CIPS Futures | The Procurement and Supply Chain Podcast

CIPS
  • 0.0 (0)
  • Business
  • Updated Monthly

Conversations that matter for procurement and supply chain professionals. CIPS Futures, the official podcast from the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply, explores the forces that are shaping the future of the profession with global experts who will make you think differently. Whether you're a chief procurement officer, category buyer or supply chain manager, the profession is stepping into the spotlight at a time of profound change. Join us every month to access fresh perspectives, step inside strategic minds and hear from global leaders you won't hear anywhere else. Expect actionable advise as we cover the big topics - from managing supply chain risk and the impact of AI, to sustainable sourcing and the future skillsets you'll need to succeed - all with a practical lens.  If you're passionate about the future of procurement and supply, CIPS Futures is here to keep you inspired and informed. Subscribe to keep up to date with our monthly episode releases!

  1. Sep 21

    Corruption in the digital age: how to ask the difficult questions to prevent it

    Corruption in procurement is changing. It is no longer simply a buyer taking a bribe from a supplier. Nor does it exist only in certain geographies or industries. As global supply networks become more complex, risks are becoming harder to spot, from hidden beneficial ownership and inflated intermediary fees to manipulated e-auctions, tailored specifications and AI-generated documentation designed to look legitimate. We’re joined by Sope Williams, Distinguished Visiting Professor in Government Contracts Law at George Washington University and CIPS Global Head of Sustainability Maxfield Weiss, to explore why corruption remains a persistent challenge in modern supply chains. And what procurement professionals can do about it. We discuss why traditional compliance programmes often fail to change behaviour, how technology can both expose and enable misconduct, and why digital literacy is now a core procurement competency. The conversation also examines the importance of asking difficult questions early, strengthening transparency across supply chains, and ensuring that subcontractors and their suppliers can be trusted. Plus, why leaders must "walk the talk" and give their teams genuine authority to challenge corrupt practices. Further reading: Learn more about the CIPS Ethics test - free for CIPS members! The CIPS Corporate Code of Ethics Contribute to The Great Conversation Find out more about Sope Williams, our guest for the episode

  2. Aug 24

    How Tony’s Chocolonely is tackling exploitation in cocoa supply chains

    Starting life as a “stunt” to end exploitation in cocoa farming, Tony’s Chocolonely has rapidly become a distinctive brand on European and US chocolate supermarket shelves. Yet the reason the company exists hasn’t changed. “We’re an impact company that makes chocolate,” chief impact officer Pascal Baltussen tells us on part 2 of our CIPS Foundation special on child labour. How does Tony’s address child labour in cocoa farming in practice? Pascal talks us through the company’s five sourcing principles – and why all of them must be done in a united impact model, consistently, to bring about real systemic change. Plus: why do so many companies get lost in their journey to tackling human rights issues? Pascal's message: listen to the people affected and face the issues in your supply chain with honesty and clarity. Further reading:  Learn more about the CIPS Foundation Find out how Tony's Chocolonely are tackling exploitation in the cocoa industry

  3. Aug 17

    Tackling child labour in cocoa supply chains

    How does procurement tackle child labour in supply chains? It's estimated that 1.56 million children are in forced labour in cocoa-growing regions of Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire, with significant implications for children’s health, education and wellbeing. In the first of a two-part series, CIPS Foundation lead Emma Scott speaks with ActionAid programme officer, Afram Kwame, about the work being done by the charity in West Africa to address the problem – work that is being supported by CIPS Foundation funding. Afram provides an important perspective about the drivers behind the alarming rise in child labour in cocoa supply chains. And we hear how ActionAid is actively addressing the problem in line with Ghana’s National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights – from training community-based groups and cocoa farmers, to awareness and engagement campaigns targeting parents, leaders and schools. Hear from Afram about how CIPS members are directly contributing towards tackling child labour via funding from the CIPS Foundation. Further reading:  Learn more about the CIPS Foundation Read: How the CIPS Foundation is supporting ActionAid Find out more about the projects ActionAid is delivering in Ghana

  4. Jul 27

    Dr Elouise Epstein on why AI changes everything - but won't take your job

    In this episode, we talk to one of procurement's great thinkers, Dr Elouise Epstein, futurist, author and partner at Kearney. In a fascinating conversation with CIPS global CEO Ben Farrell and governance director Kate Tomlinson, she discusses: why AI will change everything but won't take your job; why we should watch how private equity deploys procurement; supply chains as national security assets; and the importance of telling great stories. Plus, we reveal how CIPS and Elouise will be working together to take procurement professionals to a new level of AI expertise. Related links... What are your views on the impact AI will have on the profession? Contribute to The Great Conversation Find out more about Dr Elouise Epstein CIPS is here to support you with your professional development. Check out our upcoming AI skills training courses

