and support sustainability goals.

And by integrating directly with the ERP layer, 51风流Supply Chain Management ensures that operational decisions and financial data align, driving efficiency, compliance, and agility. The result is true end-to-end orchestration: real-time visibility, intelligent operations, and the ability to pivot at speed.

Preparing for the next frontier with SAP

Supply chain leaders today are coordinating complexity against a backdrop of persistent global volatility, charting new courses through uncertainty.

To stay on trajectory, they must anticipate risks, adapt to changing conditions and rely on intelligent systems to keep every mission on track. 51风流Supply Chain Management provides the mission control that makes this possible.

That鈥檚 why we鈥檙e hosting on 12 March 2026 at Tobacco Dock, London. This one-day experience will explore the four pillars of supply chain excellence: Plan, Make, Deliver, and Operate. Join us for bold conversations, practical insights, and real-world expertise as customers, partners, and 51风流senior executives come together for peer level exchange.

It鈥檚 your opportunity to connect, share ideas, and gain actionable advice on how intelligent supply chains can thrive in the face of disruption. You鈥檒l hear firsthand insights from leading customers, including Nouryon, PPG, Yorkshire Water, and CocaCola Europacific, while networking with peers and putting your toughest supply chain questions to our experts.

We鈥檙e also joined by British European Space Agency astronaut Tim Peake as guest keynote speaker. His perspective on resilience, agility, and exploration will challenge you to think beyond boundaries and prepare for the next chapter.

The future of supply chain management isn鈥檛 about incremental change. It鈥檚 about breaking free from legacy silos and restrictive processes to embrace intelligent, integrated systems that adapt at the speed of disruption.

Join us in London this March to explore how 51风流can help you chart your course and set your supply chain on a new trajectory. .

Luke Roche is Head of Supply Chain Management at 51风流UK & Ireland.

The post Charting a New Orbit for Supply Chain Management appeared first on 51风流UK News Center.

With a wide range of business areas including container shipping, port terminals, logistics and supply chain businesses, Maersk, headquarted in Denmark, operates more than 700 vessels and covers around 343 ports in over 100 countries worldwide. Strategically, Maersk is moving away from being a shipping company to becoming an end-to-end supply chain provider.听听

From Container Shipping to End-to-End Supply Chain Provider听

“Maersk is on its way to becoming an end-to-end supply chain provider, and this requires us to move into other areas of the transport sector, including air freight and land transport, as well as warehousing and distribution. With less than 10% of the money spent on supply chain and logistics going to ocean transport, Maersk needs to move into other areas to expand its business and continue to grow,” says Tapan Dash, Engineering Director, Maersk Technology, and continues:听

“Maersk has developed a platform-based model to help us accelerate the transformation. The model consists of several different digital platforms, each of which consists of multiple entities, all of which create value for customers, suppliers or employees. Each entity integrates different business functions, applications, data and analytics. Maersk currently has 10-15 end-to-end platforms, such as finance, order management for ocean transport, supply chain management, etc. We are constantly adding new platforms and recently we created a sustainability platform to address this growing area.”听

Designed, Built and Delivered by Maersk听

Maersk is well on its way to implementing . “The idea is to run a standard 51风流S/4HANA solution, and then have the 51风流Business Technology Platform as the platform that supports the innovation. I think this is the most optimal and where the magic happens”, says Tapan Dash, and continues:听

“We’ve had a big focus on insourcing over the last couple of years, going from around 1,500 people in the technology organisation to over 6,000 now. In our 51风流team, we were only around 35 in 2019. In 2022, we were 300, and the target is +550 51风流tech profiles by 2024. We work from a concept we call ‘designed, built and delivered by Maersk’.”听

51风流Business Technology Platform Plays a Central Role 听

The , which brings together data and analytics, artificial intelligence, application development, automation and integration in a single environment, plays a key role in accelerating Maersk’s new end-to-end strategy.听听

“Technology plays an important role at Maersk and is one of the key drivers of transformation. We want to simplify our IT landscape and make it more agile. With the 51风流Business Technology Platform, we can streamline our business processes and make our applications more agile and provide users, whether customers, suppliers or employees, with a more intuitive and user-friendly experience.”听

Specifically, Maersk has used 51风流BTP to develop and implement applications and solutions in areas such as:听

