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COVID-19 Exposes Supply Chain Vulnerabilities that Cause Food Insecurity

April 25, 2020 Add Comment Edit

The cornavirus pandemic has highlighted supply chain weaknesses that are causing food shortages. As explained in an FAO report, the global pandemic is threatening supply lines leading to concerns about food insecurity. "A protracted pandemic crisis could quickly put a strain on the food supply chains, a complex web of interactions involving farmers, agricultural inputs, processing plants, shipping, retailers and more," the report said. In a March paper the U.N. Committee on World Food Security (CFS) warned that Covid-19 will cause heightened instability in global food supply. The pandemic also prompted the Food and Land Use Coalition to issue a call to action for world leaders over what they describe as a humanitarian crisis requiring urgent coordinated action.

Food shortages are already apparent around the world and according to Business Insider, food retailers may experience food shortages for 18 months or more. Food that comes from large industrial farms are especially vulnerable. The megabarns in which livestock and poultry are produced are breeding grounds for disease. Social distancing is not an option for farm workers or those that work in food processing facilities. Disease rapidly spreads in such workplaces and when these workers get sick the supply chain breaks down.

However, our current situation affords insight into the mechanics of supply chain disruptions. COVID-19 is far from over and it is certainly not the last pandemic we will face. We also know that climate change will be far more disruptive to supply chains. A warming planet interferes with food production by decreasing the fertility of soils, reducing the number of pollinators and increasing extreme weather events including droughts and floods.

As explained by Seckin Ozkul, a supply chain management expert at the University of South Florida, these disruptions help us to identify vulnerabilities. "We had seen regional, we had seen national disasters and destruction, but we had never seen a full global [disruption] at the same time — everyone shot down at the same time," Ozkul said. "So now we want to look at this so that the next time it happens we can be better prepared and we can actually take the necessary precautions so we don't see the impact as much as we see it now."

Using the lessons gleaned from this pandemic we can redesign our supply chains in ways that mitigate against the risks of disruption. One of the most important things we can do is create sustainable supply chains. To help reduce the risks associated with factory farms we can diversify the procurement of our foods so that we are not overly dependent on any one source.

Related
Building Resilience to Supply Chain Disruptions due to Climate Change
Supply Chain Sustainability Guidance and Standards
Sustainable Procurement: Environmental Social and Economic Supply Chain Considerations
How to Craft Value Out of Sustainability Focused Supply Chains
The Sustainable Supply Chain Imperative
The Supply Chain of CO2 Emissions (White Paper)
Digging In: The Nuts and Bolts of Supply Chain Sustainability (White Paper)
Sustainable Supply Chains are Profitable

Get Ready for Supply Chain Sustainability Guidance and Standards

August 23, 2016 Add Comment Edit

Sustainability is a large and expanding trend and procurement has been a major part of this trend. Efforts to adopt more sustainable supply chains have been around for years. We now have ample information to confidently make the claim that businesses practicing sustainability are leading the way forward. Procurement and supply chains are key components of sustainability.

However, a lack of standardization and guidance have made this transition difficult for some. That is rapidly changing as we have seen more guidance and now forthcoming standardization.

President Obama has launched a major initiative to reduce greenhouse gases with an executive order related to the federal government's supply chain.

As revealed in an Environmental Leader article, public sector procurement accounts for around 12 percent of GDP and 29 percent of government expenditure in OECD member countries.

ISO standards, specifically ISO 20400, Sustainable procurement – Guidance will be published in 2017.

"ISO says because sustainable procurement is a key aspect of social responsibility, ISO 20400 will complement ISO 26000, Guidance on social responsibility, by enabling organizations to contribute to sustainable development efforts by minimizing their impact on the environment, tackling human rights issues and contributing to society and the economy."

The nonprofit Sustainable Purchasing Leadership Council is also developing a Sustainable Purchasing Benchmarking System consistent with the ISO 20400. Sustainable Purchasing Council provides guidance on incorporating sustainability in procurement decisions.

In 2015 SPLC released its Guidance for Leadership in Sustainable Purchasing v1.0. This guidance has been field tested in a pilot program by a number of organizations including Lockheed Martin and Office Depot. SPLC will provide third party recognition for their procurement efforts.

The SPLC has previously released five principles for sustainability leadership which includes environmental, social and economic impacts of purchasing. The SPLC also released guidelines for suppliers of products and services.

Related
Obama Signs Executive Order to Reduce GHGs in the Federal Government and Across their Supply Chain
Sustainable Procurement: Environmental Social and Economic Supply Chain Considerations
How to Craft Value Out of Sustainability Focused Supply Chains
Supply Chain Advocacy to Advance Renewable Energy: The Story of E.ON
Winners of the 2013 Green Supply Chain Awards
Sustainable Supply Chain Transparency: Strategic Analysis and Best Practices
The Sustainable Supply Chain Imperative

Webinar - Valuing Natural Capital Assets in the Supply Chain

April 07, 2014 Add Comment Edit

This Webinar will take place on Thursday, April 10th 2014, 9:00am - 10:00am PDT/12:00pm - 1:00pm EDT/ 6:00pm - 7:00pm Paris- Brussels Online Meeting.

