Resilient Supply Chain

Send me a messageIn this week’s episode of the Sustainable Supply Chain Podcast, I sit down with Sam Jenks, Chief Revenue Officer at Kodiak Hub, to explore why supplier relationship management (SRM) is no longer a “nice-to-have” but a mission-critical capability.Sam shares his journey in procurement technology and explains why traditional supplier management approaches, spreadsheets, siloed systems, tick-box compliance, are no longer fit for purpose in today’s volatile, uncertain, and sustainability-driven landscape. He makes a compelling case for treating supplier relationships as strategic assets, not transactions, and shows how stronger data, collaboration, and lifecycle thinking can unlock resilience, innovation, and measurable sustainability impact.We talk about how poor quality directly undermines sustainability, why procurement must think beyond ROI to the “cost of inaction,” and how AI, particularly agentic AI, will reshape the way organisations capture insights, manage risk, and reduce emissions across complex supply bases. Sam also points out that most procurement teams still only secure a fraction of the technology they need, and offers advice on building the business case for smarter SRM.If your organisation is serious about Scope 3 emissions, resilient sourcing, or extracting real value from supplier collaboration, this conversation is for you. It’s about moving past compliance checklists and building supplier partnerships that deliver long-term advantage.Tune in and discover why SRM might just be the most powerful lever in your supply chain strategy.Support the showPodcast supportersI'd like to sincerely thank this podcast's generous Subscribers:Alicia FaragKieran OgnevGary LynchAnd remember you too can become a Resilient Supply Chain+ subscriber  - it is really easy and hugely important as it will enable me to continue to create more excellent episodes like this one and give you access to bonus episodes of topical, timely supply chain resilience analysis.Podcast Sponsorship Opportunities:If you/your organisation is interested in sponsoring this podcast - I have several options available. Let's talk!FinallyIf you have any comments/suggestions or questions for the podcast - feel free to just send me a direct message on LinkedIn, or send me a text message using this link.If you liked this show, please don't forget to rate and/or review it. It makes a big difference to help new people discover it. Thanks for listening.

Send me a messageFleet sustainability isn’t just about going electric, it’s about smart planning, cultural buy-in, and tackling operational friction head-on. In this episode of the Sustainable Supply Chain podcast, I’m joined by Steve Saltzgiver, Director of Fleet Success at RTA Fleet, who brings over 40 years of public and private sector experience in managing and modernising fleets.We get into the real-world obstacles holding back fleet decarbonisation - politics, procurement cycles, and the ever-persistent myth that owning a car qualifies someone to manage a fleet. Steve talks about how electrification is progressing unevenly across the US, why right-sizing and right-typing fleets are essential first steps, and how even basic maintenance practices can yield massive emissions savings.We also touch on the growing role of data in fleet operations - how VMRS codes, utilisation metrics, and carbon baselining can turn strategy into action. Steve shares stories from his time working with governments, utilities, and large enterprises, and reflects on the cultural transformation needed to make sustainability stick.Whether you manage a municipal fleet or oversee logistics in a Fortune 500 company, this episode is packed with grounded, practical advice for making fleets leaner, cleaner, and smarter.🎧 Listen now - and if you’re enjoying the podcast, consider becoming a Sustainable Supply Chain+ subscriber to unlock the full back catalogue and shape future episodes.Support the showPodcast supportersI'd like to sincerely thank this podcast's generous Subscribers:Alicia FaragKieran OgnevGary LynchAnd remember you too can become a Resilient Supply Chain+ subscriber  - it is really easy and hugely important as it will enable me to continue to create more excellent episodes like this one and give you access to bonus episodes of topical, timely supply chain resilience analysis.Podcast Sponsorship Opportunities:If you/your organisation is interested in sponsoring this podcast - I have several options available. Let's talk!FinallyIf you have any comments/suggestions or questions for the podcast - feel free to just send me a direct message on LinkedIn, or send me a text message using this link.If you liked this show, please don't forget to rate and/or review it. It makes a big difference to help new people discover it. Thanks for listening.

