APICS covers findings from corporate social responsibility event.
Press Release Summary:
APICS announced key findings from event exploring APICS members' roles in corporate social responsibility and sustainability in relation to the United Nations Global Compact. One outcome from the World Café was the growing acceptance of profits and sustainability as not mutually exclusive concepts. Demonstrating benefits of sustainable operations and supply chain processes often include cost savings. Participants also closely tied CSR to corporate reputation and supply chain.
Original Press Release:
APICS Releases Key Findings from Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability Event
With guidance from the United Nations Global Compact, 2010 APICS International Conference & Expo attendees identify strategies operations and supply chain management professionals can put into action to enable corporate social responsibility and sustainability at their organizations.
Chicago, Ill. - APICS The Association for Operations Management, the global leader in supply chain and operations management certification, education, and membership, announced today key findings from an event exploring APICS members' roles in corporate social responsibility (CSR) and sustainability in relation to the United Nations Global Compact.
One outcome from the World Café was the growing acceptance of profits and sustainability as not mutually exclusive concepts. Key findings include demonstrating the benefits of sustainable operations and supply chain processes often include cost savings. Examples include reduced inventory, decreased energy usage, and less scrap.
An additional outcome from the World Café event is that participants closely tied CSR success to corporate reputation. Without a strong and meaningful CSR program, a business risks damaging its reputation, which can adversely impact its long-term profitability. Participants closely associated supply chain and CSR, and they emphasized the important role of supplier relations. Qualified operations and supply chain management professionals have the knowledge and skills to ensure suppliers meet organizational CSR and sustainability practices by conducting supplier site visits and building strong partnerships with suppliers.
"Operations and supply chain management professionals are in a unique position to enact CSR and sustainability initiatives at their organizations while minimizing waste and enabling bottom-line results," said APICS chief executive officer Abe Eshkenazi, CSCP, CPA, CAE. "APICS aims to provide education and resources to help its members lead their organizations with these initiatives."
The United Nations Global Compact is a strategic policy initiative for businesses that are committed to aligning their operations and strategies with 10 universally accepted principles in the areas of human rights, labor, environment, and anticorruption. The U.N. Global Compact incorporates supply chain sustainability and the responsibility of companies to engage their supply chain partners around the U.N. Global Compact's 10 principles.
"We at the United Nations Global Compact are encouraged by the positive response the U.N. Global Compact has received by the CEOs and organizations across the globe," said Anita Househam, policy and legal adviser for human rights and labor for the United Nations Global Compact. "The leadership of organizations like APICS on this issue is critical to the long-term global success of CSR and sustainability."
The United Nations Global Compact has more than 8,000 participants in nearly 150 countries across the globe. Many APICS member company chief executive officers have signed the U.N. Global Compact, which positions APICS members to successfully implement the U.N. Global Compact's 10 principles.
About APICS The Association for Operations Management
APICS The Association for Operations Management is the global leader and premier source of the body of knowledge in operations management, including production, inventory, supply chain, materials management, purchasing, and logistics. Since 1957, individuals and companies have relied on APICS for its superior training, internationally recognized certifications, comprehensive resources, and worldwide network of accomplished industry professionals. For more information about APICS, visit www.apics.org.
About the United Nations Global Compact
The UN Global Compact is a strategic policy initiative for businesses that are committed to aligning their operations and strategies with ten universally accepted principles in the areas of human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption. By doing so, business, as a primary agent driving globalization, can help ensure that markets, commerce, technology and finance advance in ways that benefit economies and societies everywhere. For more information, visit www.unglobalcompact.org.
