The complexity of global supply chains is a hot topic in business circles right now. Companies have been working harder to understand the environmental and social impacts associated with the products they source; many are beginning to address a wide range of issues that arise along those value chains, from pollution to human trafficking. However, as the recent Washington Post exposé about child labor in the cocoa industry showed, even with public commitments to improve sourcing practices and due diligence processes, getting a true picture of a global supply chain is far from simple.
In my role overseeing purchasing for a $1.5B food service company, I have long worked to source more ethically produced products, particularly seafood. But with the scope and scale of the supply chains we deal with, it’s hard to be sure that every product we buy was produced by people paid fairly and using processes that minimize environmental damage.
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