Sustainability »

Okay, okay already . . . What is sustainability, why do I need it, and how the heck can I acheive it?

Sustainability is about addressing and balancing the economic, environmental and social aspects of businesses, their operations and outputs. Many businesses consider sustainability as one of their core strategic values but find it hard to implement in their existing business setting.

Sustainable management of businesses is the roadmap to achieving the present needs of society without compromising the opportunities of future generations (Bruntland, 1987).

A Green Sustainable Supply Chain can be defined as “the process of using environmentally friendly inputs and transforming these inputs through change agents – whose byproducts can improve or be recycled within the existing environment. This process develops outputs that can be reclaimed and re-used at the end of their life-cycle thus, creating a sustainable supply chain.”

YIKES!!!

The whole idea of a sustainable supply chain is to reduce costs while helping the environment.

1. Integrate material handling and warehouse management systems to move and touch products fewer times and reduce forklift usage.

2. Streamline warehouse processes for higher levels of cross docking and minimize inventory and increase product turns. More flow-through means smaller distribution centers.

3. Create a more efficient transportation network to reduce empty hauls and dead ends in the movement of goods.

4. Best-of-breed planning, forecasting and replenishment will drive more efficiency in manufacturing and distribution.

5. Using cartonization in warehouse management systems will let you allocate the right units to pick and then select the correct size and rigidity of the container to use, significantly reducing the use of cardboard.

6. RFID and voice-based technologies improve warehouse efficiency and reduce paper consumption.