Short Course
Building a Sustainable Supply Chain
Build a sustainable supply chain that benefits business and the environment. Learn tools to improve performance, profitability, and impact.
Current Offerings
Overview
Who Should Attend
This program benefits those in a mid- to senior-level management or executive role responsible for operations, supply chain, sourcing, procurement, or sustainability. Titles of participants have included:
Director, Quality & Risk Management
Perishable Network Manager
Chief, Material Planning
Buyer/Inventory Supervisor
Director of Sales
Program Benefits
Improve your ability to:
Identify and assess environmental and social risks to your business
Integrate environmental and social measures across procurement and operations
Reduce operating cost and risks
Design waste out of your products, services, and value chain
Build brand and reputational equity
Improve supply chain resiliency and business continuity
Stay ahead of regulatory pressure
A significant aspect of this program was the integration with industry-leading representatives. They were very knowledgeable in the field and provided me with deeper perspective."
Rich Fitzhenry
Program Content
Supplier assessment and development
Sustainable procurement to reduce cost and risk
Advanced strategies for collaborations and industry consortia
Adding value and reducing risk thru life-cycle assessment
Accounting tools for auditing, tracking and reporting progress
What they mean and how to benefit from them: new regulations, certifications, and standards
Changing legal frameworks around the world
Use of patents and legal protections to secure a competitive advantage for sustainable products and services
The impact of product design decisions
Extended producer responsibility
"Servicizing" and closed loop supply chains
Strategic stakeholder engagement for product/service innovation
Understanding deep supply chain issues
Working with NGO’s, civil society, and government
Meet the Faculty for Building a Sustainable Supply Chain: Daniel Guide
Faculty
Saurabh Bansal, Ph.D.
Professor of Supply Chain Management, Smeal College of Business
Bansal's research and teaching focus on how organizations understand uncertainty, make decisions, and optimize performance. He collaborates with industry partners to develop forecasting and optimization models that improve decision-making and business results.
Akshay Mutha, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Operations Management, University of Vermont
Mutha studies sustainable operations and supply chains, with research focused on closed-loop supply chains, remanufacturing, and decision-making under uncertainty. His work draws on industry experience to explore how organizations balance economic and environmental goals.
Sergey Naumov, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Supply Chain Management, Smeal College of Business
Sergey Naumov studies sustainable supply chains and operations. His research uses modeling and analytics to improve decision-making under uncertainty, with applications in transportation, inventory management, and closed-loop supply chains. He is also a Research Affiliate at MIT Sloan.
Daniel Guide, Ph.D.
Smeal Chaired Professor of Operations & Supply Chain Management, Smeal College of Business
Dan specializes in closed-loop supply chains, remanufacturing, and sustainable operations. His research helps organizations improve performance and advance sustainability goals. He's partnered with industry and government organizations, including the U.S. Navy and Hewlett-Packard, on supply chain challenges.
Professional Certificate
Supply Chain Certificates
This course is one of three programs required for our Supply Chain certificate. Complete the programs in any order and develop expertise in supply chain operations, leadership, and management.
Customize this Program
All programs and delivered to groups of 10 or more. A member of our team will reach out to discuss your goals and explore the right fit for your group. You can also reach us directly at 800-311-6364.
Additional Information
Our Learning Solutions Associate can hold a seat for you in the program. A reservation does not commit you until you submit the online registration form. To reserve your spot, email our office.
A 10% reduced rate on live remote delivery is available to military and government employees, Penn State alumni, individuals pursuing a professional certificate, teams of three or more from the same organization, and CSCR corporate sponsors or affiliated groups.
Yes. This program can count toward a . Complete three qualifying programs at your own pace to earn the certificate. Note: Each program can only count toward one certificate.
After you register, you’ll gain access to your personal learning portal. There, you’ll find pre-program assignments, information about faculty and fellow participants, plus other program resources.
Accepted applicants can transfer to another section if the transfer is arranged more than four weeks before the program begins. Additional transfers are subject to a charge of 10% of the current program fee. A sponsoring company may also identify a replacement candidate, provided the candidate is accepted into the program.
Refunds are based on when written notice of withdrawal is received:
More than six weeks before the program begins: Full refund
Between two and six weeks before the program begins: 50% refund
Two weeks or less before the program begins: No refund
All withdrawals, transfers, and substitutions must be confirmed in writing by the registered participant or their agent. If written notification is not received, the full program fee will be assessed.
Penn State may cancel or postpone a program due to insufficient enrollment or other unforeseen circumstances. If a program is canceled, registration fees will be refunded; however, Penn State is not responsible for other related expenses, including airline or travel agency cancellation or change fees. If a program is postponed, you may receive a refund or transfer your program fee to another session.
If you have questions about transfers or cancellations, please contact us.