2020 Virtual Playbook

VIRTUAL PLAYBOOK

WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?

LEARN, REBUILD & MOVE FORWARD A diverse perspective and supply chain conversation with executive-level thought-leaders

CONTENTS

3

Greetings from Staples​

4 Diverse Perspective Supply Chain Executive Panel 15 Where Do We Go From Here?

Staples Observations – Lessons Learned 17 Diverse Perspective and Supply Chain Panel Executive Conversation Summary 23

earn, Rebuild and Move Forward: L Staples Preparedness Solutions

GREETINGS FROM STAPLES

I would like to personally thank you for attending this important​event, in collaborative partnership with Supply Chain Canada! We​hope you found our time together very insightful and valuable.​ ​ ctive listening and learning are key components to ensuring our​evolution and continual quest A to be our best. We greatly value​opportunities like these to share truths, insight and information with​thought leaders in their chosen professions. ​ ​ e were very privileged and blessed to remain open as an essential​services company at the onset W of the pandemic. However, without​the leadership, skills, and innovative thinking of our Supply Chain​teams, we wouldn’t have pivoted so quickly to meet our clients’​urgent needs for COVID-19 solutions!​ ​ Thank you Supply Chain professionals for everything you do for​organizations in Canada and across the globe.​P ​ lease continue to stay safe and resilient. We are here for you and​do not hesitate to reach out if we can help you with anything!​ ​Kind Regards,​

​ HUGH LAWSON​ Director, Business Development​ Staples Promotional Products Canada​

DIVERSE PERSPECTIVE SUPPLY CHAIN EXECUTIVE PANEL​

TUESDAY, JULY 7, 2020

​LORI BENSON ​ Global Procurement Operations: ​ EY – Ernst & Young​

DARLENE MARINO​ President a​ nd Supply Chain/Procurement Coach:​ Procurement Management Services​​

KIRUBA SANKAR ​ Global Leader, CSR, Global Procurement:​ RBC Royal Bank​

PATRICK ETOKUDO, FSCMP​ FSCMP General Manager: Sherritt International Corporation

WAEL SAFWAT ​ Director of Procurement North America:​ Black & McDonald Ltd​

TIM MOORE​ President/Owner: Tim Moore Associates, Supply Chain Recruiters

2020

STAPLES OBSERVATIONS LESSONS LEARNED Our daily lives and the operations of many businesses changed rapidly with the COVID-19 pandemic.​ The changes and challenges we have seen will have an effect on our current and future business operations and practices. It is imperative we navigate around these changes and we begin by asking ourselves:​

“Where do we go from here?”

WHO ARE WE?

Staples Promotional Products is Canada’s leading provider of branded merchandise. We help our clients create memorable experiences through promotional products by connecting ideas and solutions. Our service models include:

CUSTOM ORDERS

INCENTIVE & RECOGNITION

BOOK & RUN

ESTORE

WHO ARE WE?

Staples Business Advantage™ is the leading business-to-business supplier in Canada, providing customers with a complete assortment of products and services, including office supplies, technology products, facility solutions, furniture, and business services.

Keep your teams connected and productive when working from home.

Work happens wherever and whenever, so make sure your teams have the right business solutions to get the job done. Get peace of mind with cost-effective solutions that cover all of your home office needs.

2020: UNPRECEDENTED CHANGE

​ he promotional products and business supplies industries have experienced immense turbulence and our competitive landscapes T have changed dramatically. Our closest competitors have been significantly impacted throughout the course of this pandemic.​

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​

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4imprint Says Orders Down 80%

As the largest distributor in the promotional products market, 4imprints performance can be a bellwether for the industry.

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BrandAlliance Canada Goes Into Bankruptcy Ten sales pros from the firm have joined BAMKO (asi/131431), marking a significant expansion into the Canadian market by the Top 40 distributor.

”

2020: UNPRECEDENTED CHANGE

This pandemic has truly shown what we are all capable of.

