While a new year is often associated with fresh starts, it can also mark important milestones for an organization, such as its track record of service, achievable results, and the trust and support of those we serve. This is especially true of non-profit organizations, working tirelessly with grand ambitions and tight budgets to accomplish their goals and serve the community. The International Supply Chain Protection Organization (ISCPO) is celebrating one of those landmark accomplishments in 2024, commemorating ten years of serving the supply chain security and loss prevention community.
ISCPO is a non-profit professional association that connects members from a wide array of sectors across the global supply chain including retail, wholesale, e-commerce, manufacturing, insurance, risk management, legal, distribution, operations, and logistics, as well as law enforcement and government agencies. The group promotes a collaborative effort of networking, benchmarking, and resource development for security professionals. Its mission is to promote, support, educate, and advocate for the advancement of supply chain security and protection through strategic partnerships, international agency engagement, and the building of strong cross-industry networks.
Underserved and Misunderstood
The ISCPO’s journey began with a conversation that took place during a return trip from a retail asset protection conference. Byron Smith, LPC, CFI, corporate asset protection and business continuity manager at 7-Eleven, recalls, “We noticed a gap in the agenda—there was nothing that specifically addressed the retail supply chain. This sparked a discussion about setting up committees within existing retail associations, but soon, the idea of establishing our own organization took root.”
“The supply chain touches every aspect of business and commerce, but despite the importance and global reach of this worldwide network, there wasn’t a collaborative platform for networking and development on the asset protection front,” remarked Glenn Master, head of asset protection, security, and crisis management at McLane Company and current president and board chairman at ISCPO. “Lacking this necessary support and collaboration, this was a critical area of the industry that was largely underserved and needed to be responsibly represented.”
Through a complex web of processes and activity, a well-managed supply chain is absolutely vital to a successful retail operation. Merchandise doesn’t magically appear on the shelves of stores and then into the hands of the customer. Considering that every single piece of retail merchandise must in some way pass through the supply chain, it’s easy to see the need to implement appropriate controls and protect retailers’ interests as product moves and decisions are made. This is a worldwide network that is integral to the global marketplace, amplified by the expanding reach of e-commerce and the pace of a demanding consumer.
As the concept began to develop, it became clear that those representing the security and protection of the supply chain needed to step forward and into the light. “We needed to look beyond ourselves and consider the needs of the market and the industry,” says Master. “Collaborating with others that held the same interests and aspirations, we saw these next steps as an industry necessity.”
Putting It on Paper—Literally
“Glenn and I were working on a project together in Indianapolis when he approached me and announced he had something he wanted to run past me,” claims Rod Fulenwider, vice president at D & L Protective Services. “That’s when he proposed the idea for the ISCPO. We were at dinner, and as the conversation unfolded, I wanted to take some notes, so I grabbed some napkins and started writing things down. We mapped out our initial plans of what the organization would look like and how we wanted it to be different from every other trade group on those napkins. We talked about networking with emphasis on the value of change, communicating with purpose, and the issues, challenges, and problems the industry was facing. We talked about technology for the future and how to best support supply chain innovation. We then took the concepts we laid out and set things in motion.”
“We wanted ISCPO to be a place where supply chain asset protection professionals could meet and learn from each other,” added Smith. “Glenn and Rod began working on the internal logistics and I started working on the website.”
As their plan was put into motion, they realized the need for patience and expert guidance and turned to loss prevention industry experts with specific backgrounds in building an industry-best organization to help them on their journey.
“We didn’t know what we didn’t know, and we wanted to go into this venture with our eyes wide open,” added Master.” That’s when we decided to speak to the team at The Loss Prevention Foundation (LPF) for some advice.”
Master explains that they spoke with Gene Smith, Jim Lee, and Frank Johns with the LPF, who provided them with a roadmap to construct a successful association. Based on the experiences they had building the LPF, they reviewed the potential pitfalls, mapped out the challenges and expectations, and offered recommendations to put ISCPO on a winning path.
“The LPF was spectacular in their support and guidance,” stressed Fulenwider. “They emphasized not biting off too much too fast, building an infrastructure to support our plan, and finding dedicated and passionate people who were committed to leading and would help us accomplish our mission. They mentored us through our 501C, guided us to secure outside legal support, and discussed the importance of bi-laws and standards. They went above and beyond to make sure we were on the right track.”
ISCPO kicked off by using social media to attract interest and build membership. They established a diverse board of directors to strengthen their mission and build credibility. They spoke with solution providers to secure additional support and resources. Within six months they had more than 600 members, which today has grown to more than 5,000 members domestically and internationally.
