By Paul R Salmon FCILT, FSCM
For years, sustainability has been the gold standard in supply chain management. We’ve worked hard to reduce emissions, eliminate waste, and create leaner, greener operations. But as global challenges escalate – from biodiversity loss to social inequality – it’s becoming clear that sustainability alone isn’t enough.
Enter Regenerative Supply Chains: a bold, forward-thinking approach that doesn’t just aim to “do less harm” but actively works to restore, revitalise, and improve ecosystems, communities, and economies.
🌍 From Sustainable to Regenerative
A sustainable supply chain asks:
✅ How can we reduce our footprint?
✅ How can we avoid harming people or the planet?
A regenerative supply chain goes further:
🌱 How can we leave the world better than we found it?
🌱 How can our supply chain create positive environmental and social outcomes while still delivering value?
This shift reflects a growing recognition that supply chains are not just flows of goods and information – they are powerful systems of influence. Every sourcing decision, logistics route, and partnership has the potential to either degrade or restore the world we depend on.
🔑 Principles of Regenerative Supply Chains
Regenerative supply chains are built on four core principles:
1️⃣ Restoration of Natural Systems
Moving beyond carbon neutrality to carbon negativity. Supporting projects that rebuild soil health, reforest degraded land, and restore waterways.
Example: A UK food retailer partnering with local farmers to adopt regenerative agriculture practices that sequester carbon and increase biodiversity.
2️⃣ Empowerment of Communities
Investing in suppliers and partners to ensure fair wages, safe working conditions, and economic resilience. Building long-term, trust-based relationships rather than transactional ones.
Example: A global fashion brand funding education and healthcare initiatives in textile-producing regions to strengthen local economies.
3️⃣ Circular Economy Integration
Designing out waste by keeping products and materials in use. Creating reverse logistics systems to reclaim, reuse, and recycle at scale.
Example: Electronics manufacturers offering take-back schemes and refurbishing devices to extend their lifecycle.
4️⃣ Positive Social Impact
Prioritising diversity, equity, and inclusion across the supply chain. Leveraging procurement policies to support minority-owned and local businesses.
Example: A logistics company partnering with social enterprises to provide employment for underrepresented groups.
🚀 Why Regeneration Matters Now
In a world facing interconnected crises – climate change, resource scarcity, and social inequality – regenerative supply chains provide a resilient and future-proofed model.
✔ They mitigate risk by strengthening the very systems supply chains depend on.
✔ They unlock innovation by rethinking products, materials, and business models.
✔ They win trust with consumers and stakeholders who increasingly demand more than compliance – they want contribution.
🛠 Building a Regenerative Supply Chain: Where to Start
✅ Map Your Impact: Identify where your supply chain interacts with natural and social systems.
✅ Rethink Sourcing: Prioritise regenerative agriculture, renewable materials, and ethical partnerships.
✅ Collaborate Broadly: Work with NGOs, governments, and other businesses to create systemic change.
✅ Measure What Matters: Go beyond traditional KPIs to track regenerative outcomes (e.g., soil carbon levels, community wellbeing).
🏆 From Net Zero to Net Positive
The future of supply chains isn’t just about minimising harm – it’s about creating value that flows beyond the bottom line.
By adopting regenerative principles, supply chain leaders can transform their operations into engines of environmental restoration and social renewal.
In doing so, they don’t just build better businesses.
They help build a better world.
✍ Join the Conversation
At the Supply Chain Council UK, we’re exploring how to move from sustainable to regenerative supply chains. How is your organisation making a positive impact?
Share your insights – together we can shape the supply chains of tomorrow.
