Delivering in a moving world…looking to our supply chains to meet the increasing scale, cost and complexity of humanitarian needs

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to highlight the importance of the humanitarian supply chain (HSC) as the backbone of the humanitarian operations. It further proposes feasible ways to overcome some of the main supply chain challenges identified by practitioners to achieve cost efficient and effective operations.

Design/methodology/approach

The challenges that the HSC faces and proposed changes to overcome them are gathered from interviews with nearly 40 practitioners.

Findings

Five critical issues that affect the future of HSCs are identified along with recommendations to address them.

Social implications

It supports the fulfillment of the agenda for humanity’s five core responsibilities: global leadership to prevent and end conflict, uphold the norms that safeguard humanity, leave no one behind, change people’s lives – from delivering aid to ending need, and invest in humanity.

Originality/value

The original report was presented at the first World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul in May 2016. The reader can find it via the following link www.logcluster.org/sites/default/files/whs_humanitarian_supply_chain_paper_final_24_may.pdf

Citation

Lewin, R., Besiou, M., Lamarche, J.-B., Cahill, S. and Guerrero-Garcia, S. (2018), "Delivering in a moving world…looking to our supply chains to meet the increasing scale, cost and complexity of humanitarian needs", Journal of Humanitarian Logistics and Supply Chain Management, Vol. 8 No. 4, pp. 518-532. https://doi.org/10.1108/JHLSCM-10-2017-0048