Key election cycles happened all over the world in 2024 and if you were following, you most likely came across articles referencing the decline of global democracies. One theory that uniquely speaks to our current time references the breakdown in communities, a surge in social disconnectedness, and a general increase in distrust of our own neighbors as catalysts for democracies’ decline.
If social connection is the glue that holds democracy together, and participation is the way we exercise our collective democratic muscles, then collective action is how we grow socio-political-economic agency globally.
Supply Chains: Connected Yet Divided
How do the principles for global democracy apply to the world of supply chains? Let’s take the above statement and hone in on supply chains specifically:
If people are the glue that hold supply chains together, and opening up data is how we exercise our collective industry muscles, then collective action is how we solve some of the most intractable supply chain challenges globally.
Global supply chains have followed a similar trajectory to that of democratic participation. They and their stakeholders often exist in isolation from one another, and as a result, do not function collectively. Historically in supply chains, information is a closely held secret protecting a supposed competitive advantage—the traditional industry belief that companies who hide their supply chain data are better positioned to outperform their rivals. Simply put, we isolate our supply chains and their corresponding data for a perceived competitive advantage. But this logic of secrecy is outdated – in today’s interconnected world, facility locations are rarely hidden, and true competitive advantage comes from other avenues – like building quality relationships – rather than just keeping names “secret.”
From Isolation to Impact: An Open Data Vision
If isolation breeds distrust, then openness and transparency foster connection. To transform supply chains from isolated networks into collaborative communities, we need platforms that prioritize openness—turning competitors into collaborators through shared data.
This is where Open Supply Hub (OS Hub) comes in. With more than 1 million production locations mapped by 1,500 contributors and counting, OS Hub is powering the transition to safe and sustainable production with the world’s most complete, open and accessible global supply chain map. At OS Hub, you can participate by contributing data, connecting with supply chain actors, and collaborating to address supply chain issues on a global scale. By joining our global, multi-stakeholder community, you will help open up information, build collective trust, and solve some of the world’s most intractable issues via collective action.
So what do supply chains and global democracy have in common? While perhaps more open supply chains aren’t the direct or only answer to failing democracies, or vice versa, it is the shared values of trust, transparency, and collective action that both our supply chains and democracies desperately need, and where valuable lessons can be learned from one another.
Find out more and integrate OS Hub into your supply chain transparency strategy:
(1) How to Share your data, (2) Search and download our free and open supply chain dataset, (3) Read more stories of impact. If you prefer video, check out our YouTube channel.
