On Monday 7 October, Loughborough University welcomed leaders and executives from across the supply chain industry to the UK Supply Chain and Logistics Excellence (SCALE) Centre Symposium.
This symposium aimed to bring together key stakeholders from industry, policy and academia to discuss and co-create visions how the UK SCALE Centre, and supply chain community, can confront some of the biggest challenges facing the sector.
In recent years, manufacturers and logistics providers have faced major systemic shocks such as COVID-19, Brexit and the conflict in Ukraine. These difficulties have created a sentiment among some academics and industry leaders that collective forethought and action are needed to protect from future shocks.
Discussing the motivation behind the symposium, Professor Janet Godsell, Dean of Loughborough Business School and Professor of Operations and Supply Chain Strategy said: “The future can often seem distant and less concerning than the problems of today, particularly in the supply chain and manufacturing sectors. It has felt as though we are living in an age of ‘permacrisis’, constantly fighting just to stay on track.
“These challenges have proven the vital importance of considering potential futures, today. We need to make a fundamental change in the way we pursue growth to better balance the environmental, social and economic cost of growth, and that’s we’ve brought together so many different voices today to discuss making that change.”
Attendees were welcomed by Vice-Chancellor of Loughborough University, Professor Nick Jennings, before hearing from Sir John Peace, Chair of Midlands Engine, as he discussed his enthusiasm for the potential of the UK SCALE Centre and the opportunities for regional benefits to the Midlands.
The initial talks were followed by an in-depth look at the place of the Centre within the wider Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Global SCALE Network. Dr Chris Caplice, Executive Director of the MIT Center for Transportation & Logistics, also provided an overview of the possibilities for businesses to engage with the Centre: “The chance for academia and industry to work together is always exciting because it opens up new opportunities. One has a longer-term view, and the other is more set in the real world and provides short-term views, so they complement each other well.
“Many figures from industry haven’t really had a chance to consider how they can work with academia to achieve mutual benefits, so it’s great to see them come together and explore that.”
Four expert speakers then examined the influence and impact of four key themes for the development of future supply chains:
- Supply chain digitisation – Tim Lawrence, Director of Digital Supply Chain at Digital Catapult
- The need to evolve our workforce to meet the anticipated needs of the supply chain – Dr Grant Charlesworth-Jones, D4Drivers
- Supply chain sustainability – Judith Richardson, Managing Principal and Head of Sustainability at Argon & Co
- Talent for the future – Jo Pick, Chief People Officer at Wincanton Plc
Discussing their participation in the day, Judith Richardson of Argon & Co said: “We were incredibly excited when we heard that Loughborough was partnering with MIT to set up a SCALE Centre in the UK. As someone from the Midlands, and an advocate for the sustainability agenda, I was delighted to hear that this initiative would be landing in the region that kickstarted the industrial revolution as we look towards creating a new ‘green revolution’.”
Dr. Charlesworth-Jones added: “Loughborough embodies the essential forward-thinking approach to making a better future, where we can deliver more on a sustainable basis, both in an economic and environmental sense… they are bringing together the best that the UK has to offer to create supply chain solutions so that we can get what we want, when we want it, without it costing the earth.”
The afternoon session saw attendees reconvene to consider the learnings from the morning, engaging with an innovative workshop approach that saw them working together on developing ‘visions for the future of supply chains in 2040’. This workshop gave participants the opportunity to showcase their professional insights and expertise, sharing these through short presentations.