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Archive for the ‘Supply Chain’ Category

Pharmaceutical Sector Bets Billions on Blockchain for Supply Chain Integrity as SME Adoption Shows Uneven Progress

Ghana, News, Supply Chain

February 16, 2026

The application of blockchain technology in global supply chains is seeing explosive growth in some sectors while facing a slower, more cautious uptake in others. The pharmaceutical industry is poised to become a major adopter, with a new market report projecting the sector’s investment in blockchain to surge from approximately $6.98 billion in 2025 to […]

Supply Chain Contracts in Flux as US Legislative Delays and Japan-China Tensions Create Global Uncertainty

China, Japan, News, Supply Chain

February 12, 2026

Businesses are being forced to fundamentally reconsider their supply chain strategies and contractual agreements as geopolitical tensions and legislative uncertainty inject significant risk into international trade. According to a Discovery Alert report, escalating tensions between Japan and China are compelling Japanese companies to accelerate supply chain diversification. Japan’s heavy reliance on China for rare earth […]

Global Border Update: China Accelerates Clearances While Delays in Mexico and Tech Sector Disruptions Highlight Supply Chain Fragility

Mexico, News, Supply Chain

February 2, 2026

The state of global customs clearance presents a mixed picture of remarkable efficiency gains and costly, disruptive bottlenecks. While China is accelerating processing times at a key border gate, persistent delays in Mexico and new blockages in the tech sector highlight ongoing vulnerabilities in international supply chains. Ahead of the Lunar New Year, customs clearance [...]

Brazil’s Corporate Social Responsibility Pact (2023) & Forest-Risk Commodity Sourcing

January 9, 2026

Brazil’s Corporate Social Responsibility Pact (2023) & Forest-Risk Commodity Sourcing

Brazil’s 2023 Corporate Social Responsibility Pact represents a landmark in the country’s efforts to promote ethical sourcing and environmental accountability in agribusiness. Aimed primarily at curbing deforestation linked to beef and soy supply chains, the Pact compels major traders and processors to publicly disclose deforestation risks associated with their sourcing practices. This initiative builds on […]

India’s Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules (2020) & Marketplace Traceability

January 2, 2026

India’s Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules (2020) & Marketplace Traceability

India’s Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, first introduced in May 2020, continue to reshape the country’s rapidly expanding online retail sector. These rules were designed to enhance consumer trust, ensure fair trade practices, and promote transparency across digital marketplaces. One of the core obligations under these regulations is that e-commerce platforms must verify critical details about […]

Canada’s Supply-Chain Transparency Amendment (2025) – Focus on Child Labor Bans

December 26, 2025

Canada’s Supply-Chain Transparency Amendment (2025) – Focus on Child Labor Bans

Canada’s Supply-Chain Transparency Amendment, passed in 2025, marks a major development in the nation’s effort to strengthen ethical sourcing and human rights protections. This legislation introduces a ban on the importation of goods produced wholly or partially using child labor, raising the bar for supply-chain governance. Import managers across Canada must now adopt a more […]

US Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Act (Proposed 2025) – Preparing for Future Transparency Rules

December 19, 2025

US Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Act (Proposed 2025) – Preparing for Future Transparency Rules

The proposed US Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Act, introduced to Congress in July 2025, signals a major shift in expectations for large US multinationals. If passed, this legislation would mandate that companies publicly disclose human rights and environmental risks throughout their global supply chains. Although still in draft form, the Act aligns with international trends […]

EU Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR, Effective 2025)

December 12, 2025

EU Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR, Effective 2025)

The EU’s Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR), which came into force in early 2025, marks a transformative shift in how manufacturers must approach environmental responsibility. Building on the earlier Ecodesign Directive, the ESPR now applies far beyond energy-related products, extending its requirements to nearly all categories sold in the EU market. This sweeping regulation […]

UK Environmental Targets (Net Zero by 2050) & Supply Chain Carbon Reporting (2024)

