Sustainable Supply Chain

• How AI Drones Are Revolutionising Warehouse Operations – and Building Resilient Supply Chains

  Send me a messageIn this week’s episode of the Sustainable Supply Chain Podcast, I sit down with Jackie Wu, CEO and co-founder of Corvus Robotics, to explore how AI and autonomous drones are redefining inventory management, and what that means for the future of supply chain resilience.Most warehouses today still rely on people with barcode scanners trudging up and down aisles, a slow, error-prone, and frankly unsustainable process. Jackie’s team has built the world’s first fully autonomous drones capable of flying through massive warehouses, some the size of ten football fields, to scan inventory in hours instead of weeks.We talk about why inventory accuracy is the invisible foundation of supply chain sustainability: if you don’t know what’s where, you can’t optimise, decarbonise, or even plan effectively. Jackie explains how real-time data from drones helps companies reduce waste, prevent stock loss, and cut emissions linked to overproduction and unnecessary transport.We also dive into the importance of building resilience through visibility, the limits of traditional automation, and why AI-driven robotics are finally ready to move from lab demos to real-world industrial use. Jackie shares insights on the future of AI in the physical economy, vertical integration, and why autonomy, not just automation, is the next leap in supply chain efficiency.If you’re curious about how robotics, data, and design thinking can make operations smarter, safer, and more sustainable, you won’t want to miss this one.Listen now to learn how autonomous drones are helping warehouses take sustainability, and resilience, to new heights.#SupplyChain #Sustainability #AI #Automation #Resilience #WarehouseInnovation #InventoryManagement #CorvusRobotics #TomRaftery #SustainableSupplyChainPodcastElevate your brand with the ‘Sustainable Supply Chain’ podcast, the voice of supply chain sustainability.Last year, this podcast's episodes were downloaded over 113,000 times by senior supply chain executives around the world.Become a sponsor. Lead the conversation.Contact me for sponsorship opportunities and turn downloads into dialogues.Act today. Influence the future.Podcast supportersI'd like to sincerely thank this podcast's generous Subscribers: Alicia Farag Kieran Ognev And remember you too can become a Sustainable Supply Chain+ subscriber - it is really easy and hugely important as it will enable me to continue to create more excellent episodes like this one and give you access to the full back catalog of over 460 episodes.Podcast Sponsorship Opportunities:If you/your organisation is interested in sponsoring this podcast - I have several options available. Let's talk!FinallyIf you have any comments/suggestions or questions for the podcast - feel free to just send me a direct message on LinkedIn, or send me a text message using this link.If you liked this show, please don't forget to rate and/or review it. It makes a big difference to help new people discover it. Thanks for listening.

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• Decarbonising the Marine Industry: How Data and Design Can Cut Emissions at the Source

  Send me a messageIn this week’s episode of the Sustainable Supply Chain Podcast, I sat down with Ollie Taylor, Founder & Director of Marine Futures, to talk about one of the toughest nuts to crack in sustainability, decarbonising the marine industry. Boats, big or small, don’t often top climate discussions, yet their materials, manufacturing, and fuel use carry a hefty footprint.Ollie explains how Lifecycle Assessment (LCA) can reveal the true environmental cost of marine products, from resin to recycling, and why so many “green” designs turn out to be anything but. We unpack how his platform, Marine Shift 360, is helping designers and builders make data-led choices early in the design phase, where up to 80% of a product’s total impact is decided.We also dive into the data problem: how poor visibility, outdated datasets, and supplier secrecy distort sustainability claims. Ollie argues that transparency, education, and automation are key to bringing LCA into the mainstream, making it as essential as CAD or CFD in engineering.Other highlights include the promise of circular design to stabilise volatile supply chains, the limits of regulation versus commercial pressure, and why profitability and sustainability must align for real progress.If you care about data-driven design, circularity, and cutting emissions at the source, this episode is worth your time.🎧 Listen now on your favourite podcast platform or at sustainablesupplychainpodcast.comKeywords: marine decarbonisation, lifecycle assessment, circular design, sustainable manufacturing, Marine Shift 360, supply chain sustainability, low-carbon boats, sustainability data, LCA toolsElevate your brand with the ‘Sustainable Supply Chain’ podcast, the voice of supply chain sustainability.Last year, this podcast's episodes were downloaded over 113,000 times by senior supply chain executives around the world.Become a sponsor. Lead the conversation.Contact me for sponsorship opportunities and turn downloads into dialogues.Act today. Influence the future.Podcast supportersI'd like to sincerely thank this podcast's generous Subscribers: Alicia Farag Kieran Ognev And remember you too can become a Sustainable Supply Chain+ subscriber - it is really easy and hugely important as it will enable me to continue to create more excellent episodes like this one and give you access to the full back catalog of over 460 episodes.Podcast Sponsorship Opportunities:If you/your organisation is interested in sponsoring this podcast - I have several options available. Let's talk!FinallyIf you have any comments/suggestions or questions for the podcast - feel free to just send me a direct message on LinkedIn, or send me a text message using this link.If you liked this show, please don't forget to rate and/or review it. It makes a big difference to help new people discover it. Thanks for listening.

