Chair of USCIB and Executive Vice President for Government Affairs for Salesforce Eric Loeb argued the importance of digitalization to supply chain resiliency as part of an Economist Impact panel last month, Trade in Transition: a Private Sector Outlook on the Future of Trade. Digital tools, data and digital platforms are critical in helping companies make informed decisions about how to adjust and adapt across supply chains in an uncertain world.

Digital platforms also enable greater resiliency by diversifying the number of players, allowing not just multinational companies to participate in supply chains, but small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) as well. Customs processes as greatly benefit from transitioning from paper to digital, noting the importance of digitalization and the ATA Carnet system (eATA). USCIB is the national guaranteeing association of the ATA Carnet and has been involved in the ATA Carnet digitalization project on a global level since 2018. Loeb urged policymakers to adopt policies to enable digital tools before resorting to industrial policies or market restrictions.

Overall, policymakers should work in close collaboration with industry as the best approach to ensuring the right solutions for supply chain resiliency, Loeb contended. “We’re in this together,” he underscored.

Loeb was joined on the panel by Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, CEO and Chairman of DP World Group; JB Sarquis, Brazil’s Secretary of Foreign Trade and Economic Affairs; and Hanneke Faber, Unilever President, Foods and Refreshment Division. The event was cohosted by DP World and marked the roll out of the results of Trade in Transition 2023, a global survey of the perspectives of supply chain executives on navigating the latest disruptions to trade. The panel was held on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland.