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Resilient Supply Chain — How Leaders Keep Business Moving

Resilient Supply Chain is for supply chain, operations, procurement and technology leaders who need practical ways to manage disruption, reduce risk and keep business moving.

Each Monday, former SAP Global VP and technology futurist Tom Raftery speaks with the executives, operators, founders and innovators redesigning how goods, information and decisions move through global supply chains.

These are candid conversations about what works in practice—not polished PR narratives or vague predictions. Guests explain how they are responding to supplier failures, geopolitical shocks, volatile costs, capacity constraints, changing regulations and rising pressure to improve both performance and sustainability.

The podcast examines:
Faster planning and decision-making under uncertainty
Supplier risk, sourcing strategy and business continuity
AI, automation, visibility and operational intelligence
Warehousing, logistics and fulfilment performance
Scope 3 emissions, circularity and responsible sourcing
The systems, incentives and organisational changes needed to turn data into action

The central question is simple: what helps a supply chain withstand disruption, adapt quickly and continue serving the business?

New episodes are published every Monday at 7am CET. Resilient Supply Chain+ subscribers also receive bonus analysis, highlights and briefings on emerging industry trends.

Follow Resilient Supply Chain for practical lessons from the people solving real operational problems—and building supply chains that perform when conditions do not go to plan.

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Resilient Supply Chain — How Leaders Keep Business Moving

The Role of Data in Building Sustainable and Efficient Supply Chains

January 27, 2025 • Tom Raftery / Bailey Robin • Season 2 • Episode 52

0:00 | 41:13

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In this episode, I sit down with Bailey Robin, CEO and co-founder of Matium, to explore how data-driven decision-making can transform supply chains into more efficient and sustainable systems. Bailey shares the fascinating backstory of Matium, a platform focused on connecting supply and demand in material markets to reduce cost, carbon, and time per unit of consumer demand. His insights are as technical as they are practical, making this a must-listen for anyone tackling sustainability in supply chains.

We discuss some of the biggest inefficiencies in today’s supply chains, like shipping materials vast distances unnecessarily, and how addressing these inefficiencies can significantly lower carbon emissions. Bailey explains how Matium applies lean manufacturing principles and process mapping to identify value-added versus non-value-added activities. The goal? To minimise waste and maximise efficiency while making sustainability economically viable.

One of the standout moments in our chat is Bailey’s explanation of how future supply chains could evolve—featuring decentralised, micro-manufacturing hubs powered by low-cost, renewable energy. He also dives into the role automation and AI will play in shaping supply chains, not just in streamlining operations but also in driving localised production.

Bailey highlights the importance of creating systems that align sustainability goals with business incentives. His proposal for an immutable transaction ledger to track materials and carbon emissions at every step could be a game-changer for verifying Scope 3 emissions and kickstarting robust carbon markets.

Whether you’re in manufacturing, logistics, or just curious about the mechanics of sustainability, this episode offers sharp insights into the challenges and opportunities of decarbonising supply chains.

Have a listen and let me know what you think—how can your organisation take the first step in cutting carbon while improving supply chain efficiency? Share your thoughts!

If disruption hit tomorrow, would you know where your supply chain was most exposed? In 15 minutes my free scorecard helps you assess 27 resilience statements, calculate your score, and turn the result into three priorities and a 30 day action plan. You can download the scorecard free at tomraftery.com/scorecard.

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