Strong and Active Leadership
The founding members of the ISCPO are still actively involved to this day, dedicating time and effort to the continued growth and development of the organization.
However, diversity of thought was recognized as a fundamental need, covering the variety of areas that impact the loss prevention needs of the supply chain network. This made a strong and active board of directors critical to the organization to provide leadership stability and continuity in methods and practice.
“We needed a program that would be lasting and have an impact,” stated Scott Cornell, national practice leader, transportation, Traveler’s Inland Marine at Traveler’s Insurance. “As a supply chain expert, I’ve served on other boards, but I wanted to serve on ISCPO’s initial board of directors because I recognized the impact we could have. We need organizations where we can share knowledge, bringing together supply chain professionals and subject matter experts to share assets and information in a productive way. It’s critical to the industry.”
Certainly, interactive membership is crucial. So, rather than a large collection of topics, the ISCPO conferences typically feature three or four themes that encourage member participation, focused learning, and problem-solving. Solution providers are seen as partners in the process and actively participate in the conference forums to identify, discuss, and solve real problems faced by the membership.
“We challenge the solution providers to develop the actual solutions we need to improve supply chain security,” says Master. “This is an exercise that both our members and the solution providers have embraced, and it’s leading to real progress.”
“Other than the ISCPO, I don’t know of an organization today where a group of LP practitioners can come together to discuss common challenges and issues related to the retail supply chain,” says Aaron Henderson, vice president of loss prevention, food safety, and safety at Penske Logistics. “It doesn’t matter what the company’s name is on the door, we all face similar challenges from workplace violence to cargo theft and other forms of shrink along the supply chain. I have always felt that if we can’t get it right on the supply chain side of the house, it doesn’t matter what we are doing in the retail space. The supply chain must be clean and free of shrink issues or you are just transferring those potential shrink issues to the retail store. That’s why I decided to join the ISCPO Board of Directors. I wanted to have a voice, and when I was given the opportunity to be a part of the team, I jumped at it.”
While the leaders in the room are always important, the support of the organizations is critical. “These leaders are giving their time and energy to these efforts, but they can’t make that impact without the support of the companies they represent,” emphasized Cornell. “Having corporations that are willing to support their leaders and the efforts that they put into these programs simply cannot be overstated. That backing and encouragement is what allows this great work to be done.”
ISCPO Today
Today, the ISCPO connects members from a wide array of sectors to promote networking, benchmarking, and resource development for security and asset protection professionals across the global supply chain. They are working closely with the Loss Prevention Research Council (LPRC) on several supply chain-specific loss prevention initiatives. The organization continues to expand and has established an international presence in Canada, Europe, the United Kingdom, Mexico, and Latin America.
The three primary objectives of the ISCPO remain the same:
- Networking across global lines that include both private and public sectors.
- Partnership and advocacy to create an avenue by which private and public relationships can move into successful business relationships.
- Training and education to provide adequate, professional, and timely training through multiple relevant and industry-specific venues.
But as things continue to move forward, ISCPO will be looking at new and creative ways to increase supply chain awareness, promote learning, and groom tomorrow’s leaders and their understanding of supply chain security and loss prevention.
This year, ISCPO will be holding invitation-only summits in the US and Canada, built upon industry leaders and decision-makers in partnership with preferred solution providers to address some of the more pressing issues facing supply chain security and loss prevention. Working together and in concert with the solution provider community, ISCPO is using their resources to influence change by focusing on areas identified by industry experts as areas of need across the supply chain community.
With the explosion of technology, the impact of COVID-19, and the growth of e-commerce, greater attention is now focused on the supply chain and the need to have safe, productive, and efficient movement of goods from the point of origination and into the hands of the consumer. And although the past ten years have established a firm and successful foundation at ISCPO, even more robust plans are on the horizon. While networking and collaboration has always been seen as an essential mission, promoting education and awareness about the global supply chain and the role that loss prevention holds in keeping the supply chain safe, secure, productive, and successful is viewed as an industry imperative.
“Most importantly, our mission must continue to be about the people we serve,” says Fulenwider. “Whether that involves providing the education and materials that expand knowledge, offering the networking opportunities to encourage new viewpoints and partnerships, or developing the ideas and innovation that drive the future of the industry, we want to encourage today’s champions and develop tomorrow’s leaders.”
Over the past ten years, an idea that originated on napkins over dinner has developed into the premier supply chain organization for security and loss prevention professionals. As more leaders share their ideas and expertise, continued growth and international influence are on the horizon. Partnerships and innovation continue to move the train forward, and we can’t wait to see what the next ten years will bring.
