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Supply Chain and Logistics Conferences to Attend in 2021

Editor’s Note: This is one of the most popular posts we publish every year: our list of supply chain and logistics events to attend in the year ahead. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, many of these events were either cancelled or reimagined as virtual events in 2020. This year’s list remains a work in progress. Some events, such as the Food Shippers of America Annual Conference (which had been scheduled for late February), have already been cancelled; others will be virtual again this year, while some, particularly those scheduled for the fall, are currently being planned as in-person events. Therefore, please check the event websites for the latest updates. Also, if you have a favorite industry conference not included on the list, please post it in the comments.

Despite the Covid-19 pandemic, or maybe because of it, peer-to-peer learning and networking is more important than ever for supply chain and logistics professionals. Conferences, whether they occur in-person or virtually, are a great example of peer-to-peer learning in action. However, with so many options available, how do you decide which ones to attend? As I’ve shared in the past, here are three questions you should ask yourself:

1. Does the conference agenda align with the key initiatives I’m working on? Simply put, give priority to events where you will walk away with knowledge and information that you can immediately apply at your company to get your job done better and faster. And if you require the support of your technology and 3PL partners to accomplish your initiatives, then you should attend their user conferences and schedule meetings with their senior executives to let them know what’s working well and what improvements they can make to better serve you.

2. Will I learn something new, particularly in an area that I don’t know much about today but is critically important for my career and leadership development? If you’re a transportation professional, for example, and all you know is transportation, your opportunities for advancement are limited compared to someone who has a broader supply chain perspective. So, go ahead, attend a session on Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP), supply chain risk management, business intelligence and analytics, or other areas outside your comfort zone to brighten your horizon.

3. Does the event promote peer-to-peer learning and networking or will I spend most of my time sitting through numerous PowerPoint presentations? In my experience, events that enable attendees to share knowledge and advice with each other (via small breakout sessions, for example) instead of just sitting through an endless stream of PowerPoint presentations, provide the greatest learning value.

Obviously, point #3 above is the biggest drawback to virtual conferences. As one of our Indago members commented in a survey we conducted last year on virtual supply chain conferences:

“I think virtual conferences are a great option during the pandemic, but certainly not the way they should continue. Too much of the benefit of in-person conferences is about networking with other attendees which can’t occur over video.”

Nonetheless, as we begin 2021, take another look at your budget and calendar and make sure you’re not skimping on talent and leadership development this year.

Below is a short list of the supply chain and logistics conferences scheduled for 2021. I’ve attended many of them in previous years, often as a speaker, and I’ve always walked away with some great insights and new business connections. Also, here are some posts I wrote last year sharing my takeaways from various conferences:

I hope to see many of you, either virtually or in-person, at one or more of the following conferences this coming year. If you’re an event organizer and are interested in having me speak at your conference, please contact me.

Happy learning and networking in 2021!

Vendor Conferences (alphabetical order)

Industry Conferences (chronological order)

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