This month we’ve been talking a lot about supply chain – talking to suppliers about how you can more to a more sustainable supply chain and remove single use plastic. It’s also something we’ve seen a lot in the media about this month.
Climate agenda calls for more sustainable supply chains
With supply chains underpinning the very foundations of trade, the past two decades have understandably seen an increased impetus on supply chain gains such as speed and efficiency to maximise (often) squeezed margins.
These types of operational efficiencies are clearly important to global markets but there are now increasing questions around the challenges presented by increasingly complicated supply chains; not least the impact that both globalisation and the fulfilment of global commerce presents to our environment.
With climate action a firm focus for businesses and organisations around the globe, the time is right that we start discussing and delivering supply chain sustainability more actively.
How Disrupted Supply Chains Impact Retail Sustainability Efforts: Five Key Strategies For The Post-Pandemic World
By now, it’s widely known that the Covid-19 pandemic disrupted global supply chains and uncovered vulnerabilities in many industries, perhaps none more than the retail space. A chief vulnerability in this space is sustainability — that is, reducing the negative impact of products on people and the environment.
More and more consumers are practicing ethical consumerism: They vote with their wallets by buying ethically made products that support small-scale manufacturers and local artisans and protect the environment, while refusing to purchase non-sustainable products. A McKinsey podcast reports that “consumer willingness to move toward sustainable products is definitely the strongest force at work, and that will be the main driver of change.”
Greening The Supply Chain To Beat Climate Change
Consumers today care and want to know if a brand’s supply chain is sustainable all the way through and are displaying a preference for living a ‘green’ lifestyle and buying sustainably sourced products.
These trends are telling. Businesses will need to focus on greening their supply chains to reduce their impact on the planet as well as retain loyal customers. Companies of all sizes, including small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), are working hard to “green” their operations.
The CMA will investigate how products and services claiming to be ‘eco-friendly’ are being marketed, and whether consumers could be being misled
The CMA has published its final guidance for businesses to help them understand and comply with their existing obligations under consumer law.
Alongside the guidance, the CMA has also published a video for businesses and short guide, all of which can be found on our Green Claims Code pages.
