EV credits laid out in IRA may continue to be delayed
Good morning! Today, on Holocaust Remembrance Day, we take a moment to remember and honor the victims of the Holocaust, and to reflect on the importance of ensuring that such atrocities never happen again. Ensuring that supply chain systems are transparent, ethical, and accountable is critical to preventing human rights abuses from happening again in the future.
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Electric vehicle sales have tripled since Joe Biden took office as President of the United States. With the signing of the Inflation Reduction Act last year, the transition to cleaner energy sources seems to be speeding up. But Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin is putting a bill forth to delay the tax credits of up to $7,500 per vehicle that was intended to increase sales of electric vehicles. The question is… why?
Check out today’s featured article from AP News to read about why the electric vehicle tax credits - which were a major feature of President Joe Biden’s landmark climate law - are being further delayed. ☕️
Featured Article:
Manchin pushes to delay tax credits for electric vehicles | AP News
“Ratcheting up his criticism, Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin on Wednesday moved to delay new tax credits for electric vehicles, a key feature of President Joe Biden’s landmark climate law.”
Sustainability & Management ♻️
Mid-level managers are critical for achieving net-zero emissions
Mid-level operations managers play a crucial role in reaching net-zero emissions because they are responsible for managing and coordinating the day-to-day operations of a company, including supply chain, logistics, production, and distribution. They are the ones who can identify opportunities to reduce emissions and implement sustainable practices throughout these operations.
Identifying opportunities: Mid-level operations managers have a detailed understanding of the company's operations and are well-positioned to identify areas where emissions can be reduced. For example, they can identify opportunities to optimize logistics, reduce energy consumption, and improve production processes.
Implementing sustainable practices: Mid-level operations managers have the authority and resources to implement sustainable practices throughout the company's operations. They can lead the development and implementation of strategies to reduce emissions, such as implementing renewable energy sources, implementing recycling programs, and investing in energy-efficient equipment.
Managing and monitoring progress: Mid-level operations managers are responsible for managing and monitoring progress toward reaching net-zero emissions. They can track and report on the company's emissions and make adjustments as needed to ensure that the company is on track to reach its emissions reduction goals.
Collaboration and Coordination: Mid-level operations managers often work closely with other departments such as supply chain, logistics, production, and distribution, they can coordinate and collaborate with these teams to ensure that sustainable practices are implemented throughout the entire organization, not just in one area.
Human Rights & Safety 🤝
Can improved procurement strategies scrub the stain of modern slavery from our supply chains?
Procurement can help avoid the growing trend of modern slavery in supply chains by implementing several strategies:
Due diligence: Procurement teams can conduct due diligence on suppliers and their supply chains to identify and address any potential risks of modern slavery. This can include reviewing suppliers' policies, procedures, and practices related to labor rights, as well as conducting on-site inspections and audits.
Risk assessment: Procurement teams can conduct risk assessments to identify areas where there may be a higher likelihood of modern slavery in the supply chain. This can include assessing the risk of forced labor, child labor, or other forms of exploitation in the countries, sectors, or types of goods and services being procured.
Supplier engagement: Procurement teams can engage with suppliers to encourage them to adopt policies and procedures that promote ethical labor practices. This can include working with suppliers to develop and implement action plans to address any issues related to modern slavery that are identified during due diligence or risk assessments.
Collaboration: Procurement teams can collaborate with other departments and stakeholders, such as legal, compliance, and human rights teams, to develop and implement strategies to address modern slavery in the supply chain.
Transparency: Procurement teams can promote transparency in the supply chain by publishing supplier information and encouraging suppliers to be transparent in their own operations.
Continuous improvement: Procurement teams can monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of their strategies and make adjustments as needed to ensure that they are continuously improving their approach to addressing modern slavery in the supply chain.
Ethical procurement: Procurement teams can take a proactive approach to ethical procurement, they can implement procurement policies and guidelines that promote ethical labor practices, such as fair wages and working hours, as well as safe and healthy working conditions.