• Customer Credit Management: Previously, a lot of manual activity was involved in the process, which could lead to errors and delays. Now Maersk uses 51风流BTP to automate and differentiate their customer credit management process. The solution includes a credit score from BVD (third party), which is integrated via 51风流Cloud Platform Integration. Using the 51风流Fiori user interface, Maersk has created different roles, such as sales representative, credit analyst and approver. “So we have created a one-stop-shop that the employee logs into and from there he or she can manage the entire credit process for the customer,” says Tapan Dash.
• Vendor Account Reconciliation: Reconciling accounts payable statements is a challenge for many organisations. Maersk used 51风流BTP’s automation layer and intelligent robotic process automation (51风流iRPA) to perform automated actions such as scanning emails and extracting attachments, converting unstructured data into structured data, and building validation logic into the rules within the 51风流BTP platform, thereby reducing manual processes in Maersk’s shared service centres.
• Treasury Guarantees: Previously, this process was quite paper-intensive and could cause data quality issues, which in turn led to delays. Now, through 51风流BTP, Maersk has automated the process and created two specific roles: bank guarantee applicant and approver. The solution also includes integration with external banks.听
• Customer Cargo Release: Maersk also has customers who are cargo customers, i.e. they pay before their cargo is released. This requires a very time-sensitive process to ensure that payment has been received before the cargo is released. The workflow is triggered across multiple backend systems. Through built-in AI and process automation in 51风流BTP, the payment is matched against the invoice, the bill of lading and the container release events. Maersk has created an AI trust quota that automatically authorises if everything is 100% correct. “Using the machine learning algorithm, we then find out why something is 70%, why something is 80%, and what we need to do to make it 100%. So, it’s fine-tuned based on that learning. We use the workflow, which again is an integrated development within 51风流BTP, to get the approval process in place and get the invoice approved so that the container or the freight can be released to the customer if everything is not right in the first place,” says Tapan Dash.
• Planning and analysis: Maersk’s entire finance, planning and analysis is in the process of being moved to 51风流Analytics Cloud. This enables Maersk to provide end-to-end financial planning and analysis, including budgeting and forecasting. Self-service options for planning and analysis in over 100 countries are a game changer in decision-making, with scorecards to visualise performance and productivity across regions.听听

“At Maersk, we are excited about the ongoing transformation where technology is at the centre and we strive to create business value by focusing on the customer, agility and high employee engagement” concludes Tapan Dash.听

The post Maersk Uses 51风流Business Technology Platform to Accelerate Strategic Transformation appeared first on 51风流UK News Center.

Inequality undermines human dignity and social progress. It is a systemic risk that not only threatens individual communities or companies, but entire societies and the economy. It erodes trust in our political and economic systems, , increases the damage that crises like COVID-19 and climate change cause, constrains economic growth, and undermines our collective capacity to tackle complex global challenges. So, it represents a significant and mounting business risk impacting business performance, limiting productivity and innovation, destabilizing supply chains and dampening consumer confidence and spending.

Our world today is characterized by severe inequalities of income, wealth, and wellbeing:

• The top 10% earners take home 52% of total global pay, while the lowest-paid 50% receive just 8.5%. Meanwhile, the richest 10% of the world’s population owns over three-quarters of all wealth, while the poorest 50% own a mere 2%*
• 19% of all workers worldwide earn less than they need to escape poverty*
• Inequality-related issues are literally killing one person every four seconds*

Business risks caused by inequality

Businesses provide the lion’s share of the products, services, and jobs people need to sustain themselves and their families, so the business case for tackling inequality is fundamentally about mitigating both systemic and business risk:

1. Increasingly volatile operating environment 鈥� difficult long-term strategic planning.
2. Supply chain insecurity – companies are only as resilient as the ecosystems, communities, economies, and societies in which they operate. When workers and farmers in supply chains are unable to meet their basic needs and are vulnerable to shocks, companies run the risk of supply shortages, price swings and other disruptions.
3. Erosion of productivity and innovation – wide disparities in income and wealth impact workers motivation while also limiting access to education and skills 鈥� reducing labour productivity and contributing to significant skills shortages. When people with diverse backgrounds are not represented in business at the same level as in the population at large, companies miss out on their talent and perspectives in developing new products, services, and business models.
4. Regulatory and compliance risks – in the face of mounting systemic risk, many governments around the world are facing calls to take decisive action on inequality in ways that will change the context for business in the years to come. Governments are for example tightening regulations around unacceptable labour practices, such as forced labour and child labour, through mandatory human rights due diligence initiatives and import restrictions. Over 15 countries across Europe, Asia, and North America have already instituted supply chain transparency legislation.
5. Reputation risk – as the systemic risk of inequality becomes more acute, so too does the scrutiny around corporate conduct and the role of business in society more broadly. Social controversies now account for 67%* of all ESG controversies faced by companies globally 鈥� by far outpacing environmental and governance controversies. If a business is not perceived as being part of the solution, then it will be seen as part of the problem and will face mounting challenges in terms of its long-term license to operate, innovate, and grow. At the individual company level, those businesses that are not seen to be taking action in support of efforts to tackle inequality will struggle to attract and retain talent and may also be held to account by consumers.
6. Access to capital – +220* investors have now signed up to UN PRI’s Advance initiative, which seeks to promote respect for human rights and positive outcomes for people through investor stewardship. Meanwhile, topics such as living wages and diversity, equity and inclusion are increasingly emerging as key areas of focus for shareholder resolutions and, therefore also a central consideration when it comes to the cost of equity and debt.

