Inaugural Symposium on Environmental and Social Responsibility in Supply Chains Held at the Kelley School of Business

Written by Chengcheng Zhai and Vinit Tipnis

On October 19th, 2022, Kelley School of Business welcomed over 60 attendees to the first Symposium on Environmental and Social Responsibility in Supply Chains. Academic and industry leaders held panels at the event.

“Establishing the Center for Responsible Supply Chains is driven by two main facts,” said Professor Owen Wu, the Center’s director, “First, environmental and social issues are often across companies’ boundaries and thus are best addressed from a supply chain perspective. Supply chain is one of the defining phrases of our community, and we are responsible for advancing research and education in the environmental and social responsibility of supply chains.”

“Second, both academics and industry professionals are currently charting the next phase of ESG and supply chains. How did we do in the past? What should we do next? We need a forum to discuss, exchange ideas, and let the best brains learn from each other.”

Four industry experts were invited to speak about ESG (environmental, social, and governance) issues in various industries, such as food and beverage, pharmaceuticals, and energy. The experts included Kelly Alonzo from Deloitte Consulting LLP, Tim Gawne from Rio Energy International, Inc., Jim Greffet from Eli Lilly & Company, and Mark Lemon from Grant Thornton LLP. The four panelists discussed the past, present, and future of sustainable operations in their respective industries. The panelists further shared their professional experiences working on sustainable operations and the challenges they think the industry is facing, as well as potential solutions to address them.

“It is important to conduct research that is both academically rigorous and practically relevant,” emphasized Professor Jay Swaminathan, from University of North Carolina. In addition to industry leaders, four university professors who conduct highly impactful research in the areas of sustainability and supply chain lead a panel discussion.  Professors Serguei Netessine from University of Pennsylvania, Jamal El Baz from Ibn Zohr University, Beril Toktay from Georgia Institute of Technology, as well as Professor Swaminathan answered a range of questions from the audience. The professors shared their unique experiences working with industry partners, from startups in Africa to large organizations such as UNICEF. Data related to ESG metrics is sparse and such collaborations can not only create value for industry practitioners, but also extend responsible and sustainable research tremendously. Apart from research and industry collaborations, the panel emphasized the need to teach responsible operations management at the undergraduate and graduate levels.

Professor Swaminathan discussed many research opportunities where academics can contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. He spoke on existing research that focuses on inclusive health services, equitable food and agriculture distribution, and sustainability on a global scale.

An estimated 1.5 billion people in the world live without electricity. Professor Serguei Netessine discussed three research projects that aim to bring electricity to those living without consistent light in developing countries. Professor Netessine emphasized the importance of making research more responsible to society at large.

While climate change affects all countries economically, it has a much more significant impact on African countries. Professor Jamal El Baz discussed numerous exciting research opportunities in Africa that can bring a high societal impact for the communities there. He also recommended that researchers from other countries collaborate with those from African universities.

Circular economy is an ongoing area of interest for operations management scholars. Professor Beril Toktay discussed how researchers are turning their attentions to reverse supply chains, along with the traditional forward supply chains: circular economy supply chains. OM scholars can find many different opportunities within this area by studying the business models in unlocking circular economy values.

More information about their presentations can be found here.

 

Chengcheng Zhai and Vinit Tipnis are doctoral students at the Kelley School of Business.