Supply Chain Resilience
Indigenous Awareness: An Imperative for Competitive Canadian Supply Chains
Supply chain as a profession has transformed in a myriad of ways in the past two years, amplifying its vast impacts on the economy.
As well the profession has now been recognized for the strategic role it has started playing in influencing organizational performance and strategic mandates, including the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s Calls to Action.
Supply Chain Management Association Ontario (SCMAO) has been a champion for bringing awareness to the role that the supply chain plays in strengthening the Reconciliation Action Plans (RAP) of organizations.
“Awareness through continued learning is the first step toward fostering a safe environment where organizations can develop the right tools, tactics, and leadership that can advance an organization’s relationships with the Indigenous Peoples,” says Al-Azhar Khalfan, President and CEO of SCMAO.
With over 4,100 members and a community of 10,000-plus supply chain professionals, including leaders from some of the country’s largest organizations, SCMAO recognizes its role in building Indigenous awareness and supporting supply chain professionals in developing the knowledge necessary to bring this discussion to the boardroom.
SCMAO started this initiative by partnering with Ontario Power Generation (OPG) and the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business (CCAB) to build a knowledge-sharing forum for supply chain professionals. This forum included Indigenous leaders and business owners.
“OPG and its predecessors have a long history in the province and a journey marked by very negative and very positive chapters. Although we were proud of the progress achieved through our 50-plus agreements with Indigenous communities and organizations, this was only a start.
Launched in 2021, OPG’s Reconciliation Action Plan builds on our long-standing commitment to creating meaningful economic development opportunities for Indigenous Peoples and communities. It’s a direct response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Call to Action #92, which specifically urges corporate Canada to adopt the Reconciliation framework to create a better future. OPG has seen the immediate and lasting economic benefits that come from clean power partnerships and the increased participation of Indigenous businesses in our initiatives — benefits like job creation, skills development, and stable revenue streams. We believe partnerships and relationship building are the way forward, and we know there’s much more we can do,” says Karen Fritz, Chief Supply Officer at OPG.
While supply chain plays a pivotal role in bringing an organization’s Reconciliation journey to fruition, it’s truly incumbent on senior C-suite leaders to facilitate and pave the way for a culture that puts Reconciliation at the core of strategic decisions.
According to CCAB’s research, as of 2016, Indigenous Peoples contributed over $30 billion annually to Canada’s GDP. In Canada, the Indigenous private economy alone contributes roughly $12 billion annually, and these numbers only continue to increase. This research clearly corroborates that Indigenous awareness is no longer a corporate social responsibility but a sound business decision for a stronger Canadian economy.
Awareness through education is the first step toward fostering a safe environment where organizations can develop the right tools, tactics and leadership that can advance an organization's relationships with the Indigenous Peoples.
SCMAO has also collaborated with Staples Professional as part of its roadmap for building continued Indigenous cultural awareness and competency through education and collaboration. “We’re delighted to help amplify the learning offered by SCMAO on Indigenous culture, history, and understanding as a way to support the advancement of Indigenous-focused initiatives that will drive the reconciliation process in Canada,” says Michelle Micuda, President of Staples Professional Canada.
“The next phase in our roadmap to building Indigenous awareness is focused on senior C-suite business leaders, especially CSCOs, CPOs and COOs, who see the value in prioritizing Indigenous Reconciliation strategies and aligning their organizational goals. Our Executive Symposium, starting in January 2023, will address the knowledge gaps and provide necessary tools for the C-suite to start embedding Reconciliation Action Plans into the enterprise strategic framework. We’re looking for the right organizational partners who appreciate the opportunity and gravitas of elevating Indigenous business relations for a better future,” says Khalfan.
Organizations that recognize the opportunity to strengthen relationships with the Indigenous communities and build prosperity for all Canadians are the true trailblazers in building the pathway to a sustainable future for our beautiful homeland of Canada.
What do you believe are the biggest challenges e-commerce businesses faced due to unpreceded disruptions from the pandemic?