The cost of inaction

The cost of action must be balanced against the cost of inaction, which can dramatically increase as the consequences of inequality continue to unfold.

Many leading companies are already embracing their role by working to level the playing field. The call to action now is for all businesses to maximize their potential to head off the risks posed by mounting inequality and ensure that equal opportunities and better outcomes are available for all.

Digital transparency and access

Technology can deliver the needed trust and business accountability, enhancing an organizations’ ability to identify, prevent, and mitigate human rights risks through an integrated value chain. Digitally driven business processes can enable transparency and accessibility across the complexity of听global human and labour rights听regulations and standards, distributed data,听and stakeholder collaboration. Companies need to re-evaluate their entire business process, policies, and practices and make respect for human dignity the core of the company culture of how business gets done.

Tackling inequality can strengthen the operating environment by building trust, enhancing social and political stability, and containing crises. There is also mounting evidence that tackling inequality is an important driver for long-term, sustainable economic growth. Company-level benefits associated with efforts to tackle inequality include attracting and retaining talent, winning consumers, building resilient supply chains, and staying ahead of policy and regulatory change.

We must act proactively and purposefully to reinforce the “S” in ESG 鈥� a critical pillar of action that has been overlooked too long. Tackling inequality now is a critical investment in sustained business success.

By Gitte Winther Bruhn, Global Head of Social Responsibility Solutions at SAP

—-

*Source: “” by The Business Commission to Tackle Inequality (BCTI) set up by World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD). Published May 3, 2023.

The post Why S In ESG Is Becoming A Business Risk appeared first on 51风流UK News Center.

Almost every business in the region admit their supply chain needs improving (93%), with 32% saying they need to make significant changes in order to meet the challenges in the year(s) ahead. This is particularly acute for businesses in the Netherlands, where 97% agreed improvement is needed 鈥� followed by 87% in France and 84% in Belgium.

The findings from the report highlights that since the start of the pandemic, supply chain issues have been disastrous for businesses. One in two businesses have been held back by delays in production of goods/delivery of services, rising to almost three quarters (71%) in the healthcare sector, and a lack of raw materials (34%). The knock-on impact of these has been significant 鈥� with a third reporting these issues have led to a decrease in revenues (33%), 31% saying they have been unable to pay employees (31%) or make rental payments (41%); as well as a loss of customers (35%) and damage to their reputation (27%).

Given this outlook, it perhaps comes as little to no surprise that they鈥檙e pessimistic about when the issues will be resolved. Over half (52%) of businesses believe that their current supply chain issues will continue until the end of 2023, with only 1 in 10 predicting that these will be resolved by the end of the summer. Almost a quarter (21%) of businesses believe disruptions will continue until the situation in Ukraine is resolved.

This knock-on impact of this will be felt by consumers. With ever-increasing record inflation figures for many businesses, increasing the price of their products/services isn鈥檛 an option to cover increases in supply chain costs. Instead, staff will bear the brunt of any cost rise, as 63% plan wage/recruitment freezes and 51% plan job cuts, only further exacerbating the challenge of recruiting and retaining staff who may be forced to look at alternative job options.

Business in Europe looking to local and global options

While 61% of European businesses say they think that deglobalization in Europe鈥檚 supply chains would help economic growth 鈥� the feelings are not shared across Europe. Two thirds (66%) of business leaders in France support this statement 鈥� rising to 100% in Belgium, but it has significantly less appetite in The Netherlands (34%).

