Source Intelligence: Mapping the Supply Chain and Monitoring for Risk

In Supply Chain Management Review's most recent article, Source Intelligence: Mapping the supply chain and monitoring risk, Editorial Director Bob Trebilcock, interviews Source Intelligence’s Chief Executive Office Jess Kraus, on the evolving platform  that allows companies to  verify and monitor suppliers for conflict minerals and human rights abuses.

Trebilcock discusses how responsible sourcing is becoming an apparent issue for supply chain professionals, and how Source Intelligence is taking initiative to provide transparency. The article features Source for their unique approach to addressing risk in the supply chain:

“Source Intelligence, which was founded in 2009, is a platform for mapping supply chains, validating and verifying suppliers, and monitoring supply chain activities for telltale signs that something is amiss. Currently, there are over 219,000 registered suppliers exchanging information with some 200 customers. Think of it as a LinkedIn for sustainable, ethical, and responsible sourcing.”

Kraus discusses how the conflict minerals regulation in the U.S. is shaping risk management and how companies large and small are responding to this new requirement:

“Kraus: Conflict minerals. There is no other requirement in the US that requires you to map your supply chain, determine where your materials are coming from, and have that audited by a third party. In fact, there’s never been anything like it. We are able to validate suppliers and monitor them for risk management. That has been driving the growth of the company for the last two-and-a-half years. Without the conflict minerals requirement, I’m sure we wouldn’t have over 200,000 registered suppliers."

The article further presents the method to Source Intelligence’s Linkedin style platform, and how it gives visibility in companies supply chains to ensure brand reputation:

“Kraus: Now, companies are discovering a secondary benefit because they can see their whole supply chain. For instance, several of my customers learned they were buying gold from North Korea. It’s been eye-opening.”

With the growing importance of supply chain management, whether for conflict minerals or corrupt practices, Kraus discusses that transparancy and brand reputation is the "reason of interest" for companies mapping their supply chain.  To get a better understanding on how tracing unethical practices in the supply chain is essential for brand reputation, read the full interview of Source Intelligence: Mapping the supply chain and monitoring risk.