Joel Beal

At Manifest 2026, Scott Luton spent time with his friend, Jorge Morales, Global Chief Operating Officer of the International Supply Chain Education Alliance (ISCEA), for a conversation that centered not on hype, but on growth. ISCEA is a global certification body serving supply chain professionals around the world. But as Morales put it, “We’re in the knowledge business; but most of all, we’re in the personal growth business.” Through certifications, membership programs, advisory boards, and global events, ISCEA empowers professionals to stay current, expand their networks, and advance their careers. In a volatile era, that mission has never been more relevant.   Beyond the AI Hype Cycle When asked about dominant themes from 2025 to 2026, Morales pointed to a shift in how the industry views technology. “Last year we were still in the bubble of the hype of AI,” he said. Many professionals feared being replaced or assumed AI would solve everything overnight. That perspective has matured. “Technology by itself is not what determines your level of success,” Morales explained. “Understanding the basics, knowing how things work; THAT is key.” AI and data tools remain critical across procurement, logistics, manufacturing, planning and more. But success depends on how organizations…

Companies spend enormous amounts of time debating sustainability strategy. They invest in emissions reduction. They launch environmental initiatives. They publish ESG reports. They set ambitious goals. Yet many overlook a simpler question: Who is helping shape those decisions in the boardroom? Recent research published in the Journal of Business Logistics suggests that board composition may influence environmental performance in ways that executives do not fully appreciate. The study examined more than 2,000 firm year observations across 306 publicly traded business-to-business companies. The researchers explored whether having a customer or supplier represented on the board of directors affected a firm’s environmental performance. The answer was yes. But not in the way many executives might expect. Most discussions about board diversity focus on demographics, functional expertise, or independence. This research points to another form of diversity that may be equally important: where directors sit within the supply chain. A customer and a supplier can look at the same sustainability decision and see very different priorities. Those priorities often shape the choices firms ultimately make. The researchers found that companies with customer affiliated directors generally achieved stronger environmental performance. Customer representatives appeared to bring market knowledge and external stakeholder expectations into board discussions.…