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Global Supply Chain Management Forum

 

Socially and Environmentally Responsible (SER) Supply Chains Program

A Forum initiative focused on the social and environmental dimensions of supply chain management.

The objectives of the SER Program are to:

  • Advance supply chain SER knowledge by identifying best practices and developing new models & frameworks;
  • Share these advances with a broad network of industries and organizations in order to accelerate the adoption of SER best practices.

To achieve these objectives, the SER Program is collaborating with a cross-section of industries and organizations, conducting SER-related research and student projects, developing new teaching cases and courses, and sharing knowledge though germane events and publications (See Activities Overview below).

With all of our activities, we are keenly interested in the supply chain and business implications of SER initiatives, understanding that companies are more likely to adopt these initiatives if they can demonstrate the economic value.

The SER Program differs from other sustainability initiatives in that our attention is focused on assessing the impact SER initiatives have on the supply chain network (product development, sourcing, manufacturing, logistics, end-of-life).

 

Collaboration

Partnerships with:

  • Industry
  • NGOs
  • Centers of excellence
  • Governmental organizations

Research and Teaching

  • Teaching cases
  • Student projects
  • Research studies
  • Business & Engineering School courses and modules

Knowledge Dissemination

  • Articles in academic and industry journals
  • Presentations at germane events
  • Electronic mediums

Please contact Lesley Sept (sept_lesley@gsb.stanford.edu) if you would like more information.

 

Key SER Program Events

2008 SER Supply Chains Conference

  • Over 250 attendees
  • Conference partners included Clifbar, Nike, Business for Social Responsibility and the US EPA.
  • Keynotes by Clorox and the Gap
  • A conversation on biofuels by world-renowned scientist Chris Field, a major contributor to the Nobel Prize-winning United Nations IPCC
  • Hands-on workshops by IDEO and Institute for the Future
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April 2008 — Our second annual conference, hosted in partnership with the Stanford Center for Innovation, brought together corporate and nonprofit leaders, policy makers and academics to share insights on how fresh approaches to supply chain social and environmental practices can improve business performance.

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