University of Bath School of Management

Related Links:

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► Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra)
► Centre for Research in Strategic Purchasing and Supply (CRiSPS)

Mike Lewis, Professor in Supply Strategy at the University of Bath School of Management, chaired and facilitated the second annual Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) supplier conference entitled ‘Building a Relationship within a Sustainable Supply Chain’.

The event, which welcomed more than 150 delegates, took place on 7th March and was held at the Victoria Park Plaza, London.

Speakers included Sir Jonathan Porritt, Helen Ghosh (Permanent Secretary at Defra), Sir Ian Andrews (Second Permanent Under-Secretary at the MOD) and Matthew Taylor (Chief Executive of the RSA).

The event also included the presentation of the Defra Procurement Awards 2008 which encourage and recognise supplier excellence in helping Defra deliver its corporate agenda. 

In all of the awards the judges (Mike Lewis, Jonathan Porritt and Helen Ghosh) looked for applications that demonstrated innovation and creativity and a willingness to achieve a high performing Defra, whilst improving the reputation and effectiveness of their own organization.

Professor Mike Lewis said:

“I was delighted to have been asked to assist with this important conference and to take part in the judging of the Defra Procurement Awards. We are excited by Defra’s work and the School of Management is looking forward to further collaboration”.

Notes to Editors
Mike Lewis is Professor of Operations and Supply Management and member of the internationally renowned Centre for Research in Strategic Purchasing and Supply (CRiSPS).

Defra (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) is a UK Government Department. The overarching challenge for Defra is to enable everyone to live within our environmental means. This is most clearly exemplified by the need to:

• tackle climate change internationally and through domestic action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and
• secure a healthy, resilient, productive and diverse natural environment.

Central to achieving these goals will be reducing the environmental impact of the lifestyles we lead, the products that the country’s economy produces and consumes, and the waste we produce. We also need to reduce the global impact of our food production and consumption, improving the contribution that a profitable and competitive farming industry in this country can make to our environment.