- Sustainability Problem: There is an increase in demand for supply chain transparency. This stems from the larger issue that there are supply chain risks which include labor and manufacturing issues, geopolitical conflict, and raw material shortages.
- Technology:
- Interactive online mapping technologies allow companies to gain visibility into their supply chain.
- Companies can use underlying data that they already collect through exisiting supplier reported data and audits.
- Marks & Spenser, a U.K. retailer used this mapping technology to identify factories. When the user zooms in on a factory, information such as the factory address, number of workers, and gender of workers is shown. The technology has the ability to incorporate detailed information regarding environmental and social issues reported at each factory.
- Stakeholders:
- Businesses
- Consumers
- Investors
- NGOs
- Activists
- Mapping technology developers
- Individuals affected in supply chains (for example, factory workers)
- Deployment:
- Developers can market supply chain technologies to businesses demonstrating that it helps companies meet internal and global sustainability goals.
- Regulators have started implementing disclosure requirements in some industries and countries. Partner with goverments to ensure companies use supply chain mapping technology.
- Technology developers can become involved in consumer education campaigns that promote advocacy efforts involving supply chains to promote this technology.
GreenBiz Article – June 16th, 2016
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