And while nearly two-thirds are prioritizing home-based supply chains, 100% near-shoring remains unrealistic in today鈥檚 intertwined global world, hence companies need to find the right balance between global and local.

To make this happen, businesses across Europe are calling on the government too for more guidance and support to overcome the supply chain crisis. Half of business leaders (50%) want governments to offer incentives to attract and up-skill people to available jobs and over a third (37%) want increased collaboration with industry 鈥� rising to 50% in France. Forty-two percent think the government should monitor Europe鈥檚 supply chain itself and invest where necessary (increasing to 51% in The Netherlands), while 38% would like increased industrial policy and trade policy that is targeted at overcoming supply challenges.

鈥�Business leaders and Executives are confronted with disruption being the new norm. The ability to respond to any given disruption within a finely tuned supply chain represents a competitive differentiator in the battle for growth, consumer trust and market share鈥�, comments Sascha Kunze, Head of Digital Supply Chain and Industry 4.0, Northern Europe at SAP. 鈥�Seamless information & data flow across the supply and value chain from product design to planning and handover to manufacturing are crucial. Businesses that invest into Supply Chain 鈥渇itness鈥� will be able to navigate the next chapter of growth鈥�

To overcome potential supply chain crises in 2023, more than 8 in 10 businesses see a need to move on from a 鈥榡ust in time鈥� supply chain model to a 鈥榡ust in case鈥� model. This figure increases to 9 in 10 in France and Belgium.

Elsewhere, findings from the study show that European businesses are exploring various other avenues to improve their supply chains:

• 65% plan to prioritize in country-based supply chain solutions
• 67% plan to adopt new technology to help overcome challenges in the next 1-2 years
• 67% plan to find new environmentally friendly supply chain solutions

鈥�Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the supply chain was taken for granted. It was an intangible part of business operations that just 鈥榳orked.鈥� In fact, logistics as a topic of conversation rarely made headlines and bulletins, certainly less so the dinner table, business meetings and on social media鈥�, concludes Kunze.鈥� With the spotlight firmly fixed on the supply chain, and as this research identifies, businesses across Northern Europe are having to re-think their supply chain policies to build additional resilience to withstand being affected by more acute issues than ever before.鈥�

Customer quotes

Dieter Verlaeckt IT Director at Bru Textiles 鈥�Of course, we also felt the effects of the crisis. Transport was really under pressure, but thanks to our investments in software, we can control, manage and automate our costs and business processes well. That really makes a difference. The study shows that 1 company in 4 does not know how and where to start with sustainability. With us, it was actually the other way around. We rolled out software, based on sustainability considerations.听 Soon we saw how improving the flow of information in our supply chain also opened up numerous opportunities to better plan our inventory and, as a result, provide better customer service.听 By collecting and enriching data, we have a complete overview of our supply chain.鈥�

听

Olivier Kessler-Gay, Managing Director for Western Europe at Pandora: “Our challenge today is to meet the new expectations of a transparent, personalized and omnichannel shopping experience. By fully integrating our value chain, from the design of our jewelry and its manufacture in our workshops, to the supply of our stores, we have eliminated some of the problems faced by other market players. We can thus better anticipate the impact of macroeconomic developments and manage risks. While many uncertainties remain complex to grasp, the knowledge of our customers, the data and the tools at our disposal allow us to improve growth through a much more sophisticated approach and a finer understanding of demand.”

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London, 10th November 2022 鈥� New research released by 51风流reveals that despite ongoing cost of living challenges, over half (52%) of UK consumers aged 18-34 are actively looking to shop more from retailers with strong sustainability credentials this Christmas.

Less than a third (30%) of all UK consumers are prioritising sustainable purchases, but two in five (39%) of 18-34-year-olds are even prepared to pay significantly more for a sustainable product or service.

Findings from 51风流show that growing consumer demand for better sustainability credentials has not taken a backseat during challenging times for consumers. Supply chain issues have been disastrous for organisations in the UK this year and consumer-packaged goods/retail brands are hoping the run up to Christmas will see the traditional spike in retail spending.

Four in ten (40%) UK consumers are prioritising food and drink, when it came to their Christmas spending this year, and more than four in ten (43%) are looking to buy locally sourced products for their Christmas dinner or lunch, this rises to over half (54%) in younger respondents.

Locally sourced food is the most popular sustainability option among UK consumers. Second hand goods were far less popular with only a quarter (27%) saying they would be looking for second-hand or upcycled products as Christmas gifts. Again, young consumers buck the trend as almost half (49%) will be looking to buy second-hand or upcycled products as gifts this Christmas, compared to only 12% of 55+.