Maintaining customer loyalty and retention were two of the biggest challenges coming out of the pandemic. There was a huge influx of brands popping up during that time and incredible saturation across many different markets. This meant e-commerce businesses had to prioritize customer retention — investing in marketing and enhancing the user experience like never before. For some, this meant simultaneously expanding product offerings to meet more of customers’ needs. One of Clearco’s goals is to help e-commerce founders with these fixed marketing and inventory costs, providing more wealth-building opportunities for entrepreneurs of all backgrounds. From a supply chain perspective, fluctuations in demand in the United States drove congestion in ports. The pandemic led to port lockdowns, further reducing shipping capacity. As a result, we found ourselves in
a global shipping crisis in combination with disruption of trade between the United States and other countries. E-commerce businesses, especially ones without scale, were met with extreme adversity and had to pivot to complete the consumer journey, while larger retailers weren’t spared either.
What can e-commerce businesses do to prevent disruptions and ensure success within their organization?
Diversification in every aspect of your business can help prevent disruption and ensure success. For example, having a diverse supply chain management system is probably one of the most important parts of a successful e-commerce business. On top of that, diversifying distribution channels and marketing will help you reach a broader customer base more efficiently, both with your products and your messaging.
The most successful e-commerce businesses, particularly those that have found success since the pandemic, are constantly looking at new ways to diversify their business functions.
If We Don’t Reinvent and Reinvest in Our Supply Chain Now, Then When?
With supply chain resilience freshly top of mind, industry leaders are sharing a potent vision that could forge a truly secure, modern, and accessible future for Canadian logistics.
D.F. McCourt
For over two years, the often-overlooked complexities and inner workings of our global supply chain have been on public display. We’ve seen and celebrated its strengths and successes. But many points of weakness and obsolescence have also seen daylight for the first time. Coming out the other side of the pandemic, we now have an opportunity to take a hard look at the lessons we’ve learned and rebuild our supply chains better and stronger with the flexibility and resilience that modern technology and modern know-how can provide.
Of course, the indispensability of a robust supply chain — and the vulnerability of a poorly managed one — is not a recent realization for everyone. Rizwan (Riz) Kermalli was already thinking hard on the subject in 1999 when he founded Canada Worldwide Services as a specialized logistics service dealing with the most critical supply chains. By 2005, as technology marched onward, Riz had seen the early tectonic shift in the needs of increasingly online businesses and also in the possibilities of a truly modern digital supply chain. And so eShipper was born.
“It’s no secret that the supply chain and logistics industry have taken time to catch up with the modernization of the broader economy,” says Mohamed (Mo) Datoo, Vice-President of Strategy and Partnerships at eShipper. “There’s now a lot of thought going into technology for a number of reasons. The general expectations of the customer have changed. Customers expect complete transparency and end-to-end visibility on what’s going on at any one time.”
Logistics doesn’t need to be a barrier to growth
The new era of digital logistics is opening up what was previously a closed and inaccessible system for many small-and medium-sized businesses (SMBs). Democratizing enterprise-scale supply chains allows growing businesses to compete while remaining focused on their core competencies.
Indeed, a big part of the work eShipper does is focused on thought leadership, ensuring that Canada's supply chain infrastructure, technology, and support network are up to the task of the profound modernization and reinvention they champion. Focus on what your core competence is and leave the logistics and technology to us.
not originated with a global pandemic in mind, but their ideas were built on the knowledge that unexpected challenges are inevitable. Innovative thought on new logistics frameworks — including ideas like drone delivery, zone skipping, and utilizing alternative carriers within the gig and commercial travel economies — have proven their merit in overcoming not only pandemic-related disruptions but also the many other forms these unexpected contingencies can take.
“Consider the recent forest fires and floods that were happening in B.C.,” says Imtiaz Kermali, Vice-President of Sales and Marketing at eShipper.
“We had road networks that were completely shut down for two to four weeks at a time. We were able to conjure up relationships with some of our air providers to not just bypass the ground but actually provide a zone-skipping service at a cost-competitive rate. Being able to innovate and being able to come together with customers and carriers to problem-solve is the key to providing solutions when things go wrong or when they hit capacity. This same thinking allows for creative solutions that help smaller businesses grow when they have unique supply chain needs.”