Whether it’s providing customers with PPE materials or, in your instance as a supply chain professional, trying to get access to supply for your stakeholders, we have all had to transform, and quickly. ​ ​ e pivoted and changed our standard offerings within an W instant. Using our supply chain vendor-partner depth, we shifted from a promotional products and business supplier to an essential company, delivering essential services to help our clients during these challenging times. ​

TOP 10 ESP SEARCH TERMS APRIL 2020

APRIL 2019

Face Mask

1

Pens

Hand Sanitizers

2

Water Bottle

Bandanas

3

Sunglasses

Masks

4

Golf

N95

5

Tote Bags

Neck Gaiter

6

Tumbler

Thermometer

7

Lanyards

Mugs

8

PopSocket

Pens

9

Umbrella

​

Face Shields

10

Koozie

SUPPLY CHAIN REINVENTION

“ SPEED AND AGILITY!”​ ​ ur supply chain leaders transformed what we offer to our O clients as the demand for personal protective equipment (PPE) increased significantly. Our organization stepped outside of comfort zones and processes and worked with speed and agility to meet the demand.

“ STEPPING OUTSIDE COMFORT ZONES & PROCESSES.” MARGARET BLAKE ​ Vice President, Merchandising and Purchasing Staples Business Advantage Canada​

SUPPLY CHAIN REINVENTION

MULTIPLE WORK STREAMS​ Client Prioritization:​ LEVEL 1 – Healthcare/Long-Term Care ​ LEVEL 2 – First Respondents​ LEVEL 3 – Other - Tough Decisions​

“It is important for suppliers to be transparent. The ones that do so will secure and win more business!”​ -Kir ub a Sankar​

SUPPLY CHAIN REINVENTION

SPEED AND AGILITY MULTIPLE WORK STREAMS​ Supply Chain Diversification:​ Secondary Sources: i.e. Hand Sanitizers​ Overnight Diversification – Upfront Pay​ Criteria: Best Cost/Quickest Availability ​ • While maintaining an in-depth vetting process​ 24-48 hour vs. a 4-week process!

“Agility and velocity of what we do will be most important in the future. Speed will be most important in the future.”​ -Patrick Etokudo

SUPPLY CHAIN REINVENTION

SPEED AND AGILITY MULTIPLE WORK STREAMS​ Resource Management​ •4 00% increase in PPE/WFH inventory investment!​ •P ivoting to spot buys​ People Management​ •T ool up sourcing organization ​ •A dding from other departments - “PPE Strike Force”​

“ Supply Chain professionals are connectors, relationship builders, push/pullers of resources.”

-Lori Benson

WHAT DID WE LEARN?

“ How often in life we complete a task that was beyond the capability of the person we were when we started it?”

- Rober t Br ault

“Show your value, while working with your internal clients! Promote supplier management within your organizations. Try to be creative and think outside the box!”

-Dar lene Marino

WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?

SUPPLY CHAIN PROFESSIONALS ARISE! “ Don’t take a ‘wait and see’ attitude and hope that another major disruption to your supply chain doesn’t occur again in the future… it will. Learn from today, plan and prepare for tomorrow.”

WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?

SUPPLY CHAIN PROFESSIONALS ARISE!

CRISIS “Now is the time to leverage and acquire new skill sets and knowledge. It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity to build a success story. What did you do during the pandemic?”

-Wael Safwat

Danger

Opportunity

DIVERSE PERSPECTIVE AND SUPPLY CHAIN PANEL EXECUTIVE CONVERSATION SUMMARY TUESDAY, JULY 7, 2020

DIVERSE PERSPECTIVE AND SUPPLY CHAIN PANEL EXECUTIVE CONVERSATION SUMMARY

TUESDAY, JULY 7, 2020

DARLENE MARINO ​ President a​ nd Supply Chain/Procurement Coach:​ Procurement Management Services ​​ Close relationships and collaboration are key to driving innovation during these times!