The 21st century has seen the rise of a globally connected community and with it comes additional layers of what will need to be measured and managed for all companies to succeed. Business leaders will still focus on the basics of profit, revenue and market share, but also required is broader visibility into how natural capital assets are consumed in the supply chain to build brand and manage risk.

Natural Capital Accounting (NCA) is the process of placing a financial value on the natural capital (water, air, soil, forests, etc) consumed by a company’s business operations and considering natural resources as an essential business asset. By placing a dollar value on these assets, the cost of consuming natural resources and negative impacts can be better accounted for.

The future of the built environment and the economy depend on how we manage the diverse set of resources (natural capital) that make up all the goods and services we rely on. A large part of a company’s impact on natural capital occurs in the supply chain. Currently companies have varying degrees of visibility into their first tier suppliers but lack a comprehensive view of the natural capital assets supporting the possible tens of thousands of suppliers behind each component for every first tier supplier.

The purpose of valuing natural capital in the supply chain allows for a more whole-istic approach to make smarter, greener decisions, when it really matters. More importantly, beyond valuing natural capital, it is essential to develop tools and strategies to effectively manage the related risks and opportunities of consuming such resources throughout the value chain.

This discussion will provide an introduction to the concept of Natural Capital Accounting and address some of the following questions:

Which natural capital assets does the business impact most?
Where are these dependencies hidden within the supply chain? In which countries are these dependencies and degradation most likely taking place? What is the company’s strategy to mitigate impact and protect availability of these critical natural assets? What commodities will have greater price fluctuation? How do companies make informed decisions about which materials and suppliers to focus on first? Which materials offer the greatest potential return to the environment?

Speakers

Clinton Moloney, PwC, Managing Director
Andrew Deitz, Climate Earth, VP

Event - Venture Summit West

January 19, 2014 Add Comment Edit

This event will take place on February 12, 2014, at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, California. The summit content will include discussions and educational tracks focused on cleantech. The Second annual Venture Summit West, presented by youngStartup Ventures, is the premier industry gathering connecting venture capitalists, corporate VCs, angel investors, technology transfer professionals, senior executives of early stage and emerging growth companies, university researchers, incubators and premier service providers.

Whether you are an investor seeking access to new early stage deals, or a CEO or Founder of a new venture looking for funding, visibility and growth, Venture Summit West is one event you won’t want to miss.

Venture Panels

Hear more than 40 top tier VCs, Corporate VCs and Angel Investors on the key issues facing Investors and Startup CEOs alike. Industry experts will provide updated analyses and share their experience with the audience. Company Presentations Discover more than 50 of the hottest early stage and emerging growth technology, life sciences and clean-tech innovators as they present live to leading investors. High-level Networking: Connect with investors, startups and potential partners.

Audience Profile

Venture Capitalists, angel investors, corporate VCs, CEOs, CFOs and other senior management of early stage and emerging growth ventures, technology transfer professionals and premium services firms.

To register click here.

© 2013, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

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Event - Responsible Sourcing Summit 2014

January 19, 2014 Add Comment Edit

Event - Clean and Cool 2013

November 24, 2013 Add Comment Edit

This event will take place from November 30 to December 7, 2013 in Colorado. Clean and Cool Mission Colorado is an entrepreneur mission to help the UK’s most promising early stage and innovative cleantech SMEs do business in the US faster.

A total of 16 of the UK’s most innovated clean technology companies have been selected for the 2013 Clean and Cool Mission in Colorado. Among the delegation are companies whose innovations address some of the most pressing climate challenges in the country and worldwide, including increasing transport pollution, improving energy efficiency in residential homes and easing reliance on peak grid supply. These companies will showcase their innovations and explore business opportunities associated with tackling climate change. The Mission will help these companies to develop quality contacts with investors and partners, gain unique insight, profit from fresh stimulus, and improve pitch and profile. There have been eight previous missions, supporting the most promising UK entrepreneurs and early stage businesses working in web innovation, future health and clean technology.

Colorado has been selected as the focus because it is rapidly establishing its US and global prominence as a cleantech innovation ecosystem. Colorado is the number one U.S market for renewable energy, the second best state for entrepreneurship and innovation, and with over 300 cleantech and 1600 support companies the state is currently 3rd for US cleantech vc financing.

In 2013, the Clean and Cool Mission will coincide with The Industry Growth Forum, the premier event for clean energy startups to maximize their exposure to receptive venture capital, corporate investors, and strategic partners.

Clean and Cool Mission is run by entrepreneurs for entrepreneurs in partnership with the Technology Strategy Board, UKTI and private sector sponsors. The Technology Strategy Board (TSB), a business-led UK government body which works to create economic growth by ensuring that the UK is a global leader in innovation. Sponsored by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), the Technology Strategy Board brings together business, research and the public sector, supporting and accelerating the development of innovative products and services to meet market needs, tackle major societal challenges and help build the future economy.

