New report sheds light on supply chain challenges

We explore the key focus areas for supply chain leaders today

Almost nine million Australian households made an online purchase in 2020¹. That’s a lot of people on the receiving end of supply chains. No wonder supply chain management is a key issue facing business leaders right now.

To help shed light on the current state of play in the supply chain industry, Australia Post and Deloitte recently surveyed Supply Chain Leaders from 87 Australian businesses. Their responses span 15 industry sectors including retail trade, wholesale trade, transport, postal and warehousing, and manufacturing.

The resulting Australian Supply Chain Leaders’ Sentiment Report launches soon. The first report of its kind in Australia, it explores current conditions and future priorities for leaders in supply chain management. Without giving too much away, here are three key take-outs from the report.

Technology adoption is on the rise

Supply Chain Leaders are embracing digitisation to improve connectivity and visibility across the end-to-end supply chain, while also boosting resilience and agility. On the radar are technologies like:

• predictive analytics
• warehouse automation
• artificial intelligence
• last mile route optimisation

50% of businesses are either already deploying or piloting these sophisticated tools.

Sustainability is a key focus area

Across the supply chain, businesses are actively seeking ways to deliver on environmental, sustainability and governance (ESG) targets. Recognising that sustainability is top of mind for consumers, Supply Chain Leaders are embracing a range of proactive sustainability policies and initiatives. Ethical sourcing is the most common strategy, with 36% of respondents reporting full deployment. 46% also noted sustainable supplier selection as being either fully deployed or scaling up across their supply chains.

The growth of eCommerce is being felt

Last but not least, the extraordinary growth of eCommerce has prompted 29% of businesses to invest in supply chain resilience, while 29% have invested in more eCommerce systems and 21% on a new eCommerce strategy. Interestingly, nearly one in five respondents said they had not made any changes in their approach.

Don’t miss the full report

The Australian Supply Chain Leaders’ Sentiment Report should help you evaluate where your business stands in comparison to others. You’ll also get the scoop on practical actions you can take to boost the resilience and performance of your supply chain.

The report will be available soon. In the meantime, find out how we can help you manage your supply chains.