August 15, 2024

UOW Supply Chain Success Society hosts inaugural Sustainability Symposium

The UOW Supply Chain Success Society proudly hosted its inaugural Supply Chain Sustainability Symposium, “Supply Chain Sustainability: Efforts throughout the Chain”.

On August 6th, the student-led UOW Supply Chain Success Society proudly hosted its inaugural Supply Chain Sustainability Symposium, “Supply Chain Sustainability: Efforts throughout the Chain.” The event, supported by the Centre for Supply Chain Research, brought together industry and academia to share innovative sustainability initiatives and foster collaborative discussions aimed at creating a greener supply chain in Australia, while connecting current students with the world of work.

The day began with a welcome from the Society’s President, Nathanael Leong, a current Master of Supply Chain student, followed by a formal opening from Professor Dilan Thampapillai, Interim Executive Dean for the Faculty of Business & Law. Associate Professor Matthew Pepper, Director of the Centre for Supply Chain Research and Discipline Lead for Supply Chain Analytics, then set the stage by emphasising the growing importance of sustainability in supply chain management. The keynote address was delivered by Dr. Peter Robertson, CSCR Member and UOW Honorary Research Fellow, who shared insights with the audience that framed the sustainability theme for the day.

The Symposium featured a series of engaging presentations from industry leaders who are at the forefront of sustainable practices. Amanda MacKinnell from L3Harris Technologies, Fiona Shedden from BlueScope, Zlatko Todorcevski from Konvoy, and Kathleen Packer, Director of UOW Facilities Management Division, each shared their company’s innovative approaches to sustainability.

In the afternoon, the focus shifted to academic perspectives on sustainability. Dr. Ethan Nikookar introduced the concept of Supply Chain Anti-Fragility, initiating thoughtful discussion. PhD candidates then took the stage to present their innovative research. Rio Bire discussed Sustainable Tourism, Basma Koro explored the Humanitarian Supply Chain, while Ishara Mudiyansege and Komudya Chathurangi delved into the complexities of Scope 3 Emissions and Service Supply Chains.

The Symposium concluded with an engaging panel discussion on the current challenges in achieving supply chain sustainability. Facilitated by Associate Professor Belinda Gibbons, Acting Dean of the School of Business, the panel featured insights from Jacki Johnson, co-chair of the Australia Sustainable Finance Initiative, Mitch Woellner, GM Consulting Strategy at Droppoint, and Louis Angeli, UOW alumni and Operations Graduate at Linfox.

The day valuable opportunity for students and industry professionals to connect and exchange ideas, allowing for expansion of networks and providing students with firsthand insights into the industry they are set to enter. The Centre for Supply Chain Research is grateful to the Supply Chain Success Society for running such an outstanding event, and to all the industry speakers for generously sharing their insights and innovations.