Supply Chain Monthly

CSCMP's Director of Engagement, Education, and Talent Evolution, Cindy Mebruer, is a contributing author in the upcoming motivational book "G.R.I.T. Tenacity," part of the G.R.I.T. collection (Growth, Resilience, Intention, and Tenacity), set to be released on November 1, 2023.

 

Don't miss the chance to hear Cindy Mebruer's insights on CSCMP's exciting developments and the inspiring stories of more than 40 women who exemplify fearless courage, bold determination, and persistent self-motivation in their pursuit of personal success.

In an era where food products are distributed globally, the vital need to maintain food safety is increasingly complex. A collaborative effort involving all stakeholders in the supply chain—from growers to retailers—is crucial to ensure the integrity of the food supply. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) plays a pivotal role in governing the movement, production, sale, and service of food products, with a primary focus on preventing and mitigating the occurrence of foodborne illnesses. Last November, the FDA introduced the Food Traceability Final Rule (Final Rule), an essential step in enhancing traceability for high-risk food categories historically implicated in outbreaks.

 

Congratulations to our recent SCPro™ Level One Certification recipients: 

SCPro™ Certification is a three-tiered program that assesses progressive knowledge and skills across integrated supply chain activities. This process validates an individual’s ability to strategically assess business challenges and effectively implement supply chain improvements through the analysis of real-world case studies and developing a comprehensive project plan to achieve results such as a positive ROI.

"When I started my career, I worked for a company that was a strong supporter of CSCMP. Education and interaction with industry peers provided me a much better understanding of the depth and breadth of opportunities within the supply chain industry, and enabled connections that would become lifelong friendships. Even now as someone with years of experience, I continue to learn about what is relevant within supply chain and glimpses into the future through roundtable discussions and EDGE. I continue to meet new people across the industry and learn from them, especially the next generation of supply chain professionals who bring a fresh and new perspective on the past, present, and future of our industry.

 

My advice to new CSCMP members is to be present. The most value comes from interacting with peers. In an industry that demands so much of our time and energy, it requires prioritizing and making the time. CSCMP is one of the single best investments you make in your personal and career development. It is your personal networks that you will rely upon when you're ready to transition to the next chapter on your career journey. CSCMP is the best opportunity to build your network and discover opportunities available to you in the supply chain industry. Start by regularly attending roundtable meetings. Find a mentor or veteran member who is willing to introduce you to their network. Become a board member at your local roundtable. Over time you will reap the benefits and discover the positive impact CSCMP will make on your life both personally through friendships and professionally as you build your personal brand.

 

I attended a CSCMP conference several years ago in Atlanta during a transitional time both personally and professionally. At the conference, I unexpectedly reconnected with someone who had become my friend in CSCMP, years before, while I was a brand-new young professional shortly after graduating college. This chance encounter opened a door that fulfilled my desire to create an employment opportunity which enabled me to continue working in the industry while being at home with my very young children. Although working from home is commonplace today, it was not that long ago that there were very few opportunities like this for young mothers in our industry. It was my attendance at that conference which opened that door and subsequently, opened several more doors, which led me to where I am today. I could not be more grateful for those opportunities."

"I joined CSCMP on September 30, 2022. At the time, so many things caught my eye around professional development (SCPro Certification), community involvement (mentorship programs), and networking (CSCMP EDGE) which today seems like just a portion everything that CSCMP offers. Having access to leading technologies, speakers, and connecting with the individuals that are leading the world's supply chains around the globe is truly amazing.

 

Put yourself out there and make the most of every opportunity afforded. Learning from your peers and exposing yourself to new technologies and trends through reports, conferences, and events are essential steps to your development throughout your career, regardless of where you are. While I'm still rather new to CSCMP, it's been rewarding to connect with other professionals and discuss best practices of often disparate, yet applicable, solutions to common business problems."

A seat at the table, a voice in the room. Now more than ever, supply chain is on the agenda and business leaders have a chance to transform their organizations. Seize the opportunity to learn from the best.

 

At Supply Chain Europe 2023, you will be shoulder-to-shoulder with Europe’s top supply chain professionals. Thought leaders and business titans will convene in Brussels this October 24-25 to confront the year’s biggest challenges. Join this exclusive community and discover how you can be the leader to drive pivotal change in your business.

The Executive Supply Chain Leadership Academy is a unique, collaboration-based executive leadership program designed to build executive presence, leadership skills, and fluency with next-generation technologies. Built in partnership between the Council for Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP) and Chi Studios, the program places participants in small peer groups and surrounds them with a team of proven industry leaders, front-runners in innovation and technology, leading investors, and renowned thought leaders—as they work together to build an approach to specific challenges.

In September the Logistics Manager’s Index read in at 52.4, up (+1.2) from August’s reading of 51.2. This is the second consecutive month of expansion following three straight readings of contraction from May-July. While this is the fastest rate of expansion since February, a reading of 52.4 is still well below the all-time average of 62.9 and represents a very moderate level of expansion.

Inventory Levels:
Inventory metrics were a somewhat mixed bag in September. Inventory Levels declined (- 0.5) at a rate of 47.4, marking the fourth consecutive month that inventories have declined. There is some nuance to this, however, as large firms with over 1,000 employees actually saw inventories increase in September, while smaller firms saw them contract. Many firms struggled with having too much inventory over the last year and a half, and some smaller firms may be reticent to build them back up again for the fear that they would not be able to financially absorb another large overage.

Economic Impact:
Feelings of optimism continue around the U.S. economy as indicated by the University of Michigan’s consumer confidence measure reading it at 68.1 in September—up 16.2% from this time a year ago. When combined with the “Current Economic Conditions” reading of 71.42, it is clear that consumers are optimistic about the state of the economy. This optimism is partially due to the continued slowing of inflation. Personal consumption expenditures were up 0.4% in August due to energy and fuel prices. Core inflation rose by only 0.1% over the same period. Wall Street is not quite as confident, as the S&P fell more than 4% in September, making it the worst month for stock prices in 2023.

Warehousing and Transportation:
The largest contributor to September’s expansion is our three warehousing metrics. The rate of expansion has slowed for Warehousing Capacity (-3.4) while rates of expansion for Warehousing Utilization and Warehousing Prices (+3.1 and +7.9 respectively). We also observe Transportation Utilization moving from no change to expansion (+3.5) and a slight slowdown in the decline of Transportation Prices (+0.6).