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• Data, AI and Lean Principles: How to Cut Waste and Carbon in Supply Chains

  Send me a messageIn this week’s episode of the Sustainable Supply Chain Podcast, I sit down with Dag Calafell, Director of Technology Innovation at MCA Connect, to explore how data and digital tools are reshaping manufacturing and supply chains. With more than 25 years of experience in steel and automotive, Dag has seen first-hand how waste creeps into processes, and how technology can help eliminate it.We dig into why so many organisations are still running core planning on Excel, and what happens when companies move beyond disconnected systems towards true data visibility. Dag explains how AI, IoT, and smart sourcing agents can transform supplier relationships, reduce risk, and embed sustainability directly into day-to-day decision making. He shares striking examples, from a food manufacturer wasting energy on unnecessary refrigerated transport, to a materials producer that boosted forecast accuracy by 60% and cut excess inventory by nearly a third.The conversation also touches on lean principles, the power of continuous improvement, and the role of executive alignment in setting measurable goals for carbon reduction. We talk about future supply chain models too, whether lights-out factories, robotics, or distributed manufacturing networks that reduce transport emissions.For supply chain leaders, the takeaway is clear: sustainability is inseparable from efficiency. When you collect the right data, apply the right tools, and commit to improvement, you not only cut costs and boost resilience, you reduce your environmental footprint at the same time.Listen in for practical lessons and forward-looking insights that can help your organisation modernise, decarbonise, and stay competitive in an increasingly complex supply chain landscape.Elevate your brand with the ‘Sustainable Supply Chain’ podcast, the voice of supply chain sustainability.Last year, this podcast's episodes were downloaded over 113,000 times by senior supply chain executives around the world.Become a sponsor. Lead the conversation.Contact me for sponsorship opportunities and turn downloads into dialogues.Act today. Influence the future.Podcast supportersI'd like to sincerely thank this podcast's generous Subscribers: Alicia Farag Kieran Ognev And remember you too can become a Sustainable Supply Chain+ subscriber - it is really easy and hugely important as it will enable me to continue to create more excellent episodes like this one and give you access to the full back catalog of over 460 episodes.Podcast Sponsorship Opportunities:If you/your organisation is interested in sponsoring this podcast - I have several options available. Let's talk!FinallyIf you have any comments/suggestions or questions for the podcast - feel free to just send me a direct message on LinkedIn, or send me a text message using this link.If you liked this show, please don't forget to rate and/or review it. It makes a big difference to help new people discover it. Thanks for listening.

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• Ethical Swag: How Sustainable Promotional Products Are Changing Supply Chains

