Supply chain check: Are failures to be expected in procurement?

Concretisation of the measure

Numerous materials and services are necessary to enable the Kirchentag with its 2000 individual events to take place. Many things and services must be procured and commissioned. A supply chain check is used to take extreme weather events and their effects on the equipment of the event into account.

Preparation within the framework of the Kirchentag in Dortmund

The supply chain check was developed parallel to the Kirchentag. All departments were asked to communicate their observations and experiences in their fields to the KlAnG project team.

During the implementation of the Kirchentag in Dortmund

No delivery difficulties due to extreme weather events were identified. The food supply was not affected either.

Environmental/climate protection aspect

Increased effort in procurement quickly leads to excessive use of resources. In procurement, for example more environmentally unfriendly means of transport are used to make up for delays: The plane instead of the ship, the courier vehicle instead of the collective transport by truck.

Climate adaptation aspect

We consider the following basic questions to be helpful in checking the supply chain of an event with regard to climate risks:

Which articles and services are indispensable for the implementation of the event and are needed in such large quantities or specific requirements that they cannot be procured as alternatives at short notice? Which articles and services have a very long delivery route and/or production process and are produced individually for the event? Are there regional focal points of suppliers and/or manufacturers of products, which would then all be equally affected by regional extreme weather events? If the delivery routes to the event location are without alternative (e. g. on the last mile) and particularly vulnerable to extreme weather events? Are e.g. inland waterway vessels or transport via unpaved roads integrated into the transport chain? Is the event camp sufficiently protected against extreme weather events and the consequences of an overloaded sewerage system?

Cost/benefit/effort

The additional consideration of climate risks in the risk assessment of the supply chain is feasible with relatively little effort. If a corresponding system is being implemented for the first time, it makes sense to focus on the most expensive items. The total price often gives a first indication of the relevance of the good for the overall event.