Procurement 6 is a short podcast from Art of Procurement that publishes in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode has 6 short segments that summarize the week in procurement. Segments range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that capture our attention.

“Sustainability is at the top of the agenda for businesses, because now they have to demonstrate exactly what their carbon footprint is and demonstrate with complete credibility and transparency exactly what they’re doing.” - Melanie Blackmore, Founder & CEO Blackmores (UK) Ltd and Carbonology Ltd When Melanie Blackmore, Founder & CEO Blackmores (UK) Ltd and Carbonology Ltd, says that she is deeply passionate and “in love with” standards, she readily admits not everyone will be able to relate to her enthusiasm. But, applying ISO (International Organization for Standardization) can give organizations, and specifically procurement teams, the direction they need to ensure quality, safety, efficiency, and even compliance across industries and for both goods and services.  The stakes can be high, but the benefits of implementing ISO standards are often even higher.  In this episode, Philip Ideson explores the ins and outs of an ISO framework and how it can help a business improve their processes by following a set of internationally recognized best practices.  They discuss: An overview of current ISO standards and how they have evolved How organizations can apply ISO standards to achieve their sustainability goals The differences between standards and certifications and how this impacts implementation  Links: Subscribe to This Week in Procurement Melanie Blackmore on LinkedIn  Visit IsologyHub to learn more about how to achieve ISO compliance Melanie’s Book on Amazon: Net Zero Planner: Design a Net Carbon Zero plan for your business in 90 days Blackmores (UK) Ltd Carbonology Ltd  

Procurement 6 is a short podcast from Art of Procurement that publishes in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode has 6 short segments that summarize the week in procurement. Segments range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that capture our attention.

“I think category management is great fun because you have the freedom to do things. It’s not following a rote process. It’s using structure to be creative. I think that’s the great benefit of it.” - Mark Webb, Managing Director at Future Purchasing For many in procurement, category management is “old hat.” Some even assume that widespread adoption and integration of category management structures and processes within the business are non-issues in 2024. They see category management as a mountain that has been scaled, and now procurement just needs to sit back and enjoy the view. When we look more closely, however, there is still significant room for improvement in category management strategy and for expanded scope of implementation throughout the business.  In this episode, Philip Ideson welcomes back Mark Webb, Managing Director at Future Purchasing, for a deep dive into the current state of category management, including where we’ve been and how far we have left to go. Mark also shares the results of the 2024 Global Category Management Report, a large, comprehensive study Future Purchasing conducts in partnership with Henley Business School.  They discuss the importance of stakeholder involvement, the need for more consistency and effective communication, the distinctions between category management and strategic sourcing, and the delicate balance between internal expertise versus external resources in implementation. Philip and Mark also explore: Why 80 percent of stakeholders don’t fully understand their role in category management, and what procurement can do to fix that Practical advice to streamline category planning and improve stakeholder engagement The ideal model for category management when considering big versus small teams Links: Subscribe to This Week in Procurement Read the 2024 Global Category Management Report Mark Webb on LinkedIn The Differentiators of Category Management Leaders & Followers, w/ Mark Webb

Procurement 6 is a short podcast from Art of Procurement that publishes in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode has 6 short segments that summarize the week in procurement. Segments range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that capture our attention.

Alan Veeck, CEO of Summit Procurement, shares his contrarian views on AI in procurement. He believes AI won't disrupt the job market as quickly as feared. Veeck advises CPOs to approach AI adoption cautiously, focusing on real-world use cases. He discusses the evolution of procurement automation, challenges in supply discovery, and the importance of team development amidst AI integration.

Procurement 6 is a short podcast from Art of Procurement that publishes in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode has 6 short segments that summarize the week in procurement. Segments range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that capture our attention.

The speed of business is accelerating dramatically. Procurement can change how they address challenges and support stakeholders, or they can remain slow to adapt and miss out on key opportunities.  In this week’s podcast, Eric Dulin, Director of Procurement, Digital & Technology at Yum! Brands, shares how he has shifted his mindset throughout his career to focus more on building relationships and approaching procurement with a service-first attitude. He and Philip also discuss Eric’s book, Win-Win-Win: Collaborative Approach to Procurement in the Era of Digital Metamorphosis, pulling out a few quotes that can help procurement professionals reshape the way they work within their roles. Throughout the episode, Eric uses first-hand lessons to offer transformative truths, including: The difference between transactional and strategic procurement—and which is better How ditching the adversarial “sales versus procurement” mindset results in stronger relationships and better wins The importance of focusing on how procurement helps the buyer and supplier using key fundamentals Links: Subscribe to This Week in Procurement Eric Dulin on LinkedIn Win-Win-Win: Collaborative Approach to Procurement in the Era of Digital Metamorphosis on Amazon Win-Win-Win: Collaborative Approach to Procurement in the Era of Digital Metamorphosis on BookBaby

Procurement 6 is a short podcast from Art of Procurement that publishes in the Art of Procurement feed every Friday morning at 6am US Eastern Time. Presented by a member of the Art of Procurement team, each episode has 6 short segments that summarize the week in procurement. Segments range from procurement tips to podcast summaries, from details of events to news or overviews of blog posts that capture our attention.

“Longer term, I think people haven’t fully understood the power of generative AI beyond their own personal use cases. But now, the central theme is really testing out where it can go.” - Nick Heinzmann, Head of Research at Zip AI has been in the mainstream long enough now that it’s time for procurement to get specific and systematic about where, when, and how to apply it to the tech stack in order to generate the most value for the business. In this episode, Philip Ideson and Kelly Barner speak with Lance Younger, CEO of ProcureTech, and Nick Heinzmann, Head of Research at Zip, about current best practices for positioning AI in the tech stack and how procurement can navigate the inherent risks that may accompany digital transformation. They also discuss the value and benefits AI can bring to procurement, like optimizing the S2P workflow, data management, compliance, and process efficiency. Listen in to discover:  The best ways to apply and integrate AI across procurement’s entire stakeholder network The most important areas of risk procurement should be aware of when adopting AI The ideal role AI plays in the procurement tech stack, including outsourcing Links: Subscribe to This Week in Procurement Lance Younger on LinkedIn Nick Heinzmann on LinkedIn Watch on Demand: Unleashing the Power of Generative AI in Procurement