Hedge funds are betting that the price of cocoa will rise on concern that the deadly Ebola disease will disrupt supplies from West Africa, which produces 70 percent of the global supply.

"Planning for disruption" can seem like a contradiction in terms, but there are measures that food companies can take to protect themselves from the inevitable crises that threaten to derail their supply chains, however unpredictable they might be, says Brian Benjamin, senior director of strategic accounts with Havi Global Solutions.

The issue of ethical sourcing is a point of contention among procurement and supply chain professionals. The general sentiment is that the balancing act of being globally competitive and remaining a genuine corporate citizen is getting harder and harder. This is especially true for the rag trade. Apparel companies are consistently faced with the challenge of reducing costs while upholding ethical labour practices within their supply chain. How procurement and supply chain professionals in the sector manage this plays an increasingly important role in protecting company margins, brand reputation and growth. So what are the issues and factors at play and how can the risks involved be managed?

The Affordable Care Act is having a huge impact on the healthcare industry. And supply-chain is at the leading edge of the transformation. Vance Moore, vice president of operations with Mercy, talks about how the discipline is helping healthcare providers to adapt.

Getting bad publicity, losing customers and being subject to criminal consequences are just a few of the risks an organization can face when its procurement professionals are unaware of constantly changing social responsibility concerns.