KUALA LUMPUR (May 27): Cisco Systems retained its top position in the annual Global Supply Chain Top 25, which identifies leading supply chains and highlights their best practices.

In the poll released on Thursday (May 26), technology and consulting firm Gartner Inc said Cisco Systems scored the top spot in the ranking for the third consecutive year, followed by Schneider Electric, Colgate-Palmolive, Johnson & Johnson and PepsiCo.

It said three companies joined this year’s list for the first time: Microsoft, Siemens and AstraZeneca.

Gartner supply chain practice vice-president team manager Mike Griswold said 19 companies achieved the highest possible environmental, social and governance (ESG) score this year, reflecting the growing importance supply chain leaders assign to these initiatives.

“Cisco Systems continues to adapt in various ways to the changing environment, and its supply chain moves in alignment.

“ESG is a big focus, with circular concepts incorporated in the design, operations and consumption aspects of the products and the supply chain,” he said.

To recognise sustained supply chain excellence, Gartner introduced the “Masters” category in 2015.

To be considered Masters, companies must have attained top-five composite scores for at least seven out of the last 10 years.

All of last year’s Masters — Amazon, Apple, P&G, McDonald’s and Unilever — again qualified for the category this year.

Griswold said all of the Masters provide prime examples of how to deliver agility and responsiveness at scale for sustained periods of time.

“Other chief supply chain officers can look to them and the other organisations in the ranking to learn their best practices,” he said.

The Gartner Supply Chain Top 25 for 2022

Note: Composite score: (peer opinion*25%) + (Gartner research opinion*25%) + (ROPA*15%) + (inventory turns*5%) + (revenue growth*10%) + (ESG component score*20%)

Source: Gartner (May 2022)