IMPORTANT LESSONS FOR FUTURE LEADERS

SUPPLY CHAIN SUMMIT AN INSIGHTFUL EXPERIENCE, WRITES GREG KINSEY

The annual World Class Supply Chain Summit returned to Milton on May 4, after a three-year hiatus due to the pandemic.

The summit, which had the theme "Creating a Sustainable Future," was organized by the Milton Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with CN and the Lazaridis School of Business and Economics. Industry professionals, academics, and students heard insights from industry leaders on how to overcome the challenges of today and create the sustainable supply chains of tomorrow.

Over the past few years, supply chains have made news headlines with stories about raw material shortages, the Suez Canal obstruction, and the pandemic. These disruptions and the unprecedented changes in our society have made us rethink how we operate business.

As Grace Liang, president of OOCL Canada Inc., stated: "We can no longer think just in time, but just in case."

There will be significant change in the supply chain industry, which offers an exciting career for today's students. This change is creating careers that never previously existed.

As Martin Roos, managing director of DSV - Global Transport and Logistics, explained: "It is proven that taking a warehouse worker and elevating his capabilities is more productive and sustainable. We don't need to hire an engineer. We can 'upskill.' "

One of the three main lessons I took from the summit is that tomorrow's leaders must be able to think outside the box and solve abstract problems.

Second, we must be adaptable and always open to learning. In today's fastchanging environment, adjusting to new technologies and understanding important trends you will be successful.

Third, business operations never occur in isolation, so familiarity with all business areas will allow leaders to make higher quality decisions. As Chantale Després, CN Rail's assistant vice-president of sustainability, expressed: "Collaboration in supply chains is essential."

In the summit's deliberations about how industry leaders plan to overcome supply chain challenges, a recurring message was that significant change is needed to make supply chains more sustainable. This gives today's students genuine opportunities to make positive impacts and become tomorrow's supply chain thought leaders.

Greg Kinsey studies at the Lazaridis School of Business and Economics and was a student co-chair of the 2022 World Class Supply Chain Summit.