When Good Intentions are not Enough: De-Coding Supply Chain Sustainability

It is simply not enough in today’s world to just set out a CSR policy or a supplier code of conduct or total up the number of sustainability initiatives in the supply chain and think you are doing the right thing. The days of accountability by case study are fading fast. Companies must actually do the work and invest the capital to create lasting (and profitable) change in their supply chains. 

For today’s multinational, extended supply chains span continents, industries and issues. The social, environmental and economic impacts of the company’s relationships are complex. Coming to grips with all these interactions and complex layers means that having a “sustainable” and transparent supply chain can at first appear daunting. With so many suppliers, issues, methodologies, standards, and certifications, where do you start?

Whether it’s sweatshops in Cambodia, conflict minerals in the mining industry of the Democratic Republic of Congo, unsafe factory conditions in Bangladesh or egregious working hours in China, there are no shortage of thorny issues that companies get stuck into. 

Based upon fifteen years of advising companies on responsible business practices, Corporate Citizenship advocates a systematic approach to simplifying sustainable supply chains, prioritising actions and focusing on rigorous impact measurement.

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Oren Jaffe is Manager, Business Development at Corporate Citizenship. He is based in San Francisco and has more than nine years’ experience in corporate responsibility - with expertise in ethical supply chains, social compliance, responsible sourcing, human rights, risk mitigation, brand protection and conflict minerals traceability. Oren is experienced in engaging with major brands, retailers and suppliers in apparel, footwear, electronic, jewelry, grocery and toy industries to build transparent, ethical and socially responsible supply chains.