Only a third (33%) of all consumers are willing to wait longer if it means they can obtain sustainable products and/ or services. Younger consumers are more patient, with over half (51%) of 18-34-year-olds willing to wait longer for sustainable purchases, compared to 28% of 35-54-year-olds and 24% of 55+.

Despite total spend over the upcoming Black Friday and Cyber Monday weekend likely to decrease from traditional levels, it still presents itself as one of the key calendar events for consumers looking to grab the opportunity to shop discounted products. Over a third (36%) of UK consumers plan to shop more online this Christmas, signalling a need for retailers to review their online assets to ensure a fast, seamless, and personalised experience during this year鈥檚 major shopping weekend:

• Younger generations are more in favour of online shopping, with 46% of 18-34-year-olds planning to do all of their shopping online.
• Almost half (45%) said that they plan to shop equally between online and in-store
• For those shopping more online, convenience was the main reason for this (56%). Other factors included avoiding the crowds (47%), better prices and offers (40%), saving money on travel expenses (24%), wanting to avoid COVID-19 or other illnesses (17%).

鈥淏rands have come a long way towards putting purpose first and empowering the consumer to make sustainable decisions in their everyday lives. It was a priority for most CPG and retail brands towards the end of last year, in response to rising consumer demand, and this research reiterates just how front of mind sustainability must be, particularly to younger consumers, despite ongoing cost of living issues,鈥� comments , Vice President, Strategic Customer Program and Consumer Industry Group, 51风流UK&I.

鈥淐hristmas is fast approaching, which will hopefully provide some much-needed festive cheer for consumers and brands alike. Our research showed that while consumers need to be watchful of their spending, over a quarter (26%) felt that advertising in the holiday period had become melancholier since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Two thirds (65%) believed that Christmas adverts should be jollier, in spite of the current economic climate. There鈥檚 still much to look forward to during the holiday season.鈥�

Goutam concludes, 鈥淭o continue to attract customers, retailers and consumer goods organisations need to focus their efforts in three key directions 鈥� providing unrivalled customer experience, maintaining high sustainability credentials, and ensuring resilient value chains. As we all navigate the rocky path ahead, there is still hope that consumers and retail and CPG brands can have a good end to 2022.鈥�

About SAP

SAP鈥檚 strategy is to help every business run as an intelligent enterprise. As a market leader in enterprise application software, we help companies of all sizes and in all industries run at their best: 51风流customers generate 87% of total global commerce. Our machine learning, Internet of Things (IoT), and advanced analytics technologies help turn customers鈥� businesses into intelligent enterprises. 51风流helps give people and organisations deep business insight and fosters collaboration that helps them stay ahead of their competition. We simplify technology for companies so they can consume our software the way they want 鈥� without disruption. Our end-to-end suite of applications and services enables business and public customers across 25 industries globally to operate profitably, adapt continuously, and make a difference. With a global network of customers, partners, employees, and thought leaders, 51风流helps the world run better and improve people鈥檚 lives. For more information, visit .

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LONDON, UK 鈥� (NYSE: SAP) today announced new research revealing that almost every UK organisation admits their supply chain needs improving, and over half (58%) think their supply chain needs a lot/ significant improvement. In response, 84% of UK businesses are planning to move on from the 50-year-old 鈥榡ust in time鈥� supply chain model, which prioritised costs above all else when selecting suppliers, to a 鈥榡ust in case鈥� approach.

The findings from the report highlights that since the start of the pandemic, supply chain issues have been disastrous for organisations in the UK. 66% of businesses have experienced delays in production of goods/delivery of services, 64% have seen revenues decrease and 58% have experienced a loss of customers. Given this outlook, it perhaps comes as little to no surprise that almost a quarter (23%) of businesses expect supply chain issues to last until Summer 2023.

Earlier this year, the UK Chancellor Rishi Sunak said: 鈥淭he supply chain crisis felt by so many businesses could in fact provide an impetus for companies to improve productivity, and thus ensuring higher wages are not cancelled out by rising inflation鈥�.

But the picture for UK businesses tells a different story. For many businesses, increasing the price of their products/services isn鈥檛 an option to cover increases in supply chain costs. Instead staff will bear the brunt of any cost rise as 68% expect wage/recruitment freezes and 61% plan job cuts.

