Supply chain software provider S4RB partners with Prof. Consulting
UK based software company S4RB has boosted its supply chain offering with a new partnership with an Australian consultancy. Prof. Consulting Group has offices in Australia and the United Kingdom and operates worldwide through a global network of specialists.
Investors are steadily pushing sustainability to the top of their own agenda – and firms which fail to meet the ESG expectations of consumers are therefore likely to find it harder to attract new financial backers. More than eight-in-ten investors are now concerned about inaction on environmental, social and governance issues relating to companies’ supply chains, believing ESG standards are a risk to their investments. As such, retailers already struggling to adapt in the wake of the pandemic can ill afford to neglect the issue.
This is where S4RB comes in. The UK-based software provider’s Affinity platform is used by grocery majors including Asda, Coop, Walmart and Woolworths. The supplier collaboration platform helps companies with better understanding and managing their suppliers and interactions – something which the new alliance will help bolster further.
James Butcher, CEO of S4RB, commented, “While the large majority of emissions from consumer goods come from the supply chain, less than 25% of companies engage with their suppliers to address these emissions, and only 9% of companies can measure their carbon footprint… The Affinity platform provides a complete view of product performance and the tools to generate and communicate real insight. Through closer collaboration with suppliers, Affinity helps find the balance between innovation, speed and cost effectiveness.”
S4RB has sought to further grow its offering with a new partnership. Prof. Consulting Group is a Melbourne-based consulting firm that helps players in the food and grocery chain with growth strategy, management, operations and the delivery of change. With the help of Prof. Consulting Group, S4RB will now be able to bring an integrated approach to clients, helping navigate the strategic and operational challenges they face in demystifying sustainability across the supplier network.
Butcher added, “The complexity of identifying the real issues that are materially important to FMCG brands, combined with the complexity of the modern supply chain can result in organisational inertia. Our partnership with Prof. Consulting Group brings together the knowledge and capabilities to help brands overcome this in a pragmatic way.”
Mark Field, the Founder and CEO of Prof. Consulting Group, said that the partnership will help the firm deepen its sustainability-focused supply chain expertise. He noted that the collaboration would help businesses “engage with all suppliers and not just the top 20%”, when it comes to reducing carbon emissions, eliminating unnecessary plastics, or promoting a more responsible supply chain.
“And that's why our partnership with S4RB excites me. Together we can help a brand identify the issues that are important for their customers and deliver positive impact by collaborating with their suppliers at pace and scale utilising our global team of specialists,” Field added.
Founded in 2019, Prof. Consulting has quickly expanded beyond its native market, and now has a growing team in Europe, which consists of associates based in Germany and the UK, among others. Earlier in 2022, the firm expanded its European team with Andy Adcock, who is based in the UK.