Even though SABMiller’s use of Accenture’s Supply Chain Academy continues to evolve, the training program already has paid off. In fact, in just three months SABMiller employees participated in 900 courses, equivalent to more than 1,400 hours of training. The company’s use of the Supply Chain Academy continues to grow as well, with approximately 300 current daily users and additional expansion to other countries in the works.
Yet the benefits to SABMiller go far beyond participation in the Supply Chain Academy’s courses. “We are using the Supply Chain Academy to identify specific maturity gaps, fill them with tailored content, and measure the impact of that training on the business,” said Jaime Ochoa. “The Supply Chain Academy is helping us ensure that learning benefits the company in tangible ways.”
In particular, SABMiller estimates that its overall supply chain management maturity has more than doubled in degree since its implementation of Accenture’s Supply Chain Academy. Importantly, this progress reflects improvements in demand and supply planning, both of which were identified as lagging capabilities prior to the project. And because SABMiller has strengthened these capabilities, it also has seen improvements in inventory management and working capital.
“SABMiller employees are learning the world’s best approaches to supply chain management, and that empowers them to ask the tough questions,” Ochoa commented. “That, in turn, drives our growth and helps us improve our performance. Overall, the Supply Chain Academy is an unbeatable value.”