With guidance from the United Nations Global Compact, 2010 APICS International Conference & Expo
attendees identify strategies operations and supply chain management professionals can put into action to
enable corporate social responsibility and sustainability at their organizations.
Chicago, Ill. (December 2, 2010)—APICS The Association for Operations Management, the global leader in
supply chain and operations management certification, education, and membership, announced today key
findings from an event exploring APICS members’ roles in corporate social responsibility (CSR) and
sustainability in relation to the United Nations Global Compact.
One outcome from the World Café was the growing acceptance of profits and sustainability as not mutually
exclusive concepts. Key findings include demonstrating the benefits of sustainable operations and supply chain
processes often include cost savings. Examples include reduced inventory, decreased energy usage, and less
scrap.
An additional outcome from the World Café event is that participants closely tied CSR success to corporate
reputation. Without a strong and meaningful CSR program, a business risks damaging its reputation, which can
adversely impact its long-term profitability. Participants closely associated supply chain and CSR, and they
emphasized the important role of supplier relations. Qualified operations and supply chain management
professionals have the knowledge and skills to ensure suppliers meet organizational CSR and sustainability
practices by conducting supplier site visits and building strong partnerships with suppliers.
“Operations and supply chain management professionals are in a unique position to enact CSR and
sustainability initiatives at their organizations while minimizing waste and enabling bottom-line results,” said
APICS chief executive officer Abe Eshkenazi, CSCP, CPA, CAE. “APICS aims to provide education and
resources to help its members lead their organizations with these initiatives.”
The United Nations Global Compact is a strategic policy initiative for businesses that are committed to
aligning their operations and strategies with 10 universally accepted principles in the areas of human rights,
labor, environment, and anticorruption. The UN Global Compact incorporates supply chain sustainability and
the responsibility of companies to engage their supply chain partners around the UN Global Compact’s 10
principles.
“We are encouraged by the positive response we have received from CEOs and organizations across the
globe,” said Anita Househam, policy and legal advisor for the UN Global Compact. “The leadership and active
engagement of professional bodies like APICS is critical to the long-term global success of CSR and
sustainability.”
The United Nations Global Compact has more than 8,000 participants in nearly 150 countries across the globe.
Many APICS member company chief executive officers have signed the UN Global Compact, which positions
APICS members to successfully implement the UN Global Compact’s 10 principles.
About APICS The Association for Operations Management
APICS The Association for Operations Management is the global leader and premier source of the body of
knowledge in operations management, including production, inventory, supply chain, materials management,
purchasing, and logistics. Since 1957, individuals and companies have relied on APICS for its superior
training, internationally recognized certifications, comprehensive resources, and worldwide network of
accomplished industry professionals. For more information about APICS, visit www.apics.org.
About the United Nations Global Compact
The UN Global Compact is a strategic policy initiative for businesses that are committed to aligning their
operations and strategies with ten universally accepted principles in the areas of human rights, labour,
environment and anti-corruption. By doing so, business, as a primary agent driving globalization, can help
ensure that markets, commerce, technology and finance advance in ways that benefit economies and societies
everywhere. For more information, visit www.unglobalcompact.org.
