Responsible Reflections Blog

For 30 years, NACD Responsible Distribution^® has helped set the benchmark in the chemical industry, ensuring our membership is committed to a culture of continuous improvement and high standards.

As we look to wrap up the 7th Cycle of our mandatory third-party verified environmental, health, safety, and security program, remember that our team is always on hand to offer advice and guidance with its implementation and assist you through the process.

More than 600 members of NACD joined us in November at our first in-person Annual Meeting in two years – a remarkable turnout for any year, and especially outstanding given the current situation with COVID-19.

Of course, this particular event was also special for many other reasons – not least because it marked the association’s 50th anniversary and the 30th year of the Responsible Distribution program.

A lot of planning went into those few days last month and we really focused on attracting our best-ever lineup of speakers. And judging by the post-meeting feedback, it seems we achieved our goal.

There were certainly plenty of talking points at this year’s Annual Meeting, and the consensus among all who attended was that it was a resounding success. I’d go so far as to say it was one of the most complicated to arrange– given all the COVID-19 protocols and the additional security requirements from having a former U.S. President join us. And in my humble opinion, I truly believe it was also one of our best Annual Meetings ever.

Thanksgiving is always a good time for reflection; taking a moment to remind yourself of all your accomplishments, goals that have been reached, projects that have been completed, new customers that have been secured. The year is nearly over and while we’re not in any position to slow down with a supply chain crisis and a massive reconciliation budget under consideration by Congress, I still believe it’s an important exercise to set time aside for gratitude.

Amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, businesses are working hard to reopen their doors and encourage employees back to the workplace as they seek some semblance of normalcy. As an essential industry that has continued operating throughout the crisis, chemical distributors and their employees may find this transition a little less distressing than other industries, suggests Trevor Shylock, Senior Consultant at talent management specialist PSI Services LLC.

The chemical distribution industry is a major economic engine. Businesses in this industry deliver valuable products safely and securely every day to a variety of market segments. Within these businesses are chemistry professionals who bring integrity, ingenuity, and research methods to the products chemical distributors sell, or even what they buy.

During our recent industry forum, a distribution sales leader mentioned that his sales team is not achieving sales goals consistently. He went on to say that when they do, profitability takes a hit. Another executive in the group asked if they provide growth playbooks, and the distribution sales leader emphatically said yes. The follow-up question brought the conversation to a long, thoughtful pause: “Are those playbooks seller-specific and customer-data driven?” The answer was no. This incident represents many sales organizations that under-utilize one of their most valuable assets: customer data.

I always enjoy when policy issues become the epicenter of focus for mainstream media. The ongoing supply chain issues we are currently encountering are certainly a great case study reinforcing this phenomenon. At any given time, you can turn on CNBC, Fox Business, or other cable news outlets and hear the breaking developments from some reporter who’s become the latest expert on the current supply chain mess.