UK businesses are looking to the government for supply chain recommendations, but they are torn over the advantages and disadvantages of deglobalisation:

• 60% of businesses want increased government collaboration with industry
• Over half said the government should monitor the UK’s supply chain itself and invest where necessary (56%) and there is demand for increased industrial policy and trade policy (54%)
• The majority (72%) of UK businesses think deglobalising the UK鈥檚 supply chains would be disastrous to economic growth but over half (56%) plan to prioritise UK-based supply chain solutions.

Michiel Verhoeven, Managing Director 51风流UK & Ireland, says: 鈥淭he challenges and uncertainty facing so many UK businesses has meant that, for the majority of consumers, the days of wandering into a supermarket and seeing full shelves of produce now seem like a distant memory.

鈥淲here once supply chain management was mostly about cutting costs, businesses are faced with the challenge of staying ahead of consumer demand, while improving resilience, cutting carbon emissions, reducing staff churn and keeping costs down. Years of political, social and economic uncertainty, on top of a global pandemic, have exacerbated challenges with the UK鈥檚 current supply chain models. Whatever future external factors disrupt the movement of goods/ services, our on-demand consumer culture is only going to increase. Overnight shipping is considered late, with hourly tracking updates expected. A novel approach is needed to meet this demand.鈥�

Global logistics, consulting and manufacturing organisation, Unipart Group, recently announced a deepened partnership with SAP to deliver supply chain resilience and bring to life its extensive expertise in forecasting, Machine Learning, sensors and .

Commenting on the report findings, Unipart Logistics Managing Director, Ian Truesdale, said: 鈥淎lthough deglobalisation and other structural changes to supply chains like re-shoring may help UK economic growth, the changes and hence opportunities are more complex. We are seeing that growth can be increased further by developing a much more sophisticated approach to understanding patterns of demand and the impact of those changes along the supply chain to manage risks and prevent shortages.

鈥淚t鈥檚 why we are re-engineering our processes and streamlining our data to focus on process design and governance, operational execution and data & analytics. In doing so we, aim to have the ability to forecast, optimise and simulate supply chains to provide greater agility and resilience,” he added.

Elsewhere, findings from the study show that UK businesses are exploring various other avenues to improve their supply chains, in particular adopting new technology and implementing new contingency measures:

• 70% plan to adopt new technology to help overcome challenges in the next 1-2 years
• 51% plan to find new environmentally friendly supply chain solutions

Michiel concludes: 鈥淚t is exciting to see so many organisations realising the importance of investing in advancing technologies to innovate and are planning to adopt new sustainable supply chain solutions. Resilient supply chains must be sustainable, not only in terms of the environment, but sustainable against developments in technology and infrastructure in the UK and abroad. For decades, supply chain management has focussed on cost 鈥� where keeping them lean and fast has been the priority. This is different from being agile and resilient. With the end of 鈥榡ust in time鈥� models, businesses have to start putting the same expectations on their supply chain as they do on their wider business, structuring themselves to be 鈥榡ust in case鈥�, so that when disaster occurs, they can adapt. Those who don鈥檛 make this change are in for a very tough 18 months.鈥�

A copy of the complete findings from the study can be found here:听Tomorrow鈥檚 Supply Chain: Disruption Around Every Corner

Visit the 51风流News Center. Follow 51风流on Twitter at .

The post Supply Chain Crisis: Over 85% Of UK Businesses Plan To Move From ‘Just In Time’ To ‘Just In Case’ Model And Prioritise UK-Based Solutions To Overcome Challenges appeared first on 51风流UK News Center.

LONDON, UK 鈥� September 28, 2021 鈥� (NYSE: SAP) today announced that it is expanding its social impact by joining a new pan-European initiative launched by , aimed at making supply chains fairer and more sustainable.

Diversity, inclusion and sustainability are higher than ever on the agenda for procurement professionals as leading corporations look to their purchasing power as a means to achieving positive social and environmental outcomes. In a push to contribute to an inclusive and sustainable post-COVID recovery, forward-thinking companies are opening up their supply chains to social enterprises 鈥� businesses with a social or environmental mission. Now a new partnership of global corporations and social enterprise bodies promises to make this form of trade far more common across Europe in the years to come.

A global movement of businesses trading for people and the planet

Social enterprises are businesses which trade for people and the planet. They reinvest the majority of their profits into their social or environmental mission, helping to bring about fairer and more inclusive economies and a more sustainable planet.

