The purpose of this course is to raise awareness about and present best practices for sustainable supply chain management in a way that enables our employees to make better strategic and tactical business decisions. This allows employees to reduce our companies’ environmental impacts and strengthen partnerships, delivering ongoing value to stakeholders and achieving continued market success.

This course begins at a conceptual level, creating a common language and understanding of sustainability.  We then look at what is driving supply chains to become sustainable and how leading companies have realized gains with this new approach. 

What is sustainability?

Sustainability is a new way of thinking, a responsible, holistic approach to doing business. It is way to attain market success during these challenging times. In essence, sustainability is about the long-term maintenance of individual and community well-being that is achieved through the responsible use of natural resources. 

Personal Sustainability

We increasingly think about making more sustainable decisions in our personal lives. As a parent, we choose to volunteer at our child’s school. As a community member, we choose to purchase from a local “mom-and-pop” store instead of a chain. As a citizen, we choose to support legislation to protect our National Parks. Our decisions affect the health of our family, our community, and the earth — and create more vibrant societies in the process. 

Business Sustainability

Leading companies have begun to recognize that they too are part of larger social, environmental, and economic systems and that the impacts they have on these systems are not immediately visible when looking at the product or service they deliver. Business leaders know they must understand these impacts and work to mitigate any potential adverse affects of their activities.

This emerging sustainability mindset is creating a wave of positive change and innovation, a move toward business practices that create healthier communities, resilient environments, and more vibrant economies.