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Top Supply Chain Associations

Below are some of the top supply chain associations that we recommend you explore. They provide a wealth of SCM resources ranging from educational to networking to supply chain certifications and more. 

Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP)

CSCMP Mission
To lead the evolving supply chain management profession by developing, advancing, and disseminating supply chain knowledge and research.

CSCMP Vision
The Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals is the preeminent worldwide professional association of supply chain management professionals.

  • CSCMP Services
    Provide opportunities for supply chain professionals to communicate in order to develop and improve their supply chain management skills
  • Identify and conduct research which adds to the knowledge base of supply chain theory and practice
  • Create awareness of the significance of supply chain to business and to the economy
Advancing Productivity, Inventory and Competitive Success (APICS)

APICS, The Association for Operations Management, is the global leader and premier source of the body of knowledge in supply chain and operations management, including production, inventory, materials management, purchasing, and logistics. Since 1957, individuals and companies have relied on APICS for its superior training, internationally recognized certifications, comprehensive resources, and worldwide network of accomplished industry professionals.

Warehousing, Education & Resource Council (WERC)

WERC offers resources that help distribution professionals stay at the leading edge including educational events, performance metrics for benchmarking, practical research, expert insights and peer-to-peer knowledge exchange.

American Society of Transportation & Logistics (ASTL)

ASTL is a professional organization founded in 1946 by a group of industry leaders to insure a high level of professionalism and promote continuing education in the field of transportation and logistics. The CTL (Certified in Transportation and Logistics) Certification Program began in 1948. ASTL also offers the Professional Designation in Logistics and Supply Chain Management (PLS), the Distinguished Logistics Professional (DLP), and the Global Logistics Associate (GLA).

ASTL's mission is to facilitate education and certification in the fields of transportation, logistics, and supply chain management. ASTL's membership of shippers, carriers, educators, students, consultants and third-party logistics individuals are dedicated to continuing education and are committed to raising the professional standards in the industry.

Institute for Supply Management (ISM)

Founded in 1915, the Institute for Supply Management™ (ISM) is the largest supply management association in the world as well as one of the most respected. ISM’s mission is to lead the supply management profession through its standards of excellence, research, promotional activities, and education. ISM’s membership base includes more than 34,000 supply management professionals with a network of domestic and international affiliated associations. ISM is a not-for-profit association that provides opportunities for the promotion of the profession and the expansion of professional skills and knowledge.

Lean Enterprise Institute (LEI)

The Lean Enterprise Institute, Inc. founded by James P. Womack in 1997, is a nonprofit education, publishing, research, and conference organization with an action plan. Compared with traditional "think" tanks, we are a "do" tank. We carefully develop hypotheses about lean thinking and experiment to see which approaches work best in the real world. We then write up and teach what we discover, providing new methods for organizational transformation. We strive to answer the simple question of every manager, "What can I do on Monday morning to make a difference in my organization?" And, by creating a strong Lean Community through our website and public events we try to give managers the courage to become lean change agents.

International Society of Six Sigma Professionals (ISSSP)

ISSSP is committed to promoting the adoption, advancement and integration of Six Sigma in business. Our community supports this mission through advocacy and awareness efforts; professional recognition and development; and by serving as an information and referral source.

International Warehouse Logistics Association (IWLA)

IWLA is the unified voice of the value-added warehousing and logistics industry, representing third-party logistics (3PL) and warehousing service providers. Our nearly 500 member companies provide timely and cost-effective 3PL solutions for their customers.

IWLA's members are committed to warehousing and protecting the free flow of products across international borders. IWLA helps members grow profits. How? We reduce our members’ costs and increase their resources through programs, products and services that are exclusive to IWLA membership.

Reverse Logistics Association (RLA)

The Reverse Logistics Association bridges the gap between third party service providers (3PSPs), and OEMs, Retailers, and Brand Marketers, so that outsourcing for reverse logistics processes can be increased and enhanced. In addition, the association is a communication and interaction tool for reverse logistics professionals to connect with others in their field and enhance their service offerings by becoming more efficient through process and technological improvement. Our mission is to educate and inform RL professionals around the world, and all industries, about the reverse logistics process.

National Industrial Transportation League (NITL)

As the nation’s oldest and largest freight transportation association, the National Industrial Transportation League has a rich history. From its beginnings in 1907 when economic regulation ruled our industry through the present, the League has been in the forefront of changes that have helped shape our nation’s commercial freight transportation system. From rail, to motor carriage, through ocean transport and air commerce – the League has been a proven leader in representing shippers’ interests. In 2009 the League continues this rich tradition and has never been better prepared to meet tomorrow’s challenges. Fulfilling the mandate set to broaden its membership base, the League is well positioned to engage all sectors of the industry to develop a modern, safe and efficient freight transport system, which meets our country’s commercial needs both domestically and internationally. These cooperative efforts are certain to bring about workable approaches to difficult problems and advance solutions which will benefit everyone dependent on freight transportation.

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