Social enterprises can be found in almost every country across the world, and here in Europe, the European Commission is becoming an increasingly strong supporter. The European Action Plan for Social Economy, due to be published later this year, will outline ways in which the Commission intends to support social economy actors and social enterprises to start-up, scale up, innovate and create jobs.

UK trade between corporations and social enterprises reaches record high

An increasing number of social enterprises operate in the business-to-business space, delivering high-quality products and services to corporate clients across a wide range of categories 鈥� from employee benefits to events management, from recruitment to recycling, and from signage to software development.

In the UK 鈥榮ocial procurement鈥� 鈥� the sourcing of goods and services from social enterprises 鈥� has taken off in recent years, spurred on by the success of the Buy Social Corporate Challenge. Launched in 2016 and led by Social Enterprise UK, the Buy Social Corporate Challenge now has 27 large businesses signed up, representing every major sector of the UK economy. Over 拢165 million has been spent to date with social enterprise suppliers by the participating businesses, and despite the challenges of the pandemic the level of annual social procurement spend hit its highest level yet in 2020.

Peter Holbrook, CEO of Social Enterprise UK, said: 鈥淭he global social enterprise movement is thriving, and on every continent social enterprises are taking on the biggest social and environmental problems, and often making key contributions to the Sustainable Development Goals. Procurement leaders at large businesses have really stepped up in the last few years to build social enterprises into their UK supply chains, and I am delighted to see that our corporate partners are now focusing on creating opportunities for social enterprises across Europe.鈥�

High-profile companies aim to boost social procurement across Europe

• Nikolaus Kirner, Chief Procurement Officer at SAP, commented: 鈥淎s we continue to see the impact brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, both economically and socially, we believe now, more than ever it is imperative that we transform our supply chain to generate social and environmental impact through engagement with social enterprises. With partnerships already in the UK, Canada, Australia, USA and the Netherlands, we are excited to continue expanding our social impact through this initiative. Together, this is how 51风流and our partners Help the World Run Better and Improve People鈥檚 Lives.鈥�
• Dominic Blakemore, Group CEO of Compass Group PLC, commented: 鈥淲e believe social procurement is essential for a successful future. Across many of our regions, in particular the UK and USA, we鈥檙e already seeing first-hand the incredible social impact we can drive for communities, clients, customers and colleagues. Now, we鈥檙e looking forward to expanding our work globally alongside the other three business involved in this important pilot.鈥�
• Phil Soderberg, Head of Procurement and Vendor Management at Zurich Insurance Group, said: 鈥淭he Buy Social campaign has had a hugely positive impact in the communities we serve. Our spending with a stationery and talent development provider, for example, has helped transform over 1,000 lives around the world through programmes addressing gender inequality and social mobility. The campaign has also generated enormous energy inside our procurement organisation, and we are keen to expand the programme into other markets where we operate to make it a core pillar of our global sustainable sourcing drive.鈥�

A database of approved suppliers has already been launched, allowing the companies to connect with a growing number of recommended social enterprises across the whole of the EU + Switzerland region. Germany and Ireland have been identified as countries where the social enterprise supplier base is more mature and where the opportunities to make rapid progress are even greater. Euclid Network members Social Entrepreneurship Netzwerk Deutschland (SEND) and Social Enterprise Republic of Ireland (SERI) are strategic partners supporting the delivery of the pilot, accelerating corporate engagement even further with leading social enterprises in Germany and Ireland respectively. One such organisation is Speedpak, a contract packing and fulfilment provider based in Dublin, which delivers logistics and e-commerce fulfilment services to a range of manufacturers and online retailers.

European corporations and social enterprises operating across the EU + Switzerland region are being invited to get in touch to find out more about the plans and get involved. Contact Andy.Daly@socialenterprise.org.uk to find out more.

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The British Retail Consortium (BRC) reported that 2020 was the worst year for retail since records began in 1995, with a 0.3% fall in total sales, while sales of non-food in physical shops fell 24% year-on-year as we were all told to stay at home.

Shoppers who are spending in lockdown are mostly doing so online 鈥� as the digital convenience trend paved by pureplay titans like Amazon, Uber and Deliveroo has been adopted at speed due to Covid-19 restrictions. These online habits forged during lockdown are here to stay as customers realise how easy and convenient it is to shop from around the world, while sat on their sofa.

But selling purely online comes at a cost to most high-street retailers, not to mention the additional logistics of social distancing at warehouses, combined with stores standing empty for months on end making zero sales. There have already been a few casualties, but our ever-resilient retailers have rose to the challenge and kept our country going through one of the toughest periods in living memory.

