Women in Supply Chain Forum Promotes Collaboration in Logistics

This forum was designed to provide that safe space to talk about the real problems and challenges impacting females across the logistics space.

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Food Logistics and Supply & Demand Chain Executive opened registration for it’s Second Annual Women in Supply Chain Forum.

Scheduled to take place Nov. 14-15 in Atlanta, the Supply Chain Hub of the United States, the Women in Supply Chain Forum is the industry’s premier networking and educational forum tailored to men and women in executive-level positions to expand their professional network and enhance their businesses through thought-provoking discussion panels.

This year’s theme “Better Together: How Collaboration Promotes Women in Supply Chain,” brings with a host of content sessions and topics designed to deliver a powerful networking event rich in industry knowledge, education and key editorial insights that will help attendees grow their business and create meaningful professional connections. 

The event kicks off Nov. 14 with keynote speaker Katie Date, the newly named SVP, industry relations and strategic initiatives at Manifest. Previous to Manifest, Date spent most of her career at MIT CTL, where she was responsible for managing industrial relations and working with the international network of Supply Chain and Logistics Excellence (SCALE) centers to better connect them to research and corporate engagement opportunities. Date was was also responsible for the creation, implementation and management of several custom executive education courses. In 2018, she founded the MIT CTL Women in Supply Chain Initiative, which seeks to better understand gender balance in supply chain management.

Later in the program, on Nov. 15, Date will host a series of breakout sessions in a workshop designed to discuss mentorship, specifically how to gain a mentor, how to be a mentor, discuss the importance of self-advocacy and more.

Nov. 15 kicks off with a content session on how to promote DEI efforts company-wide. Panelists Dr. Erez Agmoni, global head of innovation for Maersk, and Nicole Glenn, founder and CEO of Candor Expedite and this year’s overall Pros to Know winner, presented by Supply & Demand Chain Executive, will detail what companies should and should not be doing in terms of implementing and executing diversity and inclusion initiatives.

The second content session will be led by Charlie Saffro, president and founder of CS Recruiting, who will discuss company culture and how to manage remote workers and toxic employees.

Meanwhile, the STEM session, led by Allison Grealis, founder and president of the Women in Manufacturing Association (WiM), will discuss how women in technology, engineering, science and procurement can help change the future of supply chain.

Closing out the forum is a special panel discussion with the two overall Women in Supply Chain award winners (nominations close July 14), co-led by Marina Mayer, editor-in-chief of Food Logistics and Supply & Demand Chain Executive and co-founder of the Women in Supply Chain Forum, and Sarah Barnes-Humphrey, host of Let’s Talk Supply Chain podcast, founder of the Blended Pledge, a non-profit arm designed to highlight brand awareness of minority-owned businesses, and keynote speaker from last year’s Women in Supply Chain Forum.

"I’ve partnered with Women in Supply Chain for a number of years, and it is always a pleasure to be a part of their mission to champion women in the industry. Despite the introduction of diversity and inclusion initiatives across the sector, women still only make up a fifth of senior supply chain positions – and this has to change. All the nominees for this award are making great strides to move the industry forward and help women to be seen and recognized for their outstanding contributions to supply chain. I’m honored to celebrate them all, as they continue to forge the path for the next generation,” says Barnes-Humphrey. 

Gender diversity continues to be top of mind for many of today's supply chains. While the supply chain industry is excelling at incorporating more women in the supply chain, there's still more work to be done. This forum was designed to provide that safe space to talk about the real problems and challenges impacting females across the logistics space.

But, for me, it’s more than that. It’s about learning, networking, educating others, building relationships and learning how to lean on the community that is the supply chain industry. For me, this forum enables men and women to come together and get real about the realities of what’s challenging and presenting opportunities for companies in all facets of the logistics spectrum.

Registration is open. Men are encouraged and welcome to attend, as achieving diversity and inclusion initiatives involves everyone. Sponsorship opportunities are also available. And, don’t forget to get those submissions in for this year’s Women in Supply Chain award. You got to be in it to win it! (Check out a list of FAQs here).

Head to WomenInSupplyChainForum.com to learn more! Early bird rate expires July 31.

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