Walmart’s New Approach on Supply Chain Management
After a recent class on supply chain management, I came to realize that while supply chain management is an extremely important aspect of any business, it is seldom publicized. Its lack of promotion seems to be due to the fact that, in the eyes of consumers, it is a relatively unseen, “behind-the-scenes” part of business. It is for this reason that I was intrigued by several articles on Walmart’s new approaches to supply chain management… in particular, its approaches that involve consideration of sustainability.
Walmart is taking the lead when it comes to innovative methods of supply chain management. Last week, Walmart Canada’s SVP of supply chain management introduced a new design for a truck, called the “Supercube”. The new truck will increase storage capacity by 30% and it even has the potential to innovate supply chain management guidelines, should the new truck design become an industry standard.
Walmart’s new “Supercube” truck
Likewise, Walmart recently announced its increase in the use of its Sustainability Index, noting that by 2017, 70% of all products sold (in the US) will come from suppliers using the Sustainability Index. Mike Duke, president and CEO of Walmart stressed his inclination to “have deeper insight into how [Walmart] can make manufacturing more sustainable for people and communities in China”, by addressing issues with packaging as well as the stores’ energy consumption.
something that I never thought possible before having read these articles and talked about supply chain management in class.
Walmart’s endeavor is undoubtedly an effort that will increase productivity for the company as well as consumer popularity.
Sources:
http://www.thegreensupplychain.com/NEWS/12-11-14-1.PHP?CID=6434
http://www.sustainablebusiness.com/index.cfm/go/news.display/id/24279
http://www.thegreensupplychain.com/news/12-10-29-1.php?cid=6377