It is important to address the gaps in the procurement model and processes. There are many benefits to supplier management that will optimize supplier performance, reduce the risk to your organization and increase collaboration resulting in innovation.

As professionals, we need to show our value by thinking outside of the box, being creative and innovative and working with our internal business clients. Promote supplier management within your organization. Help your internal business clients to develop the framework so they can manage and build successful partnerships with their key suppliers. This is going to be crucial going forward as relationships are going to be more important now than ever.

KIRUBA SANKAR ​ Global Leader, CSR, Global Procurement:​ RBC Royal Bank​ How do we help and provide opportunities to Diverse suppliers?

COVID-19 has impacted diverse suppliers. Throughout the pandemic, they have reached out and stepped up willingly to help. It is important for procurement organizations, when dealing with suppliers, to also look into ways you can support them.

The supply chain profession is under the spotlight right now. There is a great opportunity for professionals to demonstrate value during these times. On the supplier side, transparency and planning are key elements to securing and winning more business. Plan ahead to have inventory in place to prepare for possible product shortages.

DIVERSE PERSPECTIVE AND SUPPLY CHAIN PANEL EXECUTIVE CONVERSATION SUMMARY

TUESDAY, JULY 7, 2020

​LORI BENSON ​ Global Procurement Operations: Ernst & Young​ Do not waste a good crisis!

The supply chain profession is receiving a lot of attention. We have the ears of our leadership teams and now is the time to stand up and provide solutions. We need to be confident in what we can deliver.

Practitioners are connectors, relationship builders, the people on the ground that can assist, especially during challenging times. If our economy and our markets do not sustain themselves through general commerce, additional issues will arise so we need to ensure we support the businesses that are out there. Now is not the time to shy away, now is the time to stand up.

PATRICK ETOKUDO, FSCMP ​ FSCMP General Manager Sherritt International Corporation Crisis ignites innovation.

Where do we go from here? There is only one way, to the future. Things are evolving. The future of the supply chain will be defined by resiliency and flexibility, the ability to bounce back from adversity and disruptions. We want to create efficiencies for our organizations, that is how we create value.

There is a need for supply chain transparency as we must understand what is happening behind-the-scenes. PostCOVID-19, the supply chain must remain innovative.

DIVERSE PERSPECTIVE AND SUPPLY CHAIN PANEL EXECUTIVE CONVERSATION SUMMARY

TUESDAY, JULY 7, 2020

TIM MOORE ​ President/Owner: Tim Moore Associates, Supply Chain Recruiters Cease the opportunity to change and adapt to today’s new reality.

The world has pivoted. The supply chain has been disrupted on a global scale. There has been an anticipated demand for resilient and dynamic supply chains and the supply practitioners that create and manage them. Employers need your guidance and full co-operation. Think outside of the box to assist in the fight against the pandemic. Pre-plan, put measures in place to be ready for the second wave. Assess your supply chain from top to bottom, revisit disaster contingency plans. Increase levels of engagement, communication, and collaboration with your suppliers. How are they helping your efforts to stay ahead of things?

Good firms have struggled and made changes to survive. Great firms reallocate, retrain and resist temptation to terminate staff.

Engage staff and address their mental wellbeing. People will remember how they are treated. Change is the only constant and the new norm, we must embrace and work within it. Tough times never last, tough people do! Your time has arrived.

WAEL SAFWAT ​ Director of Procurement North America: Black & McDonald Ltd​ Build trust to help elevate your career as a supply chain professional.

As supply chain professionals, we should view the pandemic in four circles: 1. What’s in it for me? Focus on your mental health, your ability to leverage and acquire new skill sets, as well as your ability to leverage your knowledge to the community. This could be a once in a lifetime opportunity to build a success story for your career.

