GLOBAL STANDARDS IN SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT. BEST PRACTICES IN CONSUMER GOODS AND RETAIL INDUSTRY

The Global Commerce Initiative (GCI) established the Global Upstream Supply Initiative (GUSI) in order to provide a standard framework for consumer goods manufacturers and their suppliers of ingredients, raw materials and packaging to better integrate across a number of supply chain processes. Without Internal Data Alignment, for example, Global Data Synchronization (GDS) will definitely not improve business performance and will, in fact, magnify the negative impact of poor quality data. What’s more, collaborative initiatives such as those included in Efficient Consumer Response (ECR) and Collaborative Planning, Forecasting and Replenishment (CPFR) will not be economically deployable on a wide scale without the consistently accurate and available information that will result from an Internal Data Alignment program. GDS is based on a global network of data pools, or electronic catalogues, which are all inter-operable and compliant with the same business requirements and standards. Interoperability means that a manufacturer can publish a product and partner data on one single Data Pool without having to worry about the fact that customers may select different Data Pools to access the data. Integrated Suppliers is a concept for improving the part of supply chain between manufacturers and the tiers of suppliers of ingredients, raw materials and packaging. By sharing information both parties are able to exercise judgment on costs, quantities and timing of deliveries and productions in order to stream line the production flow and to move to a collaborative relationship.