Greening Supply Chain (GSC)

Small to large size companies face increasing scrutiny and pressure to narrow the gap in the governance and performance of their operations, and that of their suppliers, across the global marketplace. Greening the Supply Chain (GSC) initiatives and First Application and Market Replication (MR) Projects have emerged as one means to compensate for this gap.  

In response to this growing awareness and the substantial challenges global companies and organizations face in implementing GSC; CEC has stepped in with comprehensive and unique GSC initiative and partner programs. CEC has developed a unique partner program, which is consistent with the widely accepted movement to Green the Supply Chain. The program specifically will help companies to build awareness, provide education, and deliver effective new technologies and solutions to the management challenges facing the private sector including assisting companies to achieve greater economic efficiencies and alignment of sustainability objectives across their operations. 

CEC also develops and designs customized GSC platforms to help companies and organizations promote their initiatives across a diverse supply chain, geography, and skill set. Based on the latest dynamic Web 3.0 technology with emphasis on speed to market; the web based platform will deliver a community and functionality which combines private needs with public information. The platform is the first of its kind for global management of GSC initiatives and solves the problem of limited employee resources located on-the ground in global markets where business is conducted.

Sustainable Product Index Project 

The Sustainable Produce Index will bring about a more transparent supply chain, drive product innovation and, ultimately, provide consumers the information they need to assess the sustainability of products. The goal of this project is to create a new retail standard for the 21st century.

A worldwide sustainable product index, will lead to higher quality, lower costs and measure the sustainability of products and help customers, live better. One of the biggest challenges we all face is measuring the sustainability of a product. The leading MEs believe a research-driven approach involving universities, retailers, suppliers and non-government organizations (NGOs) can accelerate and broaden this effort.

The Need for an Index

The world’s population is increasing.  

• It is estimated that the global population will reach 9 billion by 2050.

The world’s natural resources are decreasing. 

• Natural resources for everything we grow, eat, drink, make, package, buy, transport and throw away is outpacing the earth’s capacity to sustain it.

Customers want more efficient, longer lasting, better performing products. They want to know:

• the materials in the product are safe
• that it is made well
• the product was produced in a responsible way

Index Step 1: Supplier Assessment

Companies will provide each of its suppliers with a survey of simple, but powerful, questions to evaluate their own company’s sustainability. 

The questions are divided into four areas:

• Energy and Climate
• Natural resources
• Material efficiency
• People and Community

Under these categories are some familiar questions on greenhouse gas emissions and location of factories, but the list also includes some new areas, such as water use and solid waste produced.

Companies will ask their top tier suppliers to complete the survey. Companies will develop timelines on a country-by-country basis for suppliers to complete these surveys.

This is an important first step in assessing the sustainability of suppliers, but for true transparency, we also need a tool for the sustainability of products.

Index Step 2: Lifecycle Analysis Database

As a second step, CEC is helping create a network of organizations that will collaborate with suppliers, retailers, NGOs and government to develop a global database of information on the lifecycle of products – from raw materials to disposal. CEC will provide the local working group support for the network, but it is not our intention to create or own this index.

The companies will also partner with one or more leading Eco Innovation/ Technology companies to create an open platform that will power the index.

CEC will administer the network. 

Index Step 3: A Simple Tool for Consumers

The final step of the index is to provide customers with product information in a simple, convenient, easy to understand rating, so they can make choices and consume in a more sustainable way. Information is delivered to consumers in a numeric score, color code or some other type of label. The Sustainability Product Index project partners will help determine the scoring process.

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