Ep. 99: Sustainability & Supply Chains (Ft. the Association of Supply Chain Management)

In episode 99 of *Sustainability Defined*, hosts Cecilia and Nathra explore the hidden world of supply chains with Abe Eshkenazi, CEO of the Association for Supply Chain Management (ASCM). The episode begins with a powerful introduction to Amazon’s sustainability efforts, including electric delivery fleets and carbon-free energy projects, before diving into a deep conversation about the complexity, fragility, and ethical challenges of global supply chains. Abe emphasizes that supply chains are not just logistical systems but foundational to our daily lives, influencing everything from food and medicine to clothing and consumer goods. He explains how the majority of a company’s carbon footprint—up to 70%—resides in its supply chain (Scope 3 emissions), and how the pandemic and geopolitical disruptions exposed critical vulnerabilities in globalized systems built for speed and efficiency. The hosts then take listeners on a vivid storytelling journey through the life of a cotton t-shirt, revealing its massive environmental toll—from water-intensive cotton farming and toxic dyeing processes to labor exploitation in Bangladesh and the environmental burden of secondhand clothing dumping in Ghana. The episode culminates in a call to action: consumers must vote with their dollars, demand transparency, and support sustainable, resilient systems. The docuseries *The Chain*, produced by ASCM and streaming on Amazon Prime, serves as a powerful companion piece, making supply chain stories accessible and emotionally resonant.