It was the hottest year on record in 2023 and it is rewriting the rules of global supply chains as businesses readjust to the impact  of climate change and extreme weather events. Tune in as we connect historical tree ring data with contemporary weather patterns to underscore the urgency of environmental stewardship in our interwoven world. In this episode, we also chart the potential seismic shifts caused by the US's bold tariff increase on Chinese imports and the immediate international response it provoked. With the world's economic titans caught in a diplomatic dance, we scrutinize the impact on the European auto industry as it plans strategic manoeuvres to cope with changes. We examine the geopolitical chess game following Xi and Putin's summit, with implications that could rattle the pillars of Western economic clout.

Undercurrents of the erosion of trust in UK water supply companies—a byproduct of neglecting critical infrastructure for the sake of profit, a theme that resonates deeply in the climate change era and cost of living crisis facing many communities. And the alarming state of Britain's waterways, tarnished by the very companies tasked with preserving them, offers a sobering reflection on corporate responsibility. Companies stripped of assets and loaded with debt since privatization in 1989 along with mega salaries for CEO’s of these failing businesses. It is argued it is time for government intervention as public health is threatened by the mismanagement of these essential public assets now in owned by foreign investors. The UK water industry a system not fit for purpose.

And as for Boeing, the skies look anything but clear with legal thunderclouds looming on the horizon.We'll also expose the underbelly of the aviation and pharmaceutical industries, with Boeing's legal entanglements potentially jeopardizing its future, large pay settlements for an outgoing CEO and UK pharmacies buckling under financial pressure while big pharma reaps profits. The societal repercussions of bank branch closures make for a gripping discussion on the evolving landscape of community banking in the UK and US. 

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About Tony Hines and the Chain Reaction Podcast – All About Supply Chain Advantage
I have been researching and writing about supply chains for over 25 years. I wrote my first book on supply chain strategies in the early 2000s. The latest edition is published in 2024 available from Routledge, Amazon and all good book stores. Each week we have special episodes on particular topics relating to supply chains. We have a weekly news round up every Saturday at 12 noon...