Jul 18, 2021
Sourcemap 2021 Summer Reading List
From customs compliance and forced labor due diligence to preventing environmental risks, global supply chain transparency has been a major topic of conversation in recent months. It can be challenging to keep up with all of the latest news, but Sourcemap is here to help. With summer in full swing, it’s time to catch up on all of the reading that you might have missed throughout the year. Read up on this year’s most popular articles on supply chain mapping, traceability and transparency:
Customs compliance and forced labor due diligence
The topic of forced labor has dominated news cycles over the last few months. From evidence of forced labor in XUAR - resulting in WROs from US Customs and Border Protection - to the EU Supply Chain Act aimed at addressing human rights and environmental concerns in supply chains, the topic of forced labor due diligence has only grown more complex. “Forced Labor is Embedded in Supply Chains. Here’s How to Root It Out”Read Sourcemap CEO Leonardo Bonanni’s op-ed in Fast Company on how to root out forced labor embedded in global supply chains. Sourcemap CEO Testifies on New Technology to Fight Forced Labor at Senate Committee on Finance HearingWatch Bonanni speak before the US Senate Finance Committee on forced labor due diligence, and the tech needed to make a difference.
Addressing environmental risks
Mitigating environmental risks such as deforestation, which contribute to climate change and global warming, is a major priority for brands and retailers. Consumers are starting to ‘vote with their wallets’, choosing brands based on their commitments to protect the environment. Chocolate Companies Using Advanced Technology to Tackle DeforestationHear from some of Sourcemap’s top customers in the cocoa industry on how they are prioritizing eliminating deforestation from their supply chains. Another Reason to Prevent Deforestation: Preventing Future PandemicsThe COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted supply chains around the globe. Research suggests that worsening deforestation may increase the risk for future pandemic.Watch Sourcemap + Satelligence Demo Their Innovative Technology to Tackle DeforestationSourcemap CEO Leonardo Bonanni and Satelligence Head of Client Relations Nanne Tolsma describe how our complimentary tech platforms integrate to tackle deforestation using next-generation supply chain mapping and satellite monitoring.Ingredient Traceability is the New Frontier in Clean BeautyThe majority of beauty companies have too many suppliers in their extended supply chain to know them all. However, in today’s digital age, brands are turning to technology to help them get a handle on better tracing. Read Sourcemap’s interview on the importance of traceability in beauty for The Zoe Report
The power of data
With the multitude of certifications available to ensure sustainability in the sourcing of raw materials, data validation has never been more critical. But data can do more than just help brands obtain the world's leading sustainable raw materials certification - it can also promote equity in global supply chains. Using Data to Promote Equity in the Supply ChainUsing data, companies can arm themselves with the tools they need to understand where inequalities are taking place within their supply chains, and where the programs that they’ve implemented are creating a more equitable and sustainable workforce.How To: Validate Supply Chain Sustainability Claims And Avoid GreenwashingCompanies regularly make sustainability claims about their supply chains, from ethical and organic to deforestation and child labor-free. With companies sourcing from thousands of suppliers and new technology that enables end-to-end traceability, audits and certification are no longer best practice: it’s time for comprehensive supply chain due diligence.
Supply chain disruptions
The stranding of the Ever-Given drew global attention. It also drew attention to the fact that supply chain disruptions can result in huge costs for brands and retailers across industries.
Disruption-Proof Your Supply ChainThe Ever Given may have been a huge vessel, but it isn’t an anomaly; more than 100 similarly-sized ships are currently traveling the world’s waterways, and more are on the way. That means that a supply chain disruption such as this one could easily happen again, and companies need to have the tools to map their supply chains and mitigate risk before it’s too late.