Archer Daniels Midland Company (ADM) announced in its sustainability report this month that it has reached its goal in palm oil traceability - achieving 98 percent traceability for palm oil and more than 95 percent for palm kernel oil, as well as 24 percent reduced water usage since 2008.

There was a time when contract manufacturers performed one specific task: making products, usually of a high-tech nature, while staying well behind the scenes. But that time is long gone.

Regulation is usually viewed by the private sector as a burden. But sometimes it makes good business sense.

Zhang Yuan's business started with favors for relatives: an aunt who wanted baby formula, a cousin looking for Ugg boots. She was a college student here in Australia, and every dollar helped, so she mailed the items back to China and charged a bit of a commission.

The exclusive distributor of Caterpillar equipment and parts in Canada runs into a brick wall when attempting to implement a new ERP system. But the crisis ends up driving supply-chain transformation.

A "celebrity" chief procurement officer? Isn't that a contradiction in terms?