December 5, 2025

UK Environmental Targets (Net Zero by 2050) & Supply Chain Carbon Reporting (2024)

The UK’s renewed commitment to its net-zero by 2050 target, laid out in the updated national strategy of October 2024, has placed supply-chain emissions under the microscope like never before. While large firms have long been encouraged to track their direct emissions (Scopes 1 and 2), the new mandate now requires detailed reporting of Scope […]

US Farm to School Act (2023) & State-Level Traceability Requirements

November 28, 2025

US Farm to School Act (2023) & State-Level Traceability Requirements

The reauthorization of the US Farm to School Act, which came into effect in July 2023, has quietly transformed the way states approach transparency in farm-to-table initiatives for K–12 schools. While the spirit of the law has always been about supporting local agriculture and ensuring healthier meals for students, this latest update places stronger emphasis […]

EU Single-Use Plastics Directive (2019) Updates (2024) & Packaging Supply Chains

November 21, 2025

EU Single-Use Plastics Directive (2019) Updates (2024) & Packaging Supply Chains

The 2024 amendments to the EU Single-Use Plastics Directive have, in a way, shifted the burden of accountability further upstream in packaging supply chains. For EU retailers, this isn’t just a regulatory adjustment; it’s a prompt—some might say a nudge, others a push—to rethink how packaging origins, compositions, and end-of-life plans are tracked and reported. […]

US Tariff Act Amendments (2023) & Supply Chain Disclosure for Section 301 Goods

November 14, 2025

US Tariff Act Amendments (2023) & Supply Chain Disclosure for Section 301 Goods

The 2023 amendments to the US Tariff Act have introduced a new dimension to import compliance, one that—while perhaps expected by some—still caught many trade professionals adjusting their internal processes on short notice. The core requirement is straightforward in theory: importers of goods subject to Section 301 tariffs must now disclose their upstream suppliers with […]

Australia’s Anti-Slavery Reporting (2018) and Expanding to Digital Supply-Chain Monitoring

November 7, 2025

Australia’s Anti-Slavery Reporting (2018) and Expanding to Digital Supply-Chain Monitoring

Since its introduction in 2018, Australia’s Modern Slavery Act has gradually reshaped corporate approaches to supply-chain governance. The Act started by focusing primarily on large corporations with obvious physical supply chains — manufacturing, agriculture, logistics. But as e-commerce has boomed, so too has recognition that modern slavery risks don’t stop at traditional production floors or […]

EU Battery Regulation (2023) & Full Supply Chain Traceability for EV Batteries

October 31, 2025

EU Battery Regulation (2023) & Full Supply Chain Traceability for EV Batteries

The EU’s Battery Regulation, which came into effect in February 2023, marks a notable shift in how the region governs the lifecycle of batteries, particularly for electric vehicles (EVs). It’s not just about recycling rates or carbon footprints anymore—though those matter too. The new framework sets out something arguably more ambitious: full traceability of critical […]

Canada’s Enhanced Responsible Minerals Assurance Process (RMAP) (Effective 2023)

October 24, 2025

Canada’s Enhanced Responsible Minerals Assurance Process (RMAP) (Effective 2023)

Canada’s enhancements to the Responsible Minerals Assurance Process (RMAP), which officially came into force at the start of 2023, have quietly started reshaping how tech hardware firms in the country approach mineral sourcing. The updated framework, while still aligned with the OECD Due Diligence Guidance, introduces more stringent requirements—most notably, periodic on-site audits of smelters […]

US Forced Arbitration Ban (2022) & Its Impact on Labor Transparency in Supply Chains

October 17, 2025

US Forced Arbitration Ban (2022) & Its Impact on Labor Transparency in Supply Chains

Since the Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act came into effect in March 2022, most discussions have focused—understandably—on its domestic workplace implications. The law prohibits the enforcement of arbitration agreements in cases involving sexual misconduct, a shift that many view as long overdue. But its ripple effects extend beyond HR departments […]

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