More Than 20 CPG Companies and Retailers Will Create Electronic Bill of Lading Solutions to Enhance Safety and Efficiency

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 29, 2020
Contact: Leslie Lake, 571-378-6757, [email protected]

ARLINGTON, Va. — Today, the Consumer Brands Association announced that it has brought together 23 consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies and retailers to launch a new task force that will study the impact of a contactless pick-up and delivery protocol to create greater efficiencies and reduce employee risk during deliveries. The Contactless Delivery Task Force brings together manufacturers, supply chain partners and retailers to develop scalable, uniform standards for safely transporting and exchanging freight, with an initial focus on electronic bills of lading (eBOL).

“COVID-19 challenged CPG companies to keep their supply chains moving efficiently and their workers healthy in a tremendously difficult environment,” said Tom Madrecki, Consumer Brands vice president, supply chain and logistics. “As CPG companies identify ways to increase supply chain efficiencies and ensure employee safety, electronic delivery verification through a contactless pick-up and delivery process is a natural solution. We’re excited to bring the industry together to create standards that will allow companies to provide consumers around the world with the products they need every day.”

Transferring from a paper delivery verification system to a digital platform provides safety, productivity and visibility benefits to every employee involved in bringing a product from a manufacturer’s warehouse to the store shelf. Digitization allows back-office personnel to receive real-time updates while working at home as well as lets drivers and recipients practice physical distancing at the point of delivery.

Consumer Brands will unite task force members in supply chain roles throughout the CPG industry to work with its supply chain partners, Accenture and Coyote Logistics along with Vector, a transportation digitization and workflow solutions provider, to implement an end-to-end contactless pick-up and delivery pilot program. The development of this solution will foster better understanding of the data and process standards needed to encourage industry-wide adoption at scale.

What They’re Saying

“While a major disruptor, COVID-19 now gives us the opportunity to partner across our industry and develop the processes and procedures that will define the consumer packaged goods space for years to come. Health, safety and efficiency have always been our priorities, but now we’re forced to look for new and innovative ways of incorporating technology even further to serve our customers and communities and meet their needs in this evolving environment.”
Yone Dewberry, senior vice president and chief supply chain officer, Land O’Lakes

“As shippers continue to build more efficient and resilient supply chains, the eBOL fills in a gap that many clients have been asking for. The touchless BOL will result in entry error reduction, increased visibility to OS&Ds, drive lower transportation costs and benefit their green footprint.”
Henry Blum, supply chain and operations, Capabilities Network, Accenture

“We’ve seen tremendous supply chain disruption and the emergence of new challenges as a result of COVID-19, but it’s given us incredible opportunity to create new solutions that will drive a healthier and safer future for the industry. We’ve developed new processes, technologies and policies that allow for limited contact and social distancing throughout the shipping process and have also focused on ensuring our network has the insights and critical information they need to operate efficiently and safely. I’m excited to collaborate with this task force to continue to drive new supply chain innovation, while improving health and safety protocol in the process.”
Nick Shroeger, chief network solutions officer, Coyote Logistics.

“Our focus at Vector has been dedicated to enabling greater collaboration throughout logistics. That is exactly what Consumer Brands has accomplished in bringing together the companies in this task force. We’re excited to support the industry’s vision in developing a new digital standard to increase safety and efficiency.”
Brian Belcher, co-founder and chief operating officer, Vector

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The Consumer Brands Association champions the industry whose products Americans depend on every day, representing more than 1,700 iconic brands. From household and personal care to food and beverage products, the consumer packaged goods industry plays a vital role in powering the U.S. economy, contributing $2 trillion to U.S. GDP and supporting more than 20 million American jobs.