Supermarket giants Asda and the Co-op are pioneering a new way of supply chain collaboration, by enabling mutual suppliers to submit aggregated data on waste, water and energy to both retailers at the same time. The retailers are working with 2degrees to collect the sustainability data.
Suppliers who serve both retailers can submit the data once, indicating their combined data should be shared with both customers. It is hoped that by eliminating the need for duplicated information, suppliers will be able to spend more time focussing on the delivery of quality products whilst saving on time, money and resources.
Both retailers have seen suppliers benefit from the platforms delivered by 2degrees. The Co-op, one of the founding partners of multi-client platform Manufacture 2030, has already seen a drinks supplier start addressing its carbon footprint through the platform: Andy Horrocks of Kingsland Drinks, said “We are looking closely at a case study shared by another drinks supplier on Manufacture 2030, and using it as a model of how this key environmental process could be done, helping us to sell the idea internally.”
Princes Limited is a key supplier to both Asda and Co-op, and has spoken of the benefits of aligned data. David McDiarmid, corporate relations director at Princes Ltd, explained: “It’s great that two retailers like Co-op and Asda have embraced this approach. With all our manufacturing locations sharing their data between these customers we have cut down duplicated effort, saving time and making the entire process a lot more efficient. I hope other retailers will see the benefits of such a collaborative approach and consider it for their suppliers environmental reporting.”
Laura Babbs, sustainability manager at Asda, commented: “So far Asda has seen fantastic results from working with 2degrees on the Sustain & Save Exchange (SSE) platform. Allowing our suppliers to remove duplicated effort has engaged our supply chain giving them the opportunity to drive efficiencies. We have worked with 2degrees and the supplier advisory board to make the request as simple as possible for suppliers. We appreciate that smaller businesses may not have the resources, so providing this reporting function and enabling them to share data will save them time and put their efforts into other critical areas.”
Sarah Wakefield, food sustainability manager at the Co-op, added: “The Co-op is committed to a better way of doing business and we believe that collaborating on data collections means our suppliers can focus on what matters most making great quality products with the lowest environmental impact possible. We are also heavily focused on building long-term relationships with our suppliers and this forms part of a better and more collaborative way of us working together.”
Martin Chilcott, CEO of 2degrees, commented: “Both retailers have heard extensive feedback from suppliers that differing requests burn resource which could be better used making great products as efficiently as possible. Simplifying life for suppliers, while getting important data is essential and we invite other retailers to join this revolution to help their supply chain save time, money and resource.”