Let’s Get Global 🌎
Oil Spout GIF via GIPHY
🛢️ Moscow tries to overcome freight costs as EU sanctions on oil descend. There may be transfers of oil at sea due to sanctions for several reasons, including evading sanctions, concealing the origin of the oil, selling oil at a higher price, and avoiding the intervention of authorities. Additionally, companies or countries under sanctions may try to exploit loopholes in the sanctions by transferring the oil at sea. They may use different vessels or transfer the oil in small amounts to avoid detection.
🤝 The US and the EU are working out their kinks over the IRA. We’re talking about the Inflation Reduction Act - a key piece of legislation passed by the United States that the European Union has taken issue with. The European Union wants access to some of the benefits that the IRA provides to domestically sourced materials used in electric vehicles and batteries. It looks like the United States may be making the deal happen.
🇺🇦 Tanks are being sent to the front lines in Ukraine. The supply chain for getting tanks to the front lines of war can involve a variety of different stages and actors. Some of the key steps in this process might include procurement, transportation, logistics, maintenance, repair, and combat. It's important to note that all these steps may vary depending on the country, the war, or the theatre of operations - but Ukraine has been looking forward to this day.
iLevel With You 🏡
More topics for the average American household to consider…
💰 October - December recorded a 2.9% growth in domestic economy. Despite slowing down, growth was still registering over the last quarter. The US economy can slow down its growth for a variety of reasons, such as a decrease in consumer spending, an increase in interest rates, a decrease in business investment, a decrease in exports, or an increase in imports. Additionally, factors such as natural disasters, pandemics, and political instability can also contribute to a slowing of economic growth.
✈️ Southwest’s December flight fiasco is now under DOT investigation. The Department of Transportation is looking into whether Southwest Airlines deceived customers in scheduling too many flights besides knowing that the company was unable to fulfill its obligations. The DOT has the authority to investigate airlines because it is responsible for enforcing federal laws and regulations related to the airline industry. This includes ensuring that airlines are providing safe and reliable service, protecting consumers from unfair and deceptive practices, and ensuring that airlines are complying with federal rules and regulations regarding airfare pricing and advertising.
🏆 Success does not define satisfaction. Success and satisfaction are two separate concepts that can be related but not necessarily correlated. Success is often defined as achieving a specific goal or reaching a certain level of achievement, while satisfaction is the feeling of contentment or fulfillment that comes from achieving something. One reason success may not lead to satisfaction is that success is often externally defined, based on societal expectations and benchmarks. This can lead to a constant need to achieve more and more, never feeling truly satisfied with one's accomplishments.
💸 Walmart announces minimum wage bump to $14/hour. This 17% jump in wages comes after a heightened competition for workers amid inflationary issues. By increasing its minimum wage, Walmart may be able to retain its employees more effectively. Higher wages can lead to more satisfied and motivated employees, which in turn can lead to lower turnover rates and reduced recruitment costs. Additionally, Walmart may be increasing its minimum wage in order to remain competitive with other retailers that are also raising wages.
Get Smart 🧠
Ramp up that brain power for these advanced topics…
🤖 GM subsidiary Cruise welcomes AI leader Siddhartha Srinivas. Cruise Executive VP of Engineering Mohamad Elshenawy praised the announcement last week in a post on LinkedIn, referencing Srinivasa’s previous work with Amazon’s Robotics AI organization. The robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) industry is growing due to advancements in technology, increased automation, high demand, and labor shortages.
🚜 Tractor Supply’s newest DC is open for business. The first of three distribution centers planned, the DC is a key element of the retailer’s effort to enhance supply chain efficiency. Tractor Supply is a retail chain that specializes in providing products for home improvement, agriculture, lawn and garden maintenance, and livestock and pet care. TSC's supply chain is designed to ensure that products are available to customers when and where they need them.
♻️ Many companies are reforming their sustainability targets. In order to align with new regulations and standards, companies may be reframing their sustainability targets to align with new regulations and standards that have been introduced by governments and international organizations. As these regulations and standards evolve, companies may need to update their targets to ensure compliance. Companies may be reframing their sustainability targets to respond to changing consumer and stakeholder expectations. As consumers and stakeholders become more aware of environmental and social issues, they may put pressure on companies to set more ambitious sustainability targets.
The Workday Dash is an aggregation of articles regarding the transportation logistics, trucking, and supply chain industries for November 28, 2024, from iLevel Logistics Inc.