Send me a messageIn this week’s episode of the Sustainable Supply Chain Podcast, I’m sharing a replay of one of my favourite conversations—my chat with George Wade, co-founder of Zevero. George’s story is a fascinating one: he began in waste management, only to realise that the biggest opportunities to cut emissions weren’t in bins or pallet wrap, but deep within supply chains. That insight led him to co-found Zevero, a carbon accounting company now operating globally.We unpack why Scope 3 emissions—those hidden in supply chains—are the toughest to measure yet the most crucial to tackle. George explains how Zevero helps organisations unlock data that would otherwise sit unused in ERP systems, turning it into actionable insights. He shares how even small companies can start the emissions journey without drowning in complexity, and why measurement isn’t just about compliance—it’s also about competitive advantage, customer trust, and employee engagement.George highlights success stories from clients like Jubel, a drinks brand that discovered its products had 67% fewer emissions than competitors—a powerful figure when selling into major retailers. We also discuss surprising benefits of emissions tracking, from reduced costs and new innovation pathways to improved staff morale and retention.Looking ahead, George predicts carbon accounting will become more collaborative, with data-sharing frameworks enabling companies to finally compare “apples with apples.” The future, he argues, belongs to those who measure accurately, act decisively, and communicate transparently.If you’re grappling with Scope 3 or looking for practical ways to reduce emissions across complex supply chains, this episode offers both clarity and inspiration.Listen in and discover why accurate data is the missing link in building truly sustainable supply chains.Support the showPodcast supportersI'd like to sincerely thank this podcast's generous Subscribers:Alicia FaragKieran OgnevGary LynchAnd remember you too can become a Resilient Supply Chain+ subscriber  - it is really easy and hugely important as it will enable me to continue to create more excellent episodes like this one and give you access to bonus episodes of topical, timely supply chain resilience analysis.Podcast Sponsorship Opportunities:If you/your organisation is interested in sponsoring this podcast - I have several options available. Let's talk!FinallyIf you have any comments/suggestions or questions for the podcast - feel free to just send me a direct message on LinkedIn, or send me a text message using this link.If you liked this show, please don't forget to rate and/or review it. It makes a big difference to help new people discover it. Thanks for listening.

Send me a messageIn this week’s episode of the Sustainable Supply Chain podcast, I’m bringing you a replay of my conversation with Rhea Rakshit, VP of Product at Sayari. While I’m away on holidays, it felt like the perfect time to revisit one of the most insightful discussions we’ve had this year, on ESG, supply chain transparency, and the shift from “tick-the-box” CSR to something far more strategic and impactful.Rhea and I unpack how regulation is reshaping corporate behaviour, forcing ESG out of the sidelines and into the core of business strategy. She explains why ownership of ESG can’t sit in a silo, it needs cross-functional alignment, from procurement to compliance to operations. A key theme we explore is the balance between scope and scale: start small, win trust, then expand. Trying to boil the ocean from day one is a recipe for inertia.We also dive into what true visibility looks like in supply chains. It’s not just about mapping suppliers, it’s about tracing to raw materials, exposing risks like forced labour, deforestation, and climate impacts, and most importantly, creating data that is decision-ready. Rhea argues that the real test of ESG isn’t reporting, it’s remediation. If a supplier is found to be linked to harmful practices, what happens next? Do companies walk away, or work to improve conditions? That’s where the real impact lies.We bring in perspectives from the Global South too, where the social dimension of ESG is often most acute, and Rhea shares why, despite the challenges, she’s optimistic about the ability of businesses to build resilient, transparent, and ethical supply chains.If you’re looking to understand how ESG in supply chains is evolving, from compliance headache to strategic advantage, this episode is well worth your time.Listen now and let me know what you think.#SustainableSupplyChain #ESG #SupplyChainTransparency #ForcedLabour #Deforestation #SustainabilitySupport the showPodcast supportersI'd like to sincerely thank this podcast's generous Subscribers:Alicia FaragKieran OgnevGary LynchAnd remember you too can become a Resilient Supply Chain+ subscriber  - it is really easy and hugely important as it will enable me to continue to create more excellent episodes like this one and give you access to bonus episodes of topical, timely supply chain resilience analysis.Podcast Sponsorship Opportunities:If you/your organisation is interested in sponsoring this podcast - I have several options available. Let's talk!FinallyIf you have any comments/suggestions or questions for the podcast - feel free to just send me a direct message on LinkedIn, or send me a text message using this link.If you liked this show, please don't forget to rate and/or review it. It makes a big difference to help new people discover it. Thanks for listening.

