The Circular Economy by the Numbers

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The Material Circularity Indicator and the Linear Flow Index You know that old managerial maxim of “what gets measured, gets managed?” Well, it sure applies to the world of sustainability, too. You simply can’t evaluate the efficacy of any eco-friendly initiative without a set of clear and strong measurements. These metrics need to tell a genuine and compelling story of progress, one devoid of “green-washing” or other half-hearted efforts. What first drew my attention to […]

Running full speed ahead – or for the hills?

julilassow

Running full speed ahead – or for the hills? Vetting prospective suppliers is part art, part science. To do it well, you’ll need to navigate in the gray, as well as calculate in black and white.  But as I have outlined recently, there has never been a more critical time to be sure that you have the correct partners to support strategic initiative launches, such as your participation in the circular economy. When you begin […]

How You Can Seize the Future

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How You Can Seize the Future In my last four articles, we’ve taken a look at the key trends shaping the future of retail, and therefore, sourcing. We’ve seen how customers are now expecting more personalization, more speed, and more transparency in their retail experience, mostly due to the rise of Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) companies that use data to power the business. We’ve also discovered how these same trends are driving innovation in sourcing, from new […]

Just-in-Time Manufacturing

julilassow

Just-in-Time Manufacturing What’s one of the most exciting trends in sourcing? Well, for me, it’s how some companies are using just-in-time manufacturing to produce their goods and usher in a new era of inventory management. Let’s see what’s happening. Wanted: Inventory Management for the Digital Age Take a look at last quarter’s earnings calls, and you’ll feel like you’re reading the retail version of A Tale of Two Cities. For some retailers, it was the […]

Advancing the Cause of Sustainability (and Digitizing It, Too)

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Advancing the Cause of Sustainability (and Digitizing It, Too) In my last post, we saw how digital platforms, such as Inspectorio, are changing the way that retailers, brands, and suppliers approach quality control and compliance. In this post, we’ll discover how technology is transforming sustainability, which continues to be of increasing importance to today’s consumer. The Challenges of Sustainability Efforts Sustainability initiatives are complex. They require many different people, from many different disciplines, doing a […]