Centric Brands Uses Inspectorio AI for Risk Management, Responsible Sourcing
One fashion firm is using a third-party partner to make its sourcing process more AI-centric.
Centric Brands, which licenses brands like Izod, Coach, Kate Spade and Michael Kors, has expanded its partnership with Inspectorio, the technology company announced Wednesday. The two were already partnered on a limited basis, but this announcement signifies a more formal commitment on Centric’s behalf, Mark Burstein, senior vice president of Americas for Inspectorio, told Sourcing Journal.
More from Sourcing Journal
Now, the company has signed on for AI-powered supply chain automation. The company will leverage Inspectorio’s lab testing tool, which aggregates and standardizes testing data from labs and supplier factories throughout the supply chain, which gives greater insight into the quality testing and compliance behind each individual SKU. It also plans to to use Inspectorio’s compliance tools to ensure that its brands’ supply chains remain in line, particularly as more regulations emerge around sustainability and human rights in different jurisdictions.
Burstein said that while the tools are suited for strict compliance management and quality visibility, they also give Centric the opportunity to provide direct feedback to, and collaborate with, its suppliers at various tiers of the supply chain. For instance, a brand may ask a supplier to re-evaluate the materials it uses for specific garments based on information from the centralized and accessible platform.
“Responsible sourcing is about more than just ticking a compliance box—it’s about making an impact in the places you operate. More than ever, the impact companies have on people and planet is influencing their bottom lines,” Burstein told Sourcing Journal. “Through Inspectorio, Centric Brands will help suppliers do the right things, improve their performance and use those results to drive stronger brands globally. Data and insights from the supply chain are available within the Inspectorio platform in real time, empowering supply chain teams to act immediately toward these goals.”
Oftentimes, large organizations with multiple brands in their portfolios have silos internally which prevent data sharing—in most cases, unintentionally. Burstein said Centric’s choice to link with Inspectorio should help break down barriers between teams, brands and business units.
“The larger and more complex an organization, the harder it can be to collaborate and break through data silos. Traditionally, we see large quality or sustainability teams each with their own systems and processes. This creates challenges for suppliers who in some cases are duplicating tests, inspections, reporting, and all sorts of other activities,” Burstein said. “To succeed in today’s world, where consumers want high-quality goods that also reflect their global values—and with increasing legislation and regulations—it’s important to bring these supply chain silos down and instead take a centralized approach.”
Because Centric Brands holds the licenses to over 100 brands, it has a slew of data to handle and process. Marc Compagnon, president of Centric Brands Asia, said working with Inspectorio will help the company as it shifts toward a new internal technology strategy.
“Centric Brands operates a highly complex business model, executing the industry’s largest and most successful licensing model,” Compagnon said in a statement. “Data is the lifeblood of our operations, and Centric Brands has undergone a significant data-driven digital transformation. Inspectorio will play a key role in that transformation by streamlining our supply chain operations to help drive continued growth.”
Solve the daily Crossword