  Send me a messageIn this episode of the Sustainable Supply Chain Podcast, I sit down with Tara Milburn, founder and CEO of Ethical Swag, a certified B Corp reshaping the promotional products industry. Too often, branded merchandise ends up as waste or is produced under questionable conditions. Tara and her team are proving there’s a better way, where every procurement choice can align with values, improve transparency, and create measurable impact.We discuss how Ethical Swag was built on the principle that business can be a force for good, even in a sector not known for sustainability. Tara explains why greenwashing remains a challenge, how third-party audits are essential for supplier verification, and why embedding sustainability across all departments, much like digital transformation, creates lasting change. She also shares practical strategies for procurement teams, such as offering “good, better, best” options that balance budgets with environmental and social impact.One of the most striking parts of our conversation was the reminder that products with your logo should reflect your brand values, because when those items end up in landfill, so does your reputation. Tara shows how companies can move beyond token gestures to meaningful storytelling, from seed paper giveaways linked to the UN Sustainable Development Goals to impact reporting that makes sustainability visible.If you’re a supply chain leader looking to reduce waste, build brand trust, and rethink procurement as a driver of sustainability, you’ll find this episode full of insights and inspiration.Elevate your brand with the ‘Sustainable Supply Chain’ podcast, the voice of supply chain sustainability.Last year, this podcast's episodes were downloaded over 113,000 times by senior supply chain executives around the world.Become a sponsor. Lead the conversation.Contact me for sponsorship opportunities and turn downloads into dialogues.Act today. Influence the future.Podcast supportersI'd like to sincerely thank this podcast's generous Subscribers: Alicia Farag Kieran Ognev And remember you too can become a Sustainable Supply Chain+ subscriber - it is really easy and hugely important as it will enable me to continue to create more excellent episodes like this one and give you access to the full back catalog of over 460 episodes.Podcast Sponsorship Opportunities:If you/your organisation is interested in sponsoring this podcast - I have several options available. Let's talk!FinallyIf you have any comments/suggestions or questions for the podcast - feel free to just send me a direct message on LinkedIn, or send me a text message using this link.If you liked this show, please don't forget to rate and/or review it. It makes a big difference to help new people discover it. Thanks for listening.

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• Fixing Scope 3 with AI: Supplier Engagement, Data Accuracy, and Decarbonisation Levers

  Send me a messageIn this week’s episode of the Sustainable Supply Chain Podcast, I sat down with fellow Irishman Paul Byrnes, CEO of Mavarick AI, to explore how manufacturers can use AI and data to tackle the notoriously difficult challenge of Scope 3 emissions.Paul brings a unique perspective, rooted in both deep data science and hands-on manufacturing experience, and he didn’t shy away from the hard truths: most companies still struggle with messy, unreliable data and limited supplier engagement. We unpack why primary data will soon become table stakes, why spend-based estimates can be 40% off the mark, and how engaging suppliers requires a simple but often overlooked question, what’s in it for them?We also discussed where AI genuinely moves the needle:Boosting confidence in data accuracy by identifying gaps and “contaminated” entriesProviding personalised training to help suppliers meet sustainability requestsUncovering and prioritising decarbonisation levers with clear ROIPaul shared real-world examples, from medical devices to automotive, that show how targeted projects, rather than trying to tackle all 15 Scope 3 categories at once, deliver the best results. We also touched on the environmental footprint of AI itself, energy, water, rare materials, and how responsible computing and smaller, purpose-built models can reduce the impact.For leaders wrestling with emissions strategy, Paul’s advice is simple: start by mapping your data landscape. Know where you’re rich, where you’re poor, and build from there.This is a practical, candid conversation about making sustainability and profitability work hand-in-hand, and why efficiency wins are so often sustainability wins.Elevate your brand with the ‘Sustainable Supply Chain’ podcast, the voice of supply chain sustainability.Last year, this podcast's episodes were downloaded over 113,000 times by senior supply chain executives around the world.Become a sponsor. Lead the conversation.Contact me for sponsorship opportunities and turn downloads into dialogues.Act today. Influence the future.Podcast supportersI'd like to sincerely thank this podcast's generous Subscribers: Alicia Farag Kieran Ognev And remember you too can become a Sustainable Supply Chain+ subscriber - it is really easy and hugely important as it will enable me to continue to create more excellent episodes like this one and give you access to the full back catalog of over 460 episodes.Podcast Sponsorship Opportunities:If you/your organisation is interested in sponsoring this podcast - I have several options available. Let's talk!FinallyIf you have any comments/suggestions or questions for the podcast - feel free to just send me a direct message on LinkedIn, or send me a text message using this link.If you liked this show, please don't forget to rate and/or review it. It makes a big difference to help new people discover it. Thanks for listening.

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