75% of firms faced supply chain problems in 2009, says BCI report

75% of firms faced supply chain problems in 2009, says BCI report

Supply chain failure hit nearly three quarters of firms in 2009 with over a third reporting increased levels of disruption compared with the previous year. These startling figures are revealed in a Business Continuity Institute report entitled “Supply Chain Resilience”.

The Business Continuity Institute said it has therefore organised a workshop to identify and tackle the issues around supply chain resilience as part of a coherent risk and business continuity management strategy.

Workshop aims to share practical tips

The workshop will be held in Birmingham on 10 March at the Lakeside Conference Centre. The workshop will feature presentations from the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply, the former business continuity manager at Nokia, and case studies from three sectors: financial services, retail and local government. Organisers added that participants will benefit from an interactive environment focused on sharing ideas and experiences, as well as developing some practical steps to apply within their own organisations when they return back to the office.

Lyndon Bird FBCI, technical director at the BCI, commented: “Supply chain failure is a serious issue which reduces productivity, increases costs and reduces service levels. Business continuity management can add value to procurement practices by helping to understand where your organisation features in the priority plans of your suppliers should they be affected by disruption, and for developing mitigating strategies in the event of such disruption.