The Supply Chain Dialogues

S03E05 - Planet - Feeding the Future: From Seeds to Sustainability

The Supply Chain Dialogues this time are about the critical importance of sustainable agriculture, addressing challenges faced by smallholder farmers, who take care of 30% of our world’s food supply.
Daniel Helmig and Dr Yuan Zhou, Head of Agricultural Policy and China Program of the Syngenta Foundation for Sustainable Agriculture, discuss the significance of climate-smart practices, key innovations in agricultural technology, projects promoting sustainability, and the role of education and policy interventions. Dr Zhou explains the need for comprehensive climate policies, financial incentives, and emerging trends and technologies to transform global agricultural practices for a more sustainable future.

S03E04 - Planet - Net Zero in 1’000 Days? Absolutely!

In this episode of the "Supply Chain Dialogue," Daniel Helmig discusses the ambitious goal of achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions within 1,000 days. The podcast explores the current challenges and opportunities in reducing emissions across the supply chain, emphasizing that actionable plans and systematic approaches can make the goal achievable. Daniel outlines a 10-question framework for companies to assess their readiness and provides historical context, drawing parallels with how ISO standards revolutionized quality management. He advocates for leveraging market forces, digitalization, and strong leadership to drive the change, ensuring that net zero targets are met promptly. The episode highlights the practicality and urgency of transforming supply chains to be more environmentally sustainable.

S03E03 - Planet - The UN Sustainable Global Goals: A Do-It-Yourself Guide for implementation

In this episode, we discuss the knowledge gaps in corporate leadership regarding essential sustainability concepts such as the UN Global Goals, the Brundtland Report, and Elkington's Triple Bottom Line. 
The episode shows how businesses can practically engage with and apply these SDGs, using them for compliance and as a cornerstone for genuine sustainability strategies. We provide detailed DIY connections between each SDG and business function, offering examples and actionable insights for companies to integrate these goals into their operations.
Listeners are encouraged to move beyond superficial sustainability efforts by understanding the foundations of these practices and strategically applying them to create meaningful, impactful change.

S03E02 - Profit & Planet - Duckling becomes Swan: Transforming Transportation to reduce cost & GHG emissions: Interview with e2log CEO A. Colaco

Transportation accounts for 14-16% of GHG emissions and 8-12% of manufacturing companies' total spending. Both can be reduced substantially if the right insights are available...
In this dialogue, Daniel talks with Adolph Colaco, CEO of e2log.com, about how costs and emissions can be tackled while improving customer satisfaction and companies' bottom lines.
It takes a leader bold enough to say "Yes" to real transformation, turning the perceived ugly duckling of transportation and logistics into a swan. 
Takeaways
E2Log is a software company that digitalises transportation and logistics in industrial supply chains.
They have developed user-friendly and intuitive technology that solves specific problems in the industry.
E2Log has co-developed its products with major global corporations, ensuring their solutions are portable and applicable to any business within the industrial space.
Customers can expect benefits such as improved planning and execution, reduced inefficiencies, and a significant impact on supply chain cycle time. E2Log is a comprehensive software solution for managing logistics and transportation processes.

S03E01 - NetZero - Green Steel: Interview with Felix Schmitz, the CEO of Klöckner Metals in Germany

Summary
In Episode 1 of Season 3, Daniel has a very experienced guest in the studio: Felix Schmitz, the CEO of Klöckner Metals in Germany, talks about green steel and the decarbonisation of the steel industry. They discuss the importance of steel in various industries, the environmental impact of steel production, and Klöckner Metals' strategic approach to sustainability.
Takeaways
Steel production significantly contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, making decarbonisation efforts crucial for the industry.
The role of a steel and metal distributor involves managing complexity and providing value-added services to customers.
Green steel is a term for steel produced with reduced carbon emissions, and different decarbonisation levels can be achieved.
The steel industry's decarbonisation requires a mix of technologies, and the journey towards green steel is an ongoing process. Green steel has the potential to reduce the industry's carbon footprint significantly.
Educating customers about the benefits of green steel is crucial for driving demand.
Contrary to popular belief, green steel does not necessarily come at a higher cost.
CEOs play a vital role in driving decarbonisation efforts and setting CO2 targets.

S02E17 - Profit - Bridging the knowledge gap on Gaming or: Why gaming is the new and improved entertainment industry?

In this episode, Daniel interviews an expert with 20 years of experience in gaming and an upcoming Master's in computer science, to explore the gaming world and its impact on the industry.
They discuss the elements that make a game engaging, the most profitable sectors in the gaming industry, and the popular games and their success factors.
They cover augmented and virtual reality's role in enhancing the gaming experience.
The conversation covers the impact of "whales" on game development and revenue models, the transferable skills and experiences gained from gaming, and the emerging trends that will shape the gaming industry.
The episode concludes with a discussion on improving game launches and operations.
Enjoy!

S02E16 - People - Sharpen the Saw II - Seven brilliant functional page-turners and one book on dysfunctional teams

Henry Ford once said: "Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty." During his time he was what Steve Jobs was for our last decades. He had to constantly learn because nothing he started was defined. 
We can go even back a bit longer and end up at Socrates: “Education is the kindling of a flame, not the filling of a vessel”. Or, as B.B. King put it: "The beautiful thing about learning is that nobody can take it away from you."
In this episode, we select seven great functional books (IT, operations, quality, procurement) and one book about dysfunctional teams.
Enjoy!

S02E15 - People - Sharpen the Saw or: Ten (minus one) perennial leadership books

In the world of books, movies, and plays, certain gems have the power to shift our perspectives and deeply resonate with us.
As for books, over the years, I've come across several works that have stopped me in my tracks, causing me and countless others to re-evaluate our choices and actions.
I've been an avid reader of business books, often devouring 2-3 per month during my global travels. I shared the most impactful ones with my direct reports, hoping to encourage a different perspective.
Let me share the books I felt were most helpful in my roles as a global executive.
We start with leadership and cultural awareness favourites in the first instalment of two.
And…please forgive me for being a bit more structured in my delivery this time - I wanted to ensure that the essence of the books comes across - so there are less of my usual shenanigans…
Enjoy!

S02E14 - Planet - Ten net zero questions for your suppliers

Let's use some of the biggest incentives in the human condition to achieve net zero in Scope 3, the most important of them all...
Regulations alone will not be enough. Not today, and not ever before.
We have developed ten common-sense questions for your suppliers regarding GHG emission reductions. We don't need anything fancy, just simple inquiries.
When you inevitably confront the reality of your supply base, you will realize that achieving net zero in the near future requires significant changes to our song sheets.
Daniel argues that we need to harness two major driving forces of the human condition:
Competition and Greed.
However, we must channel these forces towards positive outcomes.
Enjoy!

S02E13 - Profit - Supply Chains in M&As - the invisible gorilla

In drawing upon the iconic social science study conducted at Harvard, known as the Invisible Gorilla Experiment, we can relate it to the context of Mergers & Acquisitions and supply chains.
Just as participants in the experiment would throw high-speed balls at each other, members of the management board and their M&A team and banks engage in a fast-paced exchange of ideas and actions. Throughout this process, the supply chain, which we refer to as the metaphorical gorilla in our scenario, remains ever-present yet unnoticed and unheard in the background. 
Failing to acknowledge or scrutinize the influence of this "ape" during the due diligence phase can only be viewed as a grave oversight, bordering on negligence. The supply chain can exert positive or negative implications on any manufacturing firm's overall success.
In this episode, Daniel and AImee show how to make the gorilla visible.
Enjoy!