Send me a messageSupply chains are responsible for the majority of global emissions, yet they remain the hardest to decarbonise. In this episode of the Sustainable Supply Chain podcast, I sit down with Saskia van Gendt, Chief Sustainability Officer at Blue Yonder, to explore how data, AI, and end-to-end visibility are changing that equation.Saskia brings two decades of sustainability experience across government, retail, and manufacturing. We dig into the urgent challenge of Scope 3 emissions - why they make up 60%+ of global carbon output, why they’re so difficult to measure, and how regulatory pressure is finally starting to unlock action.We discuss how AI-powered supply chain platforms can optimise sourcing decisions on the fly, set carbon budgets, and reduce waste, from manufacturing to reverse logistics. Saskia shares real-world examples, from cutting a million transport miles in South America to reducing food waste by 15% through demand-supply optimisation.We also cover the overlap between resilience and sustainability, the impact of tariffs and CBAM, and how leaders can align sustainability targets with operational KPIs. The big takeaway? Sustainability isn’t a compliance box, it’s a strategic advantage for retailers, manufacturers, and logistics providers willing to integrate it into core supply chain decisions.If you’re a supply chain leader looking to make measurable progress on emissions reduction, waste management, and resilience, this conversation is packed with actionable insights.Support the showPodcast supportersI'd like to sincerely thank this podcast's generous Subscribers:Alicia FaragKieran OgnevGary LynchAnd remember you too can become a Resilient Supply Chain+ subscriber  - it is really easy and hugely important as it will enable me to continue to create more excellent episodes like this one and give you access to bonus episodes of topical, timely supply chain resilience analysis.Podcast Sponsorship Opportunities:If you/your organisation is interested in sponsoring this podcast - I have several options available. Let's talk!FinallyIf you have any comments/suggestions or questions for the podcast - feel free to just send me a direct message on LinkedIn, or send me a text message using this link.If you liked this show, please don't forget to rate and/or review it. It makes a big difference to help new people discover it. Thanks for listening.

Send me a messageProcurement’s role is changing, or at least, it should be. In this episode of the Sustainable Supply Chain podcast, I sat down with Conrad Snover, CEO of ProcureAbility, to unpack why procurement still struggles to evolve beyond a transactional role, and what it’ll take to transform it into a true driver of value.We covered a lot, from why most procurement teams still don’t have a seat at the strategy table, to how utilities are coping with 2+ year lead times on transformers while trying to hit electrification targets. Conrad shared real-world examples of how procurement leaders can build resilience without stockpiling inventory, and why relationships, not just contracts, are the key to sustainable supply chains.We also talked about the path from tactical to strategic to profit-generating procurement, how digital tools (including AI) are shifting the playing field, and the operational basics that still hold too many teams back.If you’re leading supply chain or sustainability efforts, and you’ve ever been frustrated by the inertia of outdated procurement practices, this episode is well worth your time.🎧 Listen now to learn:Why procurement needs to earn strategic influence, not demand itHow to balance cost efficiency with supplier reliability and sustainabilityWhat electrification means for supply chain resilience in utilities and beyondSubscribe, share, and drop me a line with your thoughts.Support the showPodcast supportersI'd like to sincerely thank this podcast's generous Subscribers:Alicia FaragKieran OgnevGary LynchAnd remember you too can become a Resilient Supply Chain+ subscriber  - it is really easy and hugely important as it will enable me to continue to create more excellent episodes like this one and give you access to bonus episodes of topical, timely supply chain resilience analysis.Podcast Sponsorship Opportunities:If you/your organisation is interested in sponsoring this podcast - I have several options available. Let's talk!FinallyIf you have any comments/suggestions or questions for the podcast - feel free to just send me a direct message on LinkedIn, or send me a text message using this link.If you liked this show, please don't forget to rate and/or review it. It makes a big difference to help new people discover it. Thanks for listening.

