In this Unchained Webinar, Stephen was able to have an interview with Peter Jones from Prological Consulting, to continue advancing the conversation on Modern Slavery. He’s an expert in supply chain logistics and at Prological, he works to ensure that other businesses in their jurisdiction redesign their supply chains, so they meet the requirements of the business’s objectives. They strive for alignment between the aspirations a business holds as an entity and being able to fulfill those aspirations through effective use of their supply chain.
Prological works with large Australian firms, from automotive parts, pharmaceutical companies, manufacturers of piping products, electronics, and fashion companies to ensure their supply chain matches their business goals.
Commercial, Sustainable and Ethical: If a supply chain is not commercially viable for the business’s survival, then there is no business. The business must also be sustainable. This flows into a logistics goal as Prological encourages large warehouses to integrate sustainable energy systems into their design. The ethics of a supply chain link closely to Modern Slavery. Peter said that he sees issues with the ethical work of transport, electronics, and fashion companies in particular. For his business, they continue to understand the impact of Modern Slavery and understand that there are no quick wins when chasing ethical and sustainable decisions.
Global Changes: Australia can’t eradicate these issues on its own. The UN has suggested that over a 40million people around the world live in a slavery environment, to fuel first-world consumerism. Nations all around the world will have to work together and align their governments to comply with the Modern Slavery Acts.
It Starts with Education: When people understand what goes on in the supply chain of their $5 t-shirt, or $30 vacuum cleaner, for example, they should start to feel uncomfortable. Marketing for consumerism is so strong that it often has the power to overtake someone’s ethical beliefs if they like the product more. Education about Modern Slavery in the supply chains of businesses is essential for influencing the ethical morals of a consumer.
