LONDON, 28/3/18: The Global Sourcing Association (GSA), the industry association for strategic sourcing and outsourcing professionals, has launched its new #ReshapingOutsourcing campaign intended to improve and futureproof the outsourcing model. At an extraordinary meeting held in London on March 26th, over 80 senior professionals from across the industry convened to discuss the challenges facing outsourcing – including a welter of media and political criticism, a wave of disruptive technologies and the emergence of new partnership and contractual models – and possible solutions designed to improve service quality and outcomes and to shore up the reputation of this critical sector.
Prior to the event, a GSA survey of the community showed that over 80% of respondents desired change in the industry (with only six per cent believing no change at all is necessary), and breakout sessions on Monday showed a clear desire for fundamental improvements in areas as diverse as communications, hiring, public relations, upskilling sourcing professionals, preparing for the future working landscape and more.
The discussions generated at the event will now be used as the basis for working groups, to meet regularly over the course of the next few months, designed to formulate a series of actions which will combine to form a coherent programme of work to be unveiled at the GSA UK Symposium & Awards, to be held in London on November 22, 2018. Kerry Hallard also informed the conference of a range of new GSA activities to run alongside these working groups under the broad remit of ‘Reshaping Outsourcing’, as well as an expansion of the GSA’s workshop programme to provide an immediate boost to the upskilling imperative expressed by the group.
“This industry is on a burning platform,” Hallard said. “Don’t get me wrong – in most cases outsourcing works – but we seem too unwilling to share those successes. I propose that we come together as an industry like never before, to celebrate our successes, acknowledge our shortcomings, agree that we want to make some changes – and agree what those changes are, and develop and deliver a targeted plan.”
The GSA is now calling for members of the strategic sourcing and outsourcing space who were unable to attend Monday’s meeting to throw their support behind the campaign, including by joining the nascent working groups to help shape the future of the industry. Those interested should contact Kerry Hallard, CEO, GSA UK, at kerryh@gsa-uk.com or on +44 (0)7774 690447.
For more information on the GSA UK Symposium & Awards 2018, see https://www.gsauksymposium.com/ or contact Natalie Milsom at nataliem@gsa-uk.com or on +44 (0)7817 040202.
For information on the GSA’s workshop programme – including forthcoming sessions on design thinking and intelligent automation – please contact Debbie Mackay at debbiem@gsa-uk.com or on +44 (0)7398 262548.
About the GSA:
The Global Sourcing Association is the industry association and professional body for the global sourcing industry, and the home of the Global Sourcing Standard, a world first for the provision of a portfolio of best practice methodologies and accreditation programmes supported by both buyers and suppliers of sourcing. The GSA is a not-for-profit membership association with fully licensed, affiliate and associate members, and serves to share best practice, trends and connections across the globe. The Global Sourcing Association has a presence across the globe and provides guidance in economies such as the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain, Norway, Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, Russia, Egypt, China, India and the United States.