Send me a messageIn this episode of the Sustainable Supply Chain podcast, I sat down with Ollie Carpenter, Director of Environmental Risk Analytics at Risilience, to unpack how global businesses are moving from climate ambition to action, through risk-informed decision making.Ollie and his team work with companies like Nestlé, Burberry, and Maersk, helping them build digital twins of their operations and supply chains to stress-test climate and nature-related risks. What I found particularly insightful is how this risk-based lens shifts the sustainability conversation from “nice-to-have” to essential business planning.We covered:The difference between physical and transition risk, and why both matter for supply chain resilienceHow regulation like CSRD and TNFD is raising the bar on climate disclosureThe evolving role of procurement in decarbonisation, supplier engagement, and scope 3 measurementWhy near-term transition plans (to 2030) are more actionable than distant net-zero targetsThe hidden vulnerabilities in agricultural supply chains most companies still overlookAnd how employee pressure is becoming a key driver of sustainability inside firmsIf you’re trying to embed sustainability into operational planning, link it to financial outcomes, or simply stay ahead of climate-related disruptions, this one’s really worth a listen.🎧 Listen now, and find out why Ollie thinks sustainability teams may one day disappear entirely.Support the showPodcast supportersI'd like to sincerely thank this podcast's generous Subscribers:Alicia FaragKieran OgnevGary LynchAnd remember you too can become a Resilient Supply Chain+ subscriber  - it is really easy and hugely important as it will enable me to continue to create more excellent episodes like this one and give you access to bonus episodes of topical, timely supply chain resilience analysis.Podcast Sponsorship Opportunities:If you/your organisation is interested in sponsoring this podcast - I have several options available. Let's talk!FinallyIf you have any comments/suggestions or questions for the podcast - feel free to just send me a direct message on LinkedIn, or send me a text message using this link.If you liked this show, please don't forget to rate and/or review it. It makes a big difference to help new people discover it. Thanks for listening.

Send me a messageHow do you show a customer the inside of a wind turbine nacelle, or onboard engineers to hazardous industrial equipment, without ever leaving their desks?In this episode of the Sustainable Supply Chain podcast, I’m joined by Matt Trubow, Commercial Director at Hidden Creative, to explore how immersive technology is changing the way engineering organisations sell, train, and transfer knowledge.Matt and I discuss Simmerse, a browser-based spatial computing platform that’s already being used by the likes of ABB, GE, and Johnson Controls to reduce travel emissions, eliminate onboarding bottlenecks, and accelerate complex B2B sales. Instead of flying people around the world or relying on death-by-PowerPoint, Simmerse allows distributed teams and customers to step inside a 3D environment, whether it’s a ship engine, water treatment plant, or offshore turbine, and engage with it in real time.We dive into the cognitive science behind why this works so well for engineers, the tangible ROI it’s delivering, and how tools like AI and digital twins are reshaping industrial communications.If you work in a supply chain function where product complexity, technical sales, or sustainability impact are key, this episode will give you a fresh lens on immersive tech as a practical tool, not a gimmick.Support the showPodcast supportersI'd like to sincerely thank this podcast's generous Subscribers:Alicia FaragKieran OgnevGary LynchAnd remember you too can become a Resilient Supply Chain+ subscriber  - it is really easy and hugely important as it will enable me to continue to create more excellent episodes like this one and give you access to bonus episodes of topical, timely supply chain resilience analysis.Podcast Sponsorship Opportunities:If you/your organisation is interested in sponsoring this podcast - I have several options available. Let's talk!FinallyIf you have any comments/suggestions or questions for the podcast - feel free to just send me a direct message on LinkedIn, or send me a text message using this link.If you liked this show, please don't forget to rate and/or review it. It makes a big difference to help new people discover it. Thanks for listening.