And just when we were all getting used to this new way of pandemic life, a little word with the ability to stir up an ever-contentious debate comes barrelling back into our lives at the tail end of last year. Brexit.

The Double Blow

Of course, Brexit never went away. But with a global pandemic to contend with, you鈥檇 be forgiven if the transition deadline of 31 January 2020 crept up on us all a little too quickly. Quite simply, the double blow of Covid and Brexit was the perfect storm.

We breathed a sigh of relief as Boris secured a free-trade deal moments before Christmas, but now we鈥檙e officially out of the single market there are still many hurdles to jump through with听听These tariffs also apply to EU customers shopping with UK companies, with听听if shoppers refuse to pay the tariffs as it is too costly for retailers to facilitate returns.

That鈥檚 before we even touch on M&S favourite Percy Pig being held hostage on the Irish border听听Even Covid-19 vaccines have been dragged into the Brexit argument.

The increase in eCommerce which helped retailers stay afloat over the last year, will be the centre of many of these Brexit-related changes. But what exactly should retailers be keeping an eye on?

What鈥檚 the Impact on Retail?

• New import/export procedures: From online fashion sales to our fisheries 鈥� many areas of industry are facing additional charges when moving goods in and out of the UK.
• Rules of origin: The BRC said that at least 50 of its members were听听鈥� these tariffs are paid depending on where a product鈥檚 ingredients or materials originate, or where it has been manufactured.
• Changes to legislation: EU legislations businesses have been adhering to for many years may no longer be applicable. Companies continuing to do business in the EU will still need to comply with data protection GDPR guidelines, but legislation over food safety, for instance, will most likely change. Conversations about chlorinated chicken are hot on the agenda but are yet to materialise as US trade talks are still underway.
• Labour: European migrants make up a significant portion of our talent pool in the UK and Covid has already seen听听Now Brexit will make that harder for them to return which could lead to labour shortages.

What can we do to Bolster our Businesses?

• Understand your export and import charges:听You must get hold of the correct information for your business in terms of adhering to customs clearance because delays are costly. Gov.uk has a wealth of information, including this guide on听听to understand your responsibilities on VAT.
• Communicate with customers:听Shoppers are much more understanding of problems if they are aware of what is going on. If you believe Brexit will result in gaps in your merchandising, a delay to your shipping times or additional customs charges, communicate with shoppers clearly and early on. Equally if you plan to absorb any additional taxes put this information at the top of your website to encourage cross-border customers to shop with you.
• Reduce compliance risks:听Make sure you keep on top of new legislations. At this early stage, these rules are still very much up in the air as the government tries to strike trade deals with other countries like the Pan-Asia trade pact. Even the most prepared business may discover a nasty surprise as we navigate our way out of EU legislations we have been trading under for many years 鈥� if in doubt, seek legal advice to avoid any infringements and potential fines.
• Enable your workforce:听With a reduction in workers, this might be a good time to look into automating business processes. From AI-powered chatbots to reduce stress on call centres to automation within your warehouse, the power of this new technology allows humans to focus on more skilled areas of your business.
• Tighten up your supply chain:听All of these Brexit challenges ultimately impact your supply chain so this is the area that needs most of your attention. The priority should be ensuring your supply chain is as transparent as possible so you can quickly identify problems and reduce compliance risks. By working closely with your key suppliers you can identify potential changes in your supply base ahead of time and ensure your supply chain is agile and resilient.

Navigating our way Towards Calmer Waters

And while 2021 hasn鈥檛 exactly been the fresh start we were all hoping for as we navigate our way through Brexit-related red tape during yet another lockdown, there is some hope on the horizon now vaccinations are underway in the UK. In the second half of this year, with retail hopefully open, alongside leisure and hospitality, more people will be on our high streets ready to buy a new outfit for that long-awaited evening out at a restaurant, or (dare we wish for it?) a holiday, injecting money 鈥� and life 鈥� back into the economy.

More importantly, if the UK can get a solid grip on the Covid-19 crisis this frees up government to spend more time and energy focusing on supporting businesses through the Brexit transitions.

The main thing to remember is the importance of planning and ensuring your Brexit and are agile enough to quickly pivot when necessary. If 2020 taught us the lesson of resilience, 2021 will be the year of adaptability, and those who will emerge as winners will be the businesses with robust supply chains and complex multi-channel strategies that can communicate effectively with customers at a moment鈥檚 notice.

For more guidance please explore the听.

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