Logistics Learning Alliance (LLA) is very pleased to have supported the Humanitarian Logistics Association at Aidex 2018, held in Brussels between 15th and 16th November. During the Expo, LLA presented a workshop on Managing the Humanitarian Supply Chain.
With 53 attendees and many disappointed that we didn’t have the capacity to take more, the interactive workshop, facilitated by our Managing Director, Peter Jones, covered the issues of maintaining the flow of in-kind aid to beneficiaries. We concentrated on ensuring that goods were supplied while maintaining the balance between cost, time, quality of delivery and the service level needed. We considered all stages of dealing with humanitarian situations from rapid onset emergencies, through to reconstruction and redevelopment and the types of supply chain required to service each scenario, and the different responses needed from the supply chain to meet each.
We considered ways in which the time and cost elements could be constrained and controlled by transferring from an in-kind supply chain to cash transfer programmes and the challenges faced by the supply chain team in establishing the right conditions for an appropriate cash-based response. Finally, we looked at the importance of information flows and how the introduction of new technologies such as blockchain might help improve the flow through providing distributed, transparent, tamper-proof, traceable and secure data.
As part of the discussion on costs in the supply chain, our thoughts turned to different modes of transport and in particular the increasing utility of aviation in support of humanitarian operations and our workshop continued with a round-table discussion on the development of this sector.
For anyone in the area, LLA will be at the International Disaster Response Expo at the Olympia Exhibition Centre in London on Thursday 29 November and we look forward to discussing the opportunities for humanitarian logistics staff development offered.
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