— Imran Kermalli
“A lot of entrepreneurs start a business and are surprised to discover that selling product is not their biggest hurdle; it’s actually getting the product to the consumer,” says Riz. “Especially as they grow and start looking at customers and suppliers who are outside of North America, the logistics in places like China and India become a huge challenge. Large businesses have entire departments focused on this. We want small business owners to be able to focus on innovating in their area of expertise and to know that an expert logistics provider is taking care of their supply chain innovation.”
But equality is only the first step. Using technology to make yesterday’s best and most robust supply chains accessible to all is an obvious win, but the vision of Riz and eShipper extends beyond that to ensure that the supply chain of tomorrow is even better and more resilient.
Resiliency and agility are two sides of the same coin
The thinking behind eShipper was
Indeed, a big part of the work eShipper does is focused on thought leadership, ensuring that Canada’s supply chain infrastructure, technology, and support network are up to the task of the profound modernization and reinvention they champion. “Our ports and our roads infrastructure are old,” says Imran. “E-commerce has shot up a few hundred per cent over the last two years, and our infrastructure was not ready for it. The cost of fuel and transportation is rising, the labour supply is dwindling, and the shipping networks are overwhelmed. These are the kinds of big problems our team is always thinking about.”
The company’s advocacy and activism on these concerns have led eShipper to create an educational alliance with Export Development Canada focused on helping SMBs develop their international logistics while minimizing risks. Because, after all, building a more robust supply chain infrastructure and framework is fundamentally an undertaking of collaboration by everyone and for everyone’s benefit.
Never trust a fragile supply chain again
The worst of the pandemic may be behind us, but infrastructure debt, outdated frameworks, and ongoing labour shortages remain extremely disruptive to logistics. Now that the weak links in the system have been so clearly identified, we must take this opportunity to reinvest against the expected and unexpected disruptions of tomorrow.
Come what may, at the end of the day, the challenge will be the same, even as the circumstances and obstacles vary. It’s all about getting things where they need to be, when they need to be there, in the most appropriate way. For each new wrinkle in the logistics puzzle, technology and innovation are providing the opportunity for fresh solutions. For those who are bold enough to realize them, advocates like Riz and his team are there for you every step of the journey.
Recent events have highlighted weaknesses in the supply chain. CIFFA acts as the voice of freight forwarders, freight brokers, and drayage operators.
Anne Papmehl
Canada’s supply chain — deemed fragile at best before COVID-19 — has become even more so in the past two years. “COVID-19 was the catalyst to really expedite all these challenges,” says Bruce Rodgers, Executive Director of the Canadian International Freight Forwarders Association (CIFFA).
“Under the current situation, a disruption at any of the points along the chain means significant breakdowns and failures everywhere, where one day of disruption will take roughly a week of recovery.”
Weather issues, labour disputes, rail blockades, and changes in consumer purchasing habits are some of the factors that have compromised the stability of our supply chains. Another is the irregular and unpredictable steamship schedules, making it hard for importers to gauge when products arrive. “This causes them to order in advance to ensure well-stocked shelves. Then when the ships do arrive, it creates a surge of volumes which causes an overflow in the warehouses, which in turn creates further congestion down the line at the rail yards and ports,” says Rodgers.
Advancing the interests of freight forwarding community
The Canadian International Freight Forwarders Association — established in 1948 — works to advance the needs and interests of the supply chain community across three pillars — membership, education, and advocacy.
There are two membership categories — regular members and associate members. The regular membership category, which comprises freight forwarders, was recently extended to include drayage operators who move shipping containers from ports and terminals and Third-Party Logistics (3PL) load brokers to ensure a stronger voice and broader reach. Associate members are any companies or entities connected in some way to freight forwarding and movement of goods, such as insurance companies, legal firms, IT-related organizations, port authorities, rail providers, carriers, trucking
Build an Exciting Career in Supply Chain Management
Seneca helps students efficiently enter the supply chain sector through its impressive Supply Chain Management program.
Katherine Cappellacci
The global economy is dependent on a complex web of supply chains. These links are incredibly important to keeping us economically afloat. As we’ve learned, any minor disruption to a supply chain causes ripple effects that are felt across the world.
