Assignment Management - Final Project

Final Project Final Project - Nationali Teas B-Corp Certification Abstract NationaliTeas is an internationally recognized name, known for its quality teas and refreshing beverages but most recently, our company has become known for its sustainable practices as well. We are proud to be a part of the increasing sustainability awareness sustainability and desire to keep making strong strides towards incorporating more components of TBL into our company’s daily operations and become a B-Corp Certified company within the next 2 years. Proposal As the Chief Supply-Chain Officer, I am responsible for evaluating the company’s operations and recommending sustainable solutions that will increase value for customers and generate value for the company. After pre-assessing the company’s strengths and weaknesses, I have identified the 3 areas of its operational process that can be improved to incorporate TBL practices. By focusing on these sustainable operational areas that need improvement, we will be working towards achieving a high B Assessment score and the ability to obtain a B-Corp Certification, which will be a great value for our company. Section 1 - Justification of Benefits Key Components The 3 major components of the triple-bottom-line (TBL) framework are people, profit, and planet. The “people” component in TBL is the social part which means the company’s impact on our employees, customers, and stakeholders. The “profit” certification will give our company and employees a great sense of pride and accomplishment. The pathway to certification with the operational goal of obtaining a B-Corp Certification in the next 2 years will help us strengthen our company’s commitment to our customers, workers, and the environment. Section 2 - Operational Recommendations Upon our company’s evaluation, I have identified 3 initiatives to improve the aspects of people, planet, and profits based on the TBL framework and the B Corp Certification requirements. All three initiatives closely match our company’s mission and vision, as well as the TBL framework, and will lead us to a successful certification pathway. The first initiative is to raise workers’ wages by allocating funds from other areas. Initiative 2 is reducing the company’s carbon footprint. Initiative 3 is improving customer service. Initiative 1: Employee Pay is Low Organizational Impacts o Raising employee wages provides a better alignment with our company’s values. o Higher wages will improve employee retention and prevent high employee turnover o Better wages will attract highly skilled employees o Our employees feel happy and fulfilled Societal Impacts  Better employee wages will help other businesses within the community  Higher wages improve the community quality of life in general  Better wages help build stronger communities Customer Impacts  Better wages lead to happy employees and happier customers  Higher wages will improve product quality  Better wages positively impact customer service Business Risks The risks associated with raising employee wages could be short-term low cash flow and the company’s ability to absorb the short-term costs. We will be working closely with our Accounting Department to monitor the company’s balance sheet. Operational Management Techniques We will use Lean Manufacturing to reduce costs and remove wasteful steps in our daily operations. We will hire a Project Manager to develop an incentive plan to reward employees who engage in cost-saving practices. These operations will ensure self-generated income in the future to absorb the long-term cost of employees’ higher wages. We will also perform an employee survey to access employee satisfaction. Defining Requirements and Scope  Lower the risk of harmful substances in their product  Reduce the presence of microplastics in the food chain Business Risks The risks of pursuing Initiative 2 – Lowering the company’s footprint, are the short-term cost since LED is more expensive than fluorescent bulbs and the possible increase in the final price of the products to customers. Operational Management Techniques We will implement Initiate 2 by immediately switching our facility’s light bulbs to LEDs. The cost-reducing and environmental benefits will be noticeable within 1 month. Our Project manager will oversee the replacement of the bulbs as well as ordering the new compostable packaging. Defining Requirements and Scope Lean Manufacturing will be used to maximize and analyze the process flow. Six Sigma will be applied to measure the results. (Purdue, 2021) Initiative 3: Improving Customer Service. o Providing sustainable products that meet the standards and demands of our customers o Enhance customer relationships and sense of belonging o Do right for our customers and be worthy of their loyalty o A deeper and more meaningful relationship with customers Societal Impacts  Positive impact on our customers and their families  Increased quality of life  Positive Impact on the community Customer Impacts  Improved customer satisfaction  Stronger customer and community relationship  Feeling “Seen and Heard” (as opposed to only having issues addressed and rectified) Business Risks There are some risks to consider when implementing Initiate 3- Improving Customer Service. One risk would be not receiving a return on the investment or failing to increase our customer base. We will use surveying to access our customer base options. Operational Management Techniques The Project Manager will track the monthly customer count to measure the increased customer base. Additionally, the adoption of Value Stream Mapping diagram will provide end-to-end process flow details. (Purdue, 2021) Defining Requirements and Scope Lean Manufacturing and operations management techniques can be extremely beneficial to NationaliTeas. These techniques reduce time wasters, improve employee Stakeholder Role  Responsibilities Ensures compliance with Company’s vision and mission Influence implementation process