Supplying Sustainably; Sustainable Supply Chains and your Business!

Starting at the source, Sustainable Supply Chains help conscious consumer companies decrease their Environmental and Social Impact, Elevate their Practices and Create Engines for Change.

If you haven’t been hiding under a rock for the past ten years, then you have most likely heard the word Sustainability manifest in at least one, if not multiple conversations in the past decade. There is also a chance that you and/or your organization are actively exploring sustainable practices and operations (if so, kudos to you). But as you may have or will eventually realize; sustainability is as complex as it is necessary. It will require greater commitment and collaboration on a global scale.

For those of you who may have been hiding under that rock, Sustainability as captured by the Brundtland Commission is the notion of meeting the needs of the present without taking resources from future generations.

In an ever-growing consumerism-consumed world, it becomes ever more evident that consumer companies can play a pivotal role in pushing the needle for sustainable consumption practices. Especially as these companies face increasing pressures from customers, employees, investors, and governments to demonstrate greater environmental stewardship and social responsibility. Calling for dramatic improvements in sustainability performance.

This is increasingly being done by consumer companies globally through sustainable supply chains and sustainable supply chain management. This is an ideal place to start given that, according to McKinsey & Company, the supply chain accounts for over 90% of the Environmental Impact of most consumer goods companies. This then begs the question…

What is a Sustainable Supply Chain?

For those unfamiliar with supply chains; they are best known as coordinated networks of all the companies, facilities, and activities in the product’s life-cycle. For a supply chain to be considered sustainable it must encapsulate an array of different yet equally important priorities, including:

● Environmental Stewardship

● Conservation of Resources

● Reduction of Carbon Footprint

● Financial Savings and Viability

● Social Equity and Responsibility

Sustainable Supply Chain Management is required to ensure that these elements are being continuously addressed. Sustainable Supply Chain Management is the process of integrating environmentally and financially feasible practices into the complete supply chain life-cycle. Making plans for the product’s End-of-Life, taking into account Sustainable Waste Management principles.

Why is it Important?

It is evident that supply chains, for most consumer companies, have a far greater impact on the environment than any other part of their operation. Supply chains intrinsically embody energy-intensive production and transportation impacts, as products are made and moved around, both locally and globally. Thus, in an increasingly globalized world, it is difficult to dispute sustainable supply chains’ importance in helping consumer companies achieve the Triple Bottom Line of People, Planet, and Prosperity.

Sustainable Supply Chain Benefits

Growing research for Sustainable Supply Chain Benefits is increasing exponentially. Consumer Companies can and have been able to optimize processes, conserve resources, and increase productivity and innovation, thus significantly cutting costs. This was done simply by managing and improving environmental, social, and economic performance throughout the supply chain.

Some Sustainable Supply Chain benefits include:

● Reduced Social and Environmental Impact

● Improved Continuity of Resource Supply

● Improved Branding and Protection against Reputational Damage

● Improved Investor Relations and Potential for New Partnerships

However, Sustainable Supply Chain benefits are not exclusive to a company’s interests. These benefits have the innate capacity to ripple out to society and the planet at large.

Common Challenges For Businesses

While the long-term benefits of sustainable supply chains are almost non-negotiable. Most businesses tend to face a set of common challenges when moving towards more Sustainable Supply Chains:

● Increased Short-Term Costs

● Supply Chain Complexity and Difficulty Monitoring

● Struggles with Alignment across the Supply Chain

● Other Demands on the Supply Chain (e.g consumer demand affecting speed, quality, etc.)

These, however, can be mitigated in the long-term through thoughtful and strategic practices adopted by the business as they begin to shift towards Sustainable Supply Chains. As you chew on that you might be wondering…

Where to Start?

While incorporating sustainability into a company’s supply chain may be complex, shifting towards more Sustainable Supply Chain Management and Operations practice can yield long-term benefits for the company and beyond. Companies can adopt several initial steps to move toward sustainable supply chains:

● Map your Supply Chain and Identify Inefficiencies.

● Create a Training and Education Program and Communicate Expectations.

● Create a Supplier Code of Conduct, to ensure Alignment across the Supply Chain.

● Partner with Industry Peers / Join Industry Collaborations.