2. What’s in it for my organization? How can I help my organization? Bring your expertise and communicate next steps.

3. How can I support my community? How can I support those going through a difficult time? How can I leverage my expertise to support not-for-profit organizations who may not have the ability or commercial leverage to negotiate and secure critical items of commodity during the pandemic?

4. How can I make sure I’m still motivated? Create daily, personal KPI’s of what you have been able to achieve. If your mental health is in tact, that’s an achievement. If you have been able to bring value to your colleagues, organization or peers, that’s another achievement. Daily KPI’s on small and quick wins will keep you motivated.

WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?

TUESDAY, JULY 7, 2020

Staples Observations What have we learned?

Be transparent Provide status updates and communicate issues to keep the supply chain informed and prepared to handle any situation that may arise. A lack of transparency can cause disruption in the supply chain. For suppliers, transparency is key in building trust, securing new clients and winning new business.

Plan ahead Ensure disaster contingency plans are in place. Review your organizations ability to recover from natural disasters, pandemics and geo-political issues. Preventative measures designed and implemented from now will aide in a speedy recovery in the event of a crisis.

Collaborate Work together to produce innovative solutions. Form a partnership beneficial to both the supply chain and suppliers to support each other in times of need.

Add value Provide solutions and create efficiencies for your organization. The supply chain profession is in the spotlight right now, this is a great opportunity to speak up, stand out and add real value by offering your expertise.

DIVERSE PERSPECTIVE AND SUPPLY CHAIN PANEL EXECUTIVE CONVERSATION SUMMARY

TUESDAY, JULY 7, 2020

Closing question: What will you look for in an internal/external partner during unprecedented times like these?

Wael Safwat: Connectivity

Kiruba Sankar: Pivoting

Tim Moore: Engagement

Darlene Marino: Integrity

Patrick Etokudo: Openness

Lori Benson: Trust

LEARN, REBUILD AND MOVE FORWARD: STAPLES PREPAREDNESS SOLUTIONS HOW CAN WE HELP?

PLAN FOR YOUR RETURN TO WORK As preparation for your associates’ return to the workplace begins, health and safety considerations are of the utmost importance. These solutions are designed to support a return strategy that will help ensure your team is welcomed back to an environment that is organized, comfortable, and safe.

LEARN MORE For more details and to place an order, please contact your Staples Promo representative. Or contact us at SPPCanada@Staples.com, 1-800-450-6452

STAPLESSAFETY.CA

Shop readily available or custom Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to help keep you and your organization safe.

SHOP For more details, please contact us at SPPCanada@Staples.com, 1-800-450-6452

OFFICE READINESS GUIDE

The office space that was once familiar has now radically changed.

Providing careful and healthy solutions around the workplace will help bridge the gap of trust, safety, and comfort for everyone.

Our brochure will walk you through considerations for common workspace areas and offer modern, yet effective products and suggestions to ease the transition back to the office.

LEARN MORE For more details and to place an order, please contact your Staples Business Advantage representative. Or contact us at 1-877-272-2121.

StaplesBusinessAdvantage.ca

BizChat with

BIZCHAT PODCAST Staples Business Advantage’s BizChat Podcast provides listeners with a complete assortment of discussions around products and services for businesses. These podcasts cover the latest trends in business products with a panel of experts in the field.

Host Karen Pluthero provides practical advice and ideas to help your organization.

APPLE PODCAST: www.apple.co/3bBV518 SPOTIFY: https://spoti.fi/2CcvKi2 YOUTUBE: https://bit.ly/2VS3XKQ

Thank You!

For more information about Staples Promotional Products please contact:

For more information about Staples Business Advantage please contact:

HUGH LAWSON

OSWIN MENEZES

Director, Business Development M: 905-965-1393 hugh.lawson@staples.com

Sales Manager Business Development M: 416-725-5621 oswin.menezes@staples.com

WWW.STAPLESPROMO.CA

WWW.STAPLESBIZ.CA