Senior adviser Kevin Dooley traces the history of the initiative, and details its ongoing efforts in devising a standardized method of sustainability reporting for consumer product manufacturers.

The term "supply chain" doesn't say it all, according to Reclipse Group president Susan Rosin and CEO Nigel Johnson. They offer a new term which encompasses all of the business processes that are ripe for collaboration, both inside and outside the organization.

Lean strategies can be of great value in aligning supply with demand in uncertain times, but only if they are implemented in the correct way, says Chris Cookson, vice president of supply chain and operations with Verical.

It's an aspect of business that doesn't always get full attention from management, says Mike Perez, vice president of marketing and business development with NVISION. But the marketing supply chain offers lots of opportunities for cost savings and improved efficiencies.

To keep up with changing market conditions, Cisco is having to get closer to its customers than ever before, even as it works to eliminate "silos" within its own organization, says Karl Braitberg, vice president of customer value chain management.