Forrester Research has conceptualized a framework for ways to integrate sustainability into a supply chain. Highlighting Four Key Elements:

1. Ensure Sustainable Resource Procurement

2. Optimize Operations

3. Plan for End-of-Life

4. Communicate Information / Radical Transparency

Sustainable Supply Chain Examples

Examples of sustainability cut across industries, including technology, agriculture, and infrastructure, among others. These can be seen in stories highlighted by SustainCase. An inspiring example is of a road builder that previously bought asphalt based on price alone who cut shipping distance and related carbon emissions by 40% and achieved a lower total landed cost by buying supplies locally. Another great example is a fast-food company that redesigned its packaging to avoid repacking in the supply chain. In doing so, they eliminated literal tons of waste.

Sustainable Supply Chains have also made a splash in the Tech-World with Microsoft being a leader in employing its technologies to empower their customers around the world. Inspiring them to increase their own sustainability and drive sustainable innovation through their products and services. With efforts such as their AI for Earth platform, which supports organizations working to solve environmental problems by applying the full potential of artificial intelligence and cloud computing. Microsoft is working alongside Featured Partners in this effort to solve many global challenges. Including the food and farming sector, air quality conditions in urban areas, ocean research, and international conservation. Microsoft has also committed to investing $1 Billion in the next four years in technological solutions for global climate change, as a part of their Climate Innovation Fund.

Originally Published on Habitatpoint

Bored of Looking at Job Boards? 6 Popular Green Job Boards to launch your Career in Sustainability

Sustainability Careers and Green Jobs are a fast-growing industry, taking the world by storm.

Especially since the world of work is intrinsically linked to the health of the natural environment.

Thus, Green Jobs are not a distant future but a necessary present.

What are the Types of Sustainable Jobs?

Sustainability – avoiding resource depletion to maintain future global ecological balance – is a popular and growing field. It attempts to integrate the social sciences, environmental science, and economics to make the earth more sustainable.

Now, more than ever, there is a profound need for the implementation of more sustainable practices across the job board. Such as, agriculture, tourism, and other industries including pharmaceuticals, textiles and food and beverage, and even the service industry all heavily rely on a healthy and sustainable planet to thrive.

Given the growing concerns of global climate change, biodiversity loss and environmental and social injustice it is no word sustainability is such a hot hiring space right now. A Green Job can inspire innovative ways to manage the growing ecological balance concerns and therefore the earth’s sustainability moving forward. Typically a Green Job refers to a job in the area of Environmental Sustainability, which Supports Global Climate Change, Green, and Environmental Science, and Social Equity related jobs.

According to Indeed the 10 Sustainable Jobs that are particularly attractive in the market and those making the most impact are:

1. Urban Planner. (National average salary: $62,707 per year)

The role of Urban Planners is usually to help governments and private organizations to design and develop master plans for land use, specializing in programs and policies.

2. Landscape Architect. (National average salary: $63,819 per year)

Landscape Architects are responsible for surveying and understanding the natural geography, geology, and terrain of an area. Further implementing various design strategies to introduce built structures seamlessly with the environment.

3. Environmental Geologist. (National average salary: $65,272 per year)

The Environmental Geologist plays a vital role in facilitating an important aspect of sustainability-related initiatives by finding alternative sources of energy and resources.

4. Environmental Consultant. (National average salary: $67,822 per year)

An Environmental Consultant’s role is usually to contract with private and/or public sector clients. Including Environmental Agencies, Water Treatment Facilities, and Other Organizations whose products or services impact the environment.

5. Environmental Scientist. (National average salary: $68,629 per year)

Environmental Scientists work to find the best methods and practices to ensure the protection of the environment and promote human health.

6. Ecologist. ( National average salary: $72,370 per year)

Ecologists study and explore the myriad ways in which we can begin to deal with the impact of human activities on the environment.

7. Air Quality Engineer. (National average salary: $74,851 per year)

Air Quality Engineers are responsible for analyzing air pollution in an area through sophisticated monitoring processes, statistical analyses, and 3D computer modeling.

8. Environmental Engineer. (National average salary: $77,723 per year)

Environmental Engineers use the synergistic approach of combining the principles of engineering with knowledge of biological and ecological processes to solve environmental issues.

9. Sustainability Engineer. (National average salary: $87,796 per year)

A Sustainability Engineer is tasked with designing and implementing Renewable Energy projects by assessing sites, drawing plans, and monitoring finances.

