Comment: Supply chain resilience and agility key to pre-pandemic operations for procurement and supply chain businesses
A new CIPS survey has predicted that nearly half (46%) of businesses in the procurment and supply chain industry will take more than a year before their operations can return to normal, due to the vast changes that have occurred within the industry in the last few months.
John Perry, managing director at supply chain and logistics consultancy, SCALA, commented:
“The results of the CIPS survey are no surprise. With suppliers facing problems with stock acquisition, attempting to overcome issues with importation, plus battling the consequences of changing consumer requirements the industry will of course take time to rebuild their strategies and find new ways to minimise future disruptions.
“Our own survey of 49 market-leading grocery and household & electrical businesses earlier this year found that 96% have identified supply chain resilience and agility as their main concern.
“By prioritising resilience and agility within their chain, businesses will be looking to adapt rapidly to the “new normal”, whatever that might be, while also building additional robustness that will enable them cope with potential future challenges such as further pandemic disorder, political uncertainty, or environmental disasters.
“Whilst the CIPS survey findings may map a long road it will hopefully give businesses the incentive to re-evaluate their supply chain strategies and find new and effective ways to prepare their businesses for all eventualities.”
