This is the new era for supply chains. It has to be. Two years of crisis mode tell us that the supply chain of the future must be very different. Legacy roles and responsibilities and the stable environment in which the traditional set of linear processes can comfortably exist are gone. The future-facing supply chain is one driven by a greater sense of purpose and strategic value, strengthened by collaboration, a new style of leadership and cultural evolution, and underpinned by innovative digital technologies that enable enhanced planning, resilience, and strategic decision-making.

But this isn't a change spurred by Covid-19 alone. Rather, says EY's Chris Andrews, the challenges faced during the pandemic accelerated an already ongoing and digitally-driven supply chain revolution. Andrews is an Associate Partner at consulting firm EY, focused on leading supply chain transformation with consumer products clients, collaborating with them to solve their most complex challenges, transform and re-platform their operations using the latest technologies, and optimize their results by embedding change in the organization.