Green Supply Chain Forum shows how sustainable supply chain management is a great idea—in more ways than one.

Sustainable supply chain management has emerged as a strategic weapon for companies for decreasing costs and adding value to operations while protecting the environment.

For the fourth year, the Green Supply Chain Forum at Florida International University (FIU) offered a close look at innovative practices. Key representatives from businesses and industries in South Florida attended the forum on October 27, 2011, hosted by the College of Business Administration and the college’s Ryder Center for Supply Chain Management.

Anthony Craig, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Center for Transportation & Logistics

“We are taking the lead in South Florida in sustainability related to supply chain management,” said event organizer Jose Rocha, the Ryder Center’s assistant director. “The forum focused on the process of innovation through green supply chain management practices.”

After opening remarks from Albert Saphir, president of the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP) South Florida Roundtable, and Ryder Center’s director Walfried Lassar, a morning workshop on “Carbon Footprint Modeling” was conducted by Bryan Cochie, Damco; Anthony Craig, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Center for Transportation & Logistics; and Brian Nemeth, Alix Partners.

“Since I will be supporting the ISO 1400 certification process at our company, the workshop was a perfect opportunity to learn from other players about their experiences when turning their operation more environmentally friendly,” said Mirja Nissen of Senator International. “As an exercise, each group had to calculate the carbon dioxide emission and make decisions about the development of a company’s distribution and manufacturing locations.”

Participants engaged in challenging exercises during the event.

The afternoon presentations by Mauro Okamoto, director, ERP Services, Softtek and Faustino F. Santana, managing business consultant, IBM Global Business Services, examined trends, challenges and opportunities in business innovation through green supply chain management practices.

Forum to experience exciting new growth.

“The green supply chain forum series has gained national recognition for FIU’s Ryder Center,” Lassar said. “We will continue to build on that recognition by creating a new and expanded version of the forum that also will deal with sustainability and inclusiveness.”

The Inter-American Supply Chain Forum will be March 15-16, 2012 in Miami, Florida.