Take a Systems Approach to Accelerate Goals
As we enter Climate Week in the US, I’ve been thinking a lot about how sustainability goals are impacted by the systems that exist all around us. More precisely, that unless we’re looking at sustainability solutions from the perspective of inter-connectedness, we will make incremental progress at best. It’s common for organizations, companies, and even nations – to focus their efforts within their immediate scope. Not looking to the left or right to see how their efforts could impact their neighbors. What may drive efficiency and sustainability improvements in one area, could push a problem somewhere else.
Several years ago, I was part of an event that had the bold mission of “Change the System, Change the World”. In attendance were leaders across the footwear and apparel industry – raw material suppliers, finished goods factories, brands, research institutes, consortiums, and so on. It was inspiring to walk through exercises that helped attendees understand how actions (good or bad) can have unintended consequences because we are operating not in isolation, but in connection, with each other. I would like to think that everyone left more aware of their expanded impact, and opportunity. A positive change in one part of a system is good, but imagine how much more impactful it would be if all the players were making aligned positive changes together?
Supply chain feels like an outdated linear term. I prefer to think of supply chains as supply systems, because of the dependence amongst all the parts, and the extensive sub-systems that are required to plan, make, and move product from concept to consumer. The last 18+ months of Covid, historic wildfires, and impacts of extreme weather patterns have exposed several vulnerabilities in the supply system and have also ignited a renewed passion for taking action towards a more sustainable future. Approaches such as near-shoring, organic, bio-based, & sustainable materials, circularity, electrification – are all leading headlines.
What we’ve all been learning is that once in a lifetime black swan events are becoming the norm, not the outlier. Answering the challenge of our times requires a global view and global solutions, with acknowledgement of the complexities of the systems we operate within.
Zefyr’s team of industry experts understands the importance of working across and within systems. Of seeing the big picture. We work hard to understand a business’s strategy, goals, and pain points both within their internal control and their external supply system. As both practitioners and strategists, Zefyr builds bespoke sourcing strategies with accompanying tools & processes, to drive efficiency, sustainability, and growth.
If you would like to discuss taking a strategic approach to your supply system in order to build resiliency and improve sustainability, the team at Zefyr would love to talk with you. Contact us at www.zefyrconsulting.com today.
Annette Herboth, Senior Consultant, Zefyr Consulting