The Logistics & Supply Chain Management Society

Logistics Insight Asia, 1/7/2008

The Society launched the first Certified Logistics Practitioner (CLP) in Asia in 1999. This year it has been revamped and will now be available online. One significant value-add is the online assessment feature: in less than five minutes, potential applicants can check if they qualify and then proceed from there.

The need for Supply Chain Management to be recognized as a profession and not as a separate industry is something we are hearing of more and more. Additionally, in the spirit of collaboration, we hope that the CLP becomes an industry-wide qualification and invite all industry organizations to recognize and adopt the program.

Meanwhile, for its fourth year, the Logistics & Supply Chain Awards is going regional. It is still the only award presentation that recognizes individuals as opposed to companies. We look to honor those in our profession who have made a difference and like the CLP, we intend for this to be supported by other regional logistics organizations.

The Society continues to do research in topical issues related to SCM. We will in the next few weeks be releasing a white paper and an article on "Combined Distribution Networks" and another on "Supply Chain Ethics".

In October, the Supply Chain Dictionary that is now partially available on our website will be printed in hard copy. The aim of this dictionary is to identify terms in clear, unambiguous English, and provide accurate definitions and descriptions. When completed, the 5000+ terms, abbreviations and acronyms will perhaps be one of the most comprehensive dictionaries of its kind currently available.

Hosted on the website is an online forum that was started last year and which now has 220 members, who seek advice and offer solutions to each other in a collaborative manner. This encourages both knowledge sharing and networking.

There are always activities and things that we can do to help develop the Society further and, in turn, our careers. In July, we had our networking evening, with an informative and entertaining talk by rugby referee Stuart Dickinson; in August, a trip to a unique "hybrid" warehouse; and in September and October we will be supporting three major industry events in Hong Kong and Singapore.

For more information on LSCMS activities or how you can help, visit our website (www.lscms.org) or email Edmund Lee (elee@lscms.org).