The Institute for Supply Management (ISM), Tempe, Ariz., has expanded beyond supply management to covering end-to-end supply chain management for its global community. This expansion represents an innovative step in the company’s 110-year history, aligning with its movement of the profession and the evolving roles of practitioners, it says.

Going beyond ISM’s core procurement focus, the expansion introduces an updated mission and vision that aligns with the changing roles and responsibilities of supply chain management professionals, it adds. Its new mission is to “advance the strategy and practice of integrated, end-to-end supply chain management through leading edge data-driven resources, community and education to empower individuals, create organizational value and drive competitive advantage,” the association says. ISM’s updated vision is to foster a prosperous, sustainable world.

“Our expansion marks a pivotal moment in our organization’s history,” said Thomas W. Derry, ISM’s CEO, in a statement. “We are excited to lead the profession into a new era and provide the comprehensive support supply chain organizations need in today’s complex supply chain environment. This move underscores our commitment to continued innovation and excellence.”

The company’s expansion is designed to address the ever-changing needs of supply chain professionals around the globe. Supply management was always intended as a broader term with the end-to-end process in mind, the company notes, which allows ISM to expand strategically in response to changes in practice. With this broader scope in mind, ISM aims to deliver enhanced education, resources and community support to aid supply chain practitioners in navigating today’s complexities of modern supply chains with enhanced efficiency and effectiveness.

As a not-for-profit supply management organization, ISM is uniquely position to bring its deep procurement and supply management expertise to the end-to-end supply chain, especially as it is increasingly managed as a holistic process of integrated functions. ISM shares that, as the profession and roles within it continue to evolve, the company must expand its offerings to remain at the forefront of industry needs.

ISM has developed and introduced both content and education programs in recent years that support the end-to-end supply chain functions, encompassing key operational areas: plan, source, produce and deliver. These areas are outlined in ISM’s Integrated Supply Chain Model. A significant area of focus has been deliver, with rapid growth in logistics-related education and training, ISM adds.

In addition to a Logistics and Materials Management certificate, ISM offers a variety of instructor-led and self-paced learning opportunities, including the following:

• Instructor-led courses: Logistics and Materials Management, Warehousing and Inventory Management, and Sales and Operations Planning (S&OP).
• Self-paced virtual learning: Connected Supply Chains, Innovations in Logistics, Reverse Logistics, Logistics and Warehouse Management Systems, Essential Supply Chain Metrics, Advancements and Emerging Trends in Logistics, among others.