  5. Jun 22

    Mike Soutar on "three storms of change" reshaping procurement (and everything else)

    The AI revolution, shifting geopolitical alliances, and a new generation in the workforce. Mike Soutar, author of Next Gen CEO and star from the BBC’s The Apprentice describes these as "the three storms". What does this mean for the next generation of leaders? Mike has 60 lessons, but here are just two: it's a leader's job to maintain momentum; and people don't follow pessimists. Plus, why procurement and supply chain professionals are in a unique position to lead organisations in an uncertain, fast-moving world. From creating space for constructive dissent to building culture in remote organisations, this revealing conversation with CIPS CEO Ben Farrell is a fascinating insight into the future of leadership. This episode is sponsored by Vantify, the vantage point for connected compliance. You can find out more about them at Vantify.com  Related links... Where to buy: Mike Soutar's new book, Next Gen CEO What are your views on future leadership traits? Contribute to The Great Conversation Check out the GitLab Handbook mentioned by Mike Leadership training: Book your place on the CIPS behavioural leadership training course

  6. May 26

    Confronting nature loss and climate change: why it’s a procurement problem

    At a point where biodiversity loss is higher now than at any other time in human history, the World Wide Fund for Nature's (WWF) New Zealand CEO Kayla Kingdon-Bebb has an urgent message for procurement: every sourcing decision you make is a chance to shift the needle. The picture is stark. Wildlife populations are in sharp decline, while nature loss and climate change are amplifying each other. The consequences are playing out before our eyes. For procurement and supply chain professionals, this is an economic risk as much as it is an environmental one. Economies are heavily dependent on nature – its destruction creates new risk exposure. But it’s not all doom and gloom, assures Kayla. Sustainable procurement practices are a critical part of the solution to protecting nature and improving business resilience. This is “procurement’s moment” concluded CIPS’ global head of sustainability, Maxfield Weiss. Plus: why the whales should offer us hope... Related links... Join The Great Conversation - share your perspectives with CIPS on the future of the profession Find out more about WWF New Zealand and the global WWF mission Useful CIPS resources for sustainable procurement Connect with CIPS Global Head of Sustainability, Maxfield Weiss

    Confronting nature loss and climate change: why it’s a procurement problem

  7. Apr 29

    Chokepoints, supply webs and risk concentration: is your organisation resilient enough?

    As CIPS launches The Great Conversation – a world-wide dialogue about the future of the profession – we talk to David Shillingford, a leading investor in supply chain innovation. His message to procurement and supply chain professionals: extreme complexity is here to stay. Also on the agenda: why procurement professionals must learn cross-functional scenario planning; where your hidden vulnerabilities lie; why conflict zones are everywhere; and the most important company you've never heard of. Related links: Join The Great Conversation - share your perspectives on the future of the profession Visit the CIPS Situation Room - get more advice and insight on how current events are affecting procurement and supply professionals Watch the CIPS Webinar assessing the economic fallout from the Middle East conflict Follow David Shillingford for more insight

  8. Mar 31

    Managing supply chain challenges: insights from NHS Supply Chain

    A critical supplier goes into administration. There are only eight weeks of stock left, yet it will take nine months to switch to a new supplier. What would you do? In this episode, we hear how the NHS Supply Chain's head of supply chain resilience, Tom Brailsford, and his team responded to ensure hospitals and healthcare providers never ran out of the stock they needed after an essential hand hygiene supplier went bust. Brailsford also explains how the NHS Supply Chain have transitioned to a sophisticated resilience model to ensure that 600,000 healthcare products and services a year make it to the frontline of patient care. Plus, we uncover the "cliff-edge" risks keeping healthcare procurement professionals up at night and how a UK cross-government initiative is helping to map multi-tier supplier risk. Further reading: Find out more about the NHS Supply Chain Read the full story on how the NHS Supply Chain navigated supply disruption Get more insight into managing risk - watch CIPS Risk & Resilience webinar week 2025 on-demand

See All (41)

About

Conversations that matter for procurement and supply chain professionals. CIPS Futures, the official podcast from the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply, explores the forces that are shaping the future of the profession with global experts who will make you think differently. Whether you're a chief procurement officer, category buyer or supply chain manager, the profession is stepping into the spotlight at a time of profound change. Join us every month to access fresh perspectives, step inside strategic minds and hear from global leaders you won't hear anywhere else. Expect actionable advise as we cover the big topics - from managing supply chain risk and the impact of AI, to sustainable sourcing and the future skillsets you'll need to succeed - all with a practical lens.  If you're passionate about the future of procurement and supply, CIPS Futures is here to keep you inspired and informed. Subscribe to keep up to date with our monthly episode releases!

Information

You Might Also Like