10. Energy Manager. (National average salary: $80,862 per year)

Energy Managers perform audits to ensure efficient resource use. This applies to both Financial and Environmental resources.

The field is in a constant state of change and expansion, and given its complex and all-encompassing nature, there are a lot of other jobs that fall within the process chain and across the board. The Eco Ally highlights some key Sustainable and Green Jobs that do not require a university degree, including:

● Urban Farming

● Content Creating

● Ecotourism Guide

● Firefighting

● Forest And Conservation

● Recycling

● Weatherization

● Wind And Solar Technician

● Green Construction

● Smart Grid And Green HVAC

Which Green Board Job to Choose?!

With so many Green Job Boards out there, you must be wondering which one to choose? The key to finding what you need from Green Job Boards in your job search is to be specific, as specific as possible! The type of Green Job Board that will be most useful to you will ultimately depend on the type of job you’re looking for, where you are searching, and your qualifications. Thus, some sites may be more or less helpful than others.

Types of Green Job Boards

For example, there are some Green Job Boards that focus solely on Research And Academia, Green Technology And Engineering, Conservation And Natural Resources, Non-profits, Internships, Consulting, among many others. One must be able to filter through all this noise to find the right fit. The goal of popular Green Job Boards is to help you filter your needs and interests and ultimately find the right job for your unique set of skills and assets. However, with so many resources available, it might be difficult at first to find the one best suited for your needs.

6 Popular Green Job Boards

Below is a brief list of some of the Best Green Job Boards to guide you in your search;

1. Green Job Search – Find it all in One Place.

A Green Job Board for the Best Green, Sustainability and Environmental Jobs. Offering a wide array of industries, postings, and locations globally.

2. Environmental Career – Keep it Snappy.

This website’s clear and concise descriptions accompanied with company logos allow for easy scanning through the list of roles. Narrowing down positions according to location and industry.

3. Idealist – For the Daydreamers.

In addition to being a wonderful job search engine, Idealist offers the curious an opportunity to find organizations, events, and blogs regarding all things sustainable.

4. Foundation List – We see you, Philanthropists.

A mission-focused and non-profit career website with the possibility of searching for jobs by industry, state, or job function.

5. Acre – Howdy, Globe Trotters.

Offering a global selection of corporate responsibility (CSR) jobs in multiple industries. Although about half of the roles are in the UK, there is a decent number of job postings in the US and Europe.

6. Clean Power Jobs – (E x 2).

Focused mainly on Environmental and Energy jobs in the US and Canada. It has a decent Green Jobs Resources page with links to news and other sites.

Originally Publish on HabitatPoint

(Re)Generate MENA

In the face of increasing ecological, political, social, and the ever more growing health and wellbeing challenges including climate change, biodiversity loss, sea level, ozone depletion, political unrest, global pandemics, and chronic disease, to name a few. The MENA Region is one of the most vulnerable to the impacts of Climate Change including rising temperatures and water scarcity!

Unfortunately, water shortage in many of the countries in the MENA regions is becoming an increasing concern. Faced with growing populations and changing lifestyles, water consumption rates have increased well beyond available resources. This is mitigated by a costly desalination process, one that also leads to a higher carbon footprint, negatively impacting climate change.

Additionally, many of the countries in the MENA region are at the top of the list of the largest per capita ecological footprints. With countries having concerningly high levels of CO2 emissions. Therefore, integrating energy efficiency, and utilizing regenerative design principles in designing our buildings and cities has become a critical need for the MENA region.

That being said, there has been a great deal of inspiring momentum occurring in the region with Sustainability slowly becoming a top priority, this Sustainability Week is a great example of that! Additionally, countries like Qatar, UAE, and Lebanon have come up with their own green building rating systems to incorporate socio-economic, environmental, and cultural aspects into designing buildings and cities.

If efforts such as these continue to flourish across the region there is a chance we could significantly help in tackling growing environmental problems while benefiting from long-term financial returns. Regenerative design, systems, and technologies can serve as catalysts for strategically shaping urbanization, ensuring energy and food security, combating climate change, and creating new economic opportunities.

There is a pressing need now more than ever to (re)consider our role as humans, and more specifically, designers in sculpting new normals, and (re)generate the MENA Region and beyond!