The following fields are part of the mission:

· Clean or green transportation fuels for aviation and motorcycles
· Electricity & other Energy conservation
· Smart meters and smart grids
· Thermal sciences
· Climate change
· Wind Solar Power
· Cutting emissions and pollution

UK Cleantech Startups Selected for the innovation Mission

· Agility Global has blended Formula 1 and aerospace design with advanced engineering and electric technology to manufacture the world’s first high-performance, clean tech motorcycle. Saietta, is a premium, electric urban sports motorcycle that more than lives up to its name. Strikingly designed, fast and powerful, it is also clean and green.

· Alquist has pioneered an award-winning Data Center temperature management system, targeted to become the new world standard for a $17bn industry segment growing at 28% per annum. Alquist’s monitoring system enables Data Center operators to manage risk and reduce energy spend, resulting in reduced carbon emissions.

· Arcola Energy is a developer, manufacturer and retailer of fuel cell-based low carbon energy solutions, converting chemical energy from a fuel, such as hydrogen, into electricity. Ultimately, this makes electricity more accessible and cost-effective for consumers and businesses. Arcola’s technology can be used in the home and within the construction, entertainment, education and automotive industries.

· To support the continued roll-out of smart grids throughout the U.S., Each For All Productions has developed the Merismus micro-grid which is plugged into a smart meter to automatically manage grid and microgeneration energy usage to lower energy bills through very little effort.

· Energy created through the roof which could eliminate heating, cooling and hot water bills is the aim of a new product from Flint Engineering which blends a photovoltaic and solar thermal collector in a roofing/cladding material to be used on both new and refitted domestic and commercial buildings.

· The energy output of the sun is about 386 billion megawatts, presenting a free and inexhaustible power source that can be captured and converted into electricity. Fullsun Photovoltaics is doing exactly that by using High Concentrated Photovoltaic (HCPV) technology in a lightweight solar module designed for utility and commercial/industrial rooftop markets.

· Current technology is incapable of realistically meeting future demand for sustainable aviation biofuels. The mission of Green Fuels Research, a new venture building on 10 years’ CleanTech heritage, is to develop enabling technologies at every step in the value chain from primary producer to airplane

· In the US, a massive $7.4 billion is spent on cooling datacentres annually. Iceotope supports these applications by providing massive processing power, memory and storage in an integrated computing system cooled with liquid, which saves energy and lowers costs.

· Magnifye superconducting permanent magnets can be used to improve the efficiency of any electrical machine. Ten times stronger than conventional magnets, they are small enough to fit into the palm of the hand and large enough to power a train or a cruise liner. With almost limitless applications, Magnifye could transform the way the world powers electrical machines.

· Moixa Technology plans to put millions of smart batteries into customer premises to reduce peak period demand on the grid and improve the energy efficiency of essential Direct Current (DC) devices such as lights and mobile phones. Use of Moixa’s technology helps to significantly reduce bills and improves energy security by enabling the storage of energy at off-peak times.

· PJH Partnership has developed an innovative and domestically applicable solar power storage unit. The system is targeted to address grid-scale storage and balancing needs resulting from the continual growth of electricity generation from domestic houses.

· Renovagen has developed a transportable solar power solution that is capable of generating ten times more power than existing technologies. Designed for temporary or semi-permanent use in remote off-grid locations where self-sufficient power generation is essential.

· Considerable energy savings in both domestic and commercial environments can be realised by using high power heat batteries. Sunamp has developed a Heat Battery that is super-compact but can store heat from conventional and non-conventional heat pumps and boilers, delivering it quickly and with maximum energy efficiency as needed.

· Through innovation and ingenuity Straw Fuels has created a range of eco-friendly fire logs. Made from straw, the logs are clean, easy to use and produce much lower levels of smoke than traditional wood.

· Public vehicles, particularly buses, have a reputation for polluting roads, but a new hybrid-electric system from Vantage Power has been designed to help the bus industry to meet the increasing demands for lower emissions, improve air quality, and cut fuel consumption simultaneously, without the need for investing in new hybrid buses.

· The U.S. has a target of 20% renewable energy by 2020, and this target has been behind the development of a new grid-scale energy storage battery from Wind Power Performance that promises to lower energy storage costs globally.

Agenda

The week-long agenda is designed to provide unparallelled insights, connections and opportunities.

Monday Dec 2
08.45 – 12.15 Pitch sessions and panel discussion
Venue: Hotel Boulderado, Columbine Room, 2115 Thirteenth Street, Boulder, CO 80302

Tuesday Dec 3
18.30 – 20.30 UKTI and British Consul hosted Reception and Networking
Venue: Galvanize, 1062 Delaware St, Denver, CO 80204

Thursday Dec 5
18.30 – 20.30 Rocky Mountain Innosphere hosted panel and networking event
Venue: All Staff Room, New Belgium Brewery, 500 Linden, Fort Collins, CO 80524

For more information click here

© 2013, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

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Video - Winner Crosses Finish Line at the 2013 Bridgestone World Solar Challenge

October 12, 2013 Add Comment Edit

Watch the final moments of the grueling Bridgestone World Solar Challenge as the winning team for 2013 crosses the finish line in northern Adelaide, Australia. This 3000 kms event highlights some of the best solar powered car technology in the world.

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2013 Bridgestone World Solar Challenge in Australia