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How Blockchain is Reshaping Supply Chains Beyond Finance

The benefits of transparency, security, and efficiency could be useful in dozens of industries when sourcing and managing supply chains, says Julie Lamb, Head of Events at Crypto Mondays.

May 22, 2024, 4:00 p.m.
(Unsplash+/Getty Images)
(Unsplash+/Getty Images)

Have you ever wondered about the true potential of blockchain technology beyond its association with finance? Blockchain offers transparency, security, and efficiency, revolutionizing processes and unlocking new opportunities for businesses worldwide. Hence, the expected growth trajectories in the coming years.

Below we look at how these benefits can provide advantages to companies adopting blockchain tech beyond pure financial applications.

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Transparency: There’s a common misconception that blockchain technology lacks transparency. In reality, it is inherently transparent, thanks to a decentralized ledger system. Each transaction is recorded on a public ledger, enabling quick and easy identification of affected products. This transparency enhances accountability and trust in supply chains, ensuring consumer safety and product integrity.

Simplicity: While blockchain technology may seem complex at first glance, businesses can benefit from simplified explanations and practical applications. By focusing on real-world case studies and actionable insights, organizations that are using data science like GE, IBM, PayPal, AWS, Uber, John Deere, NASA and others have grasped data-driven insights across various sectors and its potential to streamline operations, enhance security, and drive innovation.

Global Adoption: Blockchain is revolutionizing industry applications ranging from supply chain management and healthcare to voting systems and digital identity verification. For example, AWS introduced Track and Trace with Amazon Managed Blockchain, a fully-managed service that automatically scales to meet the demands of thousands of applications running millions of transactions. Added benefits to leveraging supply chains with blockchain include scalability, cost reduction, transparency and ease of process automation.

Track and trace - amazon

Sustainability: Some major companies are leveraging blockchains for sustainability and fair treatment of workers purposes. In recent news, Mondelēz International, the parent to brands like Oreo, Ritz, Clif Bar, Cadbury, and Toblerone, announced that it’s joining the Hedera Council, the entity that governs the Hedera Network, “a sustainable public ledger for the decentralized economy.” By tapping Web3 tech, the Council expects Mondelēz to increase business efficiency and sustainability and innovate across customer engagement.

Conclusion: It's not too late to explore the vast opportunities in the blockchain space. As the industry continues to evolve and mature, early adopters stand to benefit from investment opportunities, technological advancements, and market growth. Blockchain tech holds immense potential beyond finance, offering transparency, security, and efficiency across various industries. By dispelling myths, embracing opportunities, and staying informed, businesses can harness the power of blockchain to drive innovation, foster trust, and achieve sustainable growth.

Note: The views expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of CoinDesk, Inc. or its owners and affiliates.

Note: The views expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of CoinDesk, Inc. or its owners and affiliates.

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