Social responsibility is a serious issue for most businesses today, and the supply management professional is directly affected when new initiatives are launched. After all, who else is in a better position to make the decisions regarding which suppliers to contract with so that the organization's goals actually come to life?
Topics of sustainability, ethics and the various elements of social responsibility are fundamental to today's supply management professional's role, according to Cathy Rodgers, chair, ISM's Committee on Sustainability and Social Responsibility, and vice president, Global Opportunities and Business Development for IBM Global Services in Morgan Hill, California.
"As I look at our profession, I believe we are at a critical juncture. Our decisions are no longer made simply on cost, quality and schedule. Our decisions are now a delicate balance of cost, quality, schedule, carbon footprint and a broad range of essential elements of social responsibility," she says.
Source: Inside Supply Management