Now more than ever, it’s the right time to find a rewarding career in supply chain management — and the best way to start is with the Supply Chain Management (SCM) graduate certificate program at Seneca.
“If you have the ability to learn new skills and solve problems, then this is the sector for you,” said Jim Wyer, Professor, Seneca School of Human Resources and Global Business. “Students learn while also making industry connections, collaborating, and networking with industry partners and professional associations before they even graduate.”
Students are exposed to all steps of the supply chain, including business processes, digital technology, operations planning and control, procurement, transportation, and warehousing. They can even choose to spend one term in the field through work-integrated learning.
Ready for what’s next
The SCM program also encourages students to consider the overall environmental impacts of supply chain decisions. “Seneca keeps a pulse on the industry to make sure students are fully prepared,” said Wyer. “We prioritize sustainability by offering training that’s forward-thinking.”
Expert faculty help students select their areas of focus and connect them with related industry groups. “Supply chain management is ever-evolving, and we want students to have the support they need to adapt,” said Wyer. “That’s how our graduates continue to find success in all areas of the industry.”
companies, and customs brokers.
CIFFA’s education pillar has formed the cornerstone of the Association since its inception. “We have a very strong reputation under the CIFFA brand for quality educational products for the logistics industry and a consistency of delivery,” says Julia Kuzeljevich, Director of Policy and Communications at CIFFA. The Association’s programs have evolved and expanded continuously year-over-year and were recently updated with on-demand and virtual offerings to support remote learning. In addition to learning the latest industry news delivered through CIFFA’s eBulletin and access to The Forwarder print magazine, members benefit from special pricing on events, education, and training initiatives.
Through the advocacy pillar, CIFFA is raising awareness of the issues and lobbying for improvement in the industry. “We have developed strong relationships with our external stakeholders such as the ports, terminals, rail providers, and partner organizations, and we regularly participate in and present at industry conferences and committees,” says Kuzeljevich.
A holistic approach needed to solve problems
CIFFA has also been expanding its outreach with the federal government. “We’re trying to make them aware of the bigger picture because looking at the problems in isolation just creates further problems down the line. You need to take a holistic view of everything that’s being affected through the supply chain challenges to come up with a solution,” adds Rodgers.
…cargo doesn't complain, so we're the voice of cargo and will continue to raise awareness of Canada's supply chain challenges and strive to improve for the benefit of industry.
And while the supply chain challenges are global in nature, Rodgers explains that we can’t solve them as a country if we don’t look internally.
“As I like to say, cargo doesn’t complain, so we’re the voice of cargo and will continue to raise awareness of Canada’s supply chain challenges and strive to improve for the benefit of industry,” says Rodgers.
Canadian Company’s Unique Approach Can Drive Supply Chain
Optimization
The pandemic has exposed cracks in supply chain that have existed for years. While many companies are forced to muddle through the chaos, Cedric Millar, a leading supply chain solutions and related technology provider, has a unique and cost-effective approach that’s easing supply chain pain and creating business efficiencies and cost savings for the companies it works with across North America.
“We seek to understand each client’s story, which, combined with a deep analysis of their business intelligence and our supporting technology, allows us to create highly customized solutions,” says Brian Ware, President of Cedric Millar. “We’re not limited by the scope of a preconceived solution. If we don’t find the solution in the market, then we utilize our experience and build it for them.”
What differentiates Cedric Millar is that it’s uniquely positioned to present to companies their current state and then, by utilizing its proven expertise and technology, can deliver optimization and a future state solution. The fourth-party logistics provider doesn’t just identify supply chain challenges but is a long-term partner that supports the execution of solutions.
Data plays an important role in understanding an organization and its supply chain — this is where Cedric Millar excels. “We show our clients how to interpret data so they can use prescriptive analysis,” says Sejal Sheth, Senior Director of Integration and Technology at Cedric Millar. “This means that instead of reacting blindly, they can create actionable strategies that work.”
Cedric Millar works with companies of all sizes and complexities, and its strength is having a deep culture of continuous improvement.
“We want to challenge the status
and offer scalable
says Ware. “We’re a trusted advocate for the companies we work with and help support their growth.”
