A new project explores the dependency of supply chains on critical infrastructure, with an initial focus on food.
The global supply of food is a highly interconnected system, dependent on multiple sectors. Major disruptions to food supply can have a direct impact on vulnerable communities, and indirect impact such as civil unrest. At the same time, many elements of the food supply chain rely on the resilience of critical infrastructure, including ports, shipping, road, rail, energy, storage and communications systems.
We are pleased to announce that the Resilience Shift has started a new activity within our work stream ‘Applying Resilience practice within and between critical infrastructure sectors’. The new project will explore the dependency of global supply chains on critical infrastructure resilience.
The work initially funded is an exercise exploring directly the “between systems” aspect of resilience, exploring how food industry actors depend on transportation infrastructure and logistics industry to enhance their overall resilience.
To do so, we will start by convening and facilitating a series of workshops with key industry leaders in multiple locations worldwide, including the UK, USA, Spain, South Africa, Hong Kong and Australia. The workshops will be held in the first quarter of 2019 and kick off 6 February 2019 in Manchester. For more information about the workshops see our brochure.
To deliver this project, we have appointed the Arup logistics and operations consulting group based in the city of Manchester in the United Kingdom. Their expertise in logistics and supply chain studies will provide the Resilience Shift with both invaluable knowledge on global supply chains and a network of key players in the supply chain of the food industry, which are essential for the success of this activity.
As a result of this activity, we aim to identify any gaps or opportunities within the food logistics sector in terms of helping it meet current and future challenges related to the resilience of the critical infrastructure on which it relies.
You can find additional information about this project here.
