Conference a smorgasbord of ideas

ON 23 OCTOBER 2022, I had the pleasure of joining some of the industry’s leading experts and professionals at the 2022 CILT International Conference in Perth Western Australia who had travelled from 43 different nations to make new friendships, share networking opportunities, learn about developments, best practice and innovation, and debate some of the pressing issues and potential opportunities facing the supply chain sector.

The event opened with a pre-conference event for Women in Logistics and Transport. Here they launched their publication “Spreading our Wings”, celebrating 10 years since their formal launch. This was shortly followed by the next generation of young leaders, who presented their appreciation awards to those countries who are actively supporting the activities of our young professionals.

The next day, the main conference opened and was a smorgasbord of presentations, panel discussions, inspiring personal stories, showcasing of ideas, interspersed with many chances to renew friendships and meet new people, or sit and debate some of the topical issues and discuss the implications of the sessions we had seen.

Space prevents me from giving a detailed account of every session. Concurrent sessions meant I could not attend everything anyway, though between the three representatives from New Zealand (myself, International Vice President Australasia, Fiona Knight, and KiwiRail’s Ben Johnson, our nominee for the Young Achiever Award), we had most sessions covered. Instead, I will put a spotlight on some of my personal highlights and point you to the CILT International national website (https://bit.ly/3SnyZGu) if you want to find out more.

We were welcomed to the conference by Western Australia’s Parliamentary Secretary for Transport, Planning and Ports Jessica Stojkovski, CILT International President Paul Sainthouse, the Secretary General Mark Armitage and, Australia’s National Chair Kim

BY DIANE EDWARDS

Hassall. Then it was straight into sessions on a huge variety of topics.

It started with plenary sessions featuring specific ports’ case studies, followed by two thought-provoking presentations on vehicle telemetry and sustainability, and social purchasing and its implications for the supply chain.

Delegates were then given a choice to visit one of three concurrent sessions. The first looked at alternative energies, discussing carbon emissions, electric vehicles and their impact on the grid, and the use of artificial intelligence in the supply chain. Another session running at the same time focused on education and what businesses are looking for from academic institutions. There was also a chance to see how the qualification of Certified Professional Logistician is being implemented.

I sat in on the third concurrent session which focused on hydrogen and alternative fuels. With my personal interest in futurism, hydrogen fuel is something my own sustainability team were looking at several years ago when I worked at Ports of Auckland, so I was keen to see how thinking had moved on. The presentation generated plenty of discussion, with some very differing opinions on the value of developing hydrogen as a fuel. I was pleased to see that there was room for informed debate. Heavy vehicle regulation and double articulated buses were also topics that raised plenty of discussion.

This first set of sessions signalled what was to come, as several themes started to emerge as the day progressed. Later that day and into the next it became clear what people considered to be the key opportunities and threats.

The first very clear theme was around technological developments. There were several case studies that looked at how software is revolutionising our industry from warehousing and intelligent logistics to autonomous trucks, ship, and planes. Technological advances in fuel continued to be debated, with advocates for biofuels, electrics, hydrogen and even nanodiamonds each having the chance to discuss the relative merits and downsides of each.

A second theme that came through strongly was safety, with several speakers discussing the best way to manage this. Regulatory compliance was covered but so too were technological advancements, safety management and case studies that focused more on the human factors such as training and culture. We also heard about the National Track Accident Research Centre and National Road Safety Partnership Programme. I heard several people after sessions debating these different approaches and I, as someone responsible for safety in my own organisation, came away concluding that it should not be an “either, or” option but rather a blended approach, utilising all the tools we have available to understand, evaluate, and mitigate safety risk.

A third theme that emerged was the consequences of, and responses to, the pandemic. No country represented at the conference was immune from its impact, not just on their workforces but on their trade flows. Due to the interdependencies of global trade even those countries not so badly hit were still impacted through their linkages into the wider supply chain. This will not be a surprise to anyone reading this, but it was really interesting to see some excellent independent research done on the impacts of the pandemic on our industry and hear how different organisations responded. Particularly exciting was to hear about how the pandemic had created opportunities for companies to form new alliances, refine inefficiencies in their processes, and build resilience into their business as usual.

It wouldn’t be a CILT conference without a strong emphasis on education and learning. There were several sessions showcasing what CILT qualifications are on offer, latest development in adult learning, and less formal, but equally valuable, learning in the form of mentoring.

Overall, there was a huge variety of sessions, whether your interest lies in road, rail, aviation, ports and maritime, warehousing and logistics, fuel, technology, or education. Some sessions talked strategy, others were more operational, and there were examples of innovation, policy, regulation, social responsibility, politics, case studies and personal stories. You name it, there was something for everyone.

Having given an overview of the sessions, I also want to mention two sessions that were personal highlights. Firstly, and perhaps because I work for New Zealand Red Cross (formerly on staff and now as a volunteer), I must mention the very informative and thought-provoking morning where humanitarian logistics was centre-stage. Commander Fiona McNaught from the Royal Australian Navy presented some case studies on military involvement and learnings from Australia’s recent natural disasters. Jennifer Bottrell, Humanitarian Logistician, MAF presented on aviation logistics in a humanitarian and development context, and Ryan Underwood, Denba CEO presented on transport innovation that may prevent food disasters. All three presentations showed the important, but often forgotten, part our industry has to play in the social sector.

My second highlight was the personal story told by Sarah Jones, Transport Consultant and Director of Healthy Heads Trucks. She told her story from when she entered the industry as a truck driver and how she was often underestimated. She then explained how, through sheer hard work and a love of what she does, she progressed to owning her own truck. This led to her starting her own truck driving academy, which differentiated itself from other training establishments with its high emphasis on mental health, wellbeing, and human factors. She recognised that long periods of isolation, pressure to meet delivery schedules, and the need for constant alertness was a significant factor in mental health which in turn impacted on safety. Her company also has started to support those for whom English is a second language and educate on the importance of nutrition. Through this holistic approach to driver training, she has helped many unemployed people, especially women, learn a valuable skill. I was genuinely inspired by her vision and drive.

The last day of the conference enabled the delegates to do some site visits. As an ex-port worker, I chose to visit Freemantle Port, though others had the chance to visit other sites. This was a lovely way to end the conference, getting away from the hotel and networking more informally with other delegates. It is important not to forget the value of the less structured times. Chatting about the sessions during breaks, making new friends during the lunch and dinners, finding out what is new at the expo. It is all part of the experience.

Finally, I must end my review by saying how lovely it was to see so many young people there, and also so many women. It was a genuine honour to have the opportunity to meet with such a diverse group of intelligent and dedicated professionals. If you should get the chance to attend the next CILT International conference, I highly recommend it.

Diane is an experienced executive change agent and business transformation facilitator enabling organisations to prepare for the future of work through practical initiatives to transform the business to be agile resilient and innovative.