Send me a messageIn this episode of the Sustainable Supply Chain podcast, I sat down with Dr Erik Garcell, Director of Quantum Enterprise Development at Classiq, to explore how quantum computing is moving from theoretical buzz to practical tool, and what that means for supply chains.We talked about why quantum’s real strength lies in optimisation: solving incredibly complex problems like route planning, inventory management, or energy grid design far faster than classical systems ever could. Erik explained how quantum is already being used via cloud platforms (yes, even on AWS), and why enterprises, from BMW to Mitsubishi Chemicals, are experimenting with it now, not later.We got into real-world use cases too: dynamic logistics recalculations in response to disruptions, quantum-enhanced digital twins for EV battery design, and how this tech might support real-time, low-carbon decision-making across vast supplier networks.This isn’t about replacing classical computing, it’s about adding a powerful new tool to the box. Erik also gave practical advice for supply chain leaders: how to start engaging with quantum now, when upskilling your existing team makes more sense than hiring PhDs, and what pitfalls to avoid.If you’re wondering when, or even if, quantum computing will matter to your business, this is the episode for you.🎧 Listen now to understand why the smart money is investing in quantum today.Support the showPodcast supportersI'd like to sincerely thank this podcast's generous Subscribers:Alicia FaragKieran OgnevGary LynchAnd remember you too can become a Resilient Supply Chain+ subscriber  - it is really easy and hugely important as it will enable me to continue to create more excellent episodes like this one and give you access to bonus episodes of topical, timely supply chain resilience analysis.Podcast Sponsorship Opportunities:If you/your organisation is interested in sponsoring this podcast - I have several options available. Let's talk!FinallyIf you have any comments/suggestions or questions for the podcast - feel free to just send me a direct message on LinkedIn, or send me a text message using this link.If you liked this show, please don't forget to rate and/or review it. It makes a big difference to help new people discover it. Thanks for listening.

Send me a messageAir freight has long been the wild west of logistics, complex, opaque, and often wasteful. In this episode, I sat down with Chris Condon, founder and CEO of Aircon and the mind behind Captain Cargo, to unpack how AI and automation are reshaping air freight for the better.Chris brings decades of freight forwarding experience and has built a platform specifically to help small and mid-sized freight forwarders compete with global giants. We explore why air freight isn’t just for emergencies, how faster quoting often matters more than faster transit, and how real-time exception management is the missing piece for most operators.We also dig into sustainability. Chris explains how smarter consolidation and capacity optimisation, enabled by predictive analytics, can reduce unused cargo space and avoid unnecessary flights. In a sector where emissions are high and transparency is low, that matters.This isn’t just about tech for tech’s sake. It’s about giving operators the tools to retain customers, improve margins, and respond to disruption, without losing control to the big players.If you’re in logistics, supply chain management, or sustainability and you want to understand where AI is actuallydelivering value in freight, this one’s well worth a listen.🎧 Listen now to learn:Why quoting speed trumps price in air freightHow AI unlocks hidden network capacityWhat sustainable air cargo really looks like in practiceSupport the showPodcast supportersI'd like to sincerely thank this podcast's generous Subscribers:Alicia FaragKieran OgnevGary LynchAnd remember you too can become a Resilient Supply Chain+ subscriber  - it is really easy and hugely important as it will enable me to continue to create more excellent episodes like this one and give you access to bonus episodes of topical, timely supply chain resilience analysis.Podcast Sponsorship Opportunities:If you/your organisation is interested in sponsoring this podcast - I have several options available. Let's talk!FinallyIf you have any comments/suggestions or questions for the podcast - feel free to just send me a direct message on LinkedIn, or send me a text message using this link.If you liked this show, please don't forget to rate and/or review it. It makes a big difference to help new people discover it. Thanks for listening.