TELUS and Larry Berglund Announced Winners of 2016 Supply Chain Management Association Awards of Distinction

TORONTO, June 14, 2016 /CNW/ - Each year, the Supply Chain Management Association (SCMA) recognizes individuals and organizations who have made significant contributions to the field of supply chain management through innovation, dedication, and leadership. This year, the SCMA Awards of Distinction, presented on June 16 at SCMA's National Conference in Niagara Falls, Ontario, highlight real leadership in a profession that drives Canada's competitiveness.

Canada has an increasingly complex array of relationships with the world, and the ease with which these relationships function frequently depends upon the skills of Canada's 800,000 supply chain professionals. These professions include purchasing and procurement, contract management, strategic sourcing, materials and inventory management, transportation and logistics functions.

"Supply chain management touches all parts of all organizations and the value the function can deliver can be immense. Through our awards we hope to celebrate leadership in Canada that is delivering real value, reducing risk, driving competitive advantage or achieving social or environmental goals. I want to congratulate this year's winners, TELUS and Larry Berglund, for their dedication to driving improvement and excellence through the supply chain function," said Cheryl Farrow, President and CEO, SCMA.

This Year's Award Winners:
Supply Chain Management Excellence Award: TELUS
The Supply Chain Management Excellence Award is presented to an organization that uses strategic supply chain management to enhance its competitive advantage. Since 2010, TELUS has developed a number of significant initiatives to completely transform the management of its procurement and supply chain activities, such as its national spare parts management, device warranty and repair, and rental equipment processes. Through a focus on innovation, strong supplier relationships, reliability and sustainable business practices, TELUS has optimized its supply chain and helped to drive customer service improvements such as greater device availability and faster turnaround times on repairs, while also decreasing costs. Known collectively as "Total Value of Ownership", this holistic focus has allowed TELUS to achieve $1.4 billion in savings and a 30 percent improvement in its Dow Jones Sustainability Index supply chain score.

The TELUS National Managed Spares program was designed to improve reliability in sourcing spare parts, and involved implementing a single IT architecture that governed the control and management of orders and inventory. This was an immense undertaking given that $200 million worth of inventory and a large quantity of parts across 427 Canadian locations had to be physically transitioned to the new process. This program has raised the profile of supply chain management within TELUS, as the CEO and many leaders from across the business take an active interest in using the supply chain function to deliver success for the company.

Other supply chain initiatives at TELUS include a program to transform its network equipment deployment process, and enhanced mobile device inventory planning and distribution that has improved agility and reduced stock-outs over the busy holiday season. TELUS has also integrated environmental thinking into every aspect of its supply chain management, which resulted in a 68-tonne reduction in CO2 emissions and $1.2 million in cardboard cost savings in 2015.

"TELUS embodies what a strong supply chain team can achieve within a company. The supply chain professionals at TELUS have been relentless in looking for ways they can drive improvements that can help improve customer satisfaction, deliver greater profitability, and achieve environmental goals. The results have been very impressive and serves as an example to all organizations of the value effective supply chain management can bring," Cheryl Farrow, SCMA.

SCMA Fellow: Larry Berglund, SCMP, MBA (Presentations Plus Training & Consulting Inc.)
An accomplished leader in ethical supply chain management with experience in a wide range of industries including forestry, public health care, government, and academia, Larry Berglund is the 2016 SCMA Fellow. This is the highest honour that the association can bestow upon its members, and fellows are recognized for demonstrating the highest excellence in supply chain management and dedication to promoting the profession.

Throughout his career as a supply chain professional, Larry has worked as an educator and mentor, provided pro bono advice and advocacy for local not-for-profit groups, and published numerous articles and books on supply chain-related subjects. He was directly involved in drafting and implementing the first sustainable procurement policy for a municipality in Canada and has been at the forefront of promoting ethics within supply chain management across Canada, including a leadership role in the recent update of SCMA's Code of Ethics. With Presentations Plus Training & Consulting Inc., Larry provides strategic management training and expertise in negotiations skills and corporate social responsibility.

"Larry has worked across the supply chain profession in a variety of roles and has demonstrated selfless dedication to mentoring non-profit organizations and individuals in supply chain management. Larry has been a great champion for the supply chain profession and has been one of the country's leaders in underlining the important role the profession plays in driving ethics and corporate social responsibility within all kinds of organizations." Cheryl Farrow, SCMA.

About the Supply Chain Management Association
As the premier association in Canada for professionals in supply chain management, the Supply Chain Management Association (SCMA) is the national voice for advancing and promoting the profession. SCMA sets the standard of excellence for professional skills, knowledge and integrity and was the first supply chain association in the world to require that all members adhere to a Code of Ethics.

With nearly 7,500 members working across the private and public sectors, SCMA is the principal source of supply chain training, education and professional development in the country. Through its 10 Provincial and Territorial Institutes, SCMA grants the Supply Chain Management Professional (SCMP) designation, the highest achievement in the field and the mark of strategic supply chain leadership.

SCMA was formed in 2013 through the amalgamation of the Purchasing Management Association of Canada and Supply Chain and Logistics Association of Canada. With a combined history of more than 140 years, today the association embraces all aspects of strategic supply chain management, including: purchasing/procurement, strategic sourcing, contract management, materials/inventory management, and logistics and transportation. For more information, please visit www.scma.com 

SOURCE Supply Chain Management Association (SCMA)

For further information: and for accreditation, or to arrange an interview with one of the attendees, please contact us at: John Allen, [email protected], Cell: [phone]; Amanda Cormier, [email protected], Cell: [phone]