IBM has launched a new consulting service that is designed to help clients develop methods to collect, manage and analyse supplier information for energy use, environmental impact, quality, safety, cost, efficiency, and labor practices.
The company claims that the new service will allow clients to improve supply chain efficiency, lower costs, and reduce waste and environmental impact, and reporting sustainability information to business partners, regulators and other key stakeholders.
Eric Riddleberger, business strategy consulting global leader at IBM, said: “A global supply chain with thousands of partners exposes a company to increased risk, waste, inefficiency, environmental impact and cost. Being able to set sustainability standards and truly measure performance against them across such a large network is an enormous task, particularly in industries such as consumer products, retail and healthcare.
According to IBM, its Sustainable Supplier Information Management offering is designed to develop processes and systems for part number management, to ease part and product traceability; process change management, to improve response and reduce costs associated with changing requirements; and supplier audit management, to ensure compliance on issues ranging from cost and quality to business ethics and environmental practices.
In addition, the offerings also include qualification management, to vet new suppliers for performance and sustainability standards; supplier problem management, to ensure quick response when problems arise; real-time quality management, to reduce cost, improve quality and ensure continuity of supply; and predictive quality management, using automated systems and virtual supplier auditing to head off problems before they occur.
The new Sustainable Supplier Information Management offering can be used with Sustainable Procurement offering that allows companies define cost, efficiency and sustainability measurements and goals for their procurement activities. This covers all supplies, materials, ingredients, components, finished goods and services they purchase to run their operations and to develop, manufacture and deliver their own products or services, IBM added.
