Connect 2017: Cotton On Group’s Supplier Engagement Conference

26th May, 2017

Tuesday, May 22nd saw the Cotton On Group hold its ‘Connect 2017’ event, an annual engagement conference bringing together over 200 of the company’s suppliers, in Shanghai, China.

With a focus on face-to-face engagement and learning, 50 members from across the Cotton On Group attended the conference, driving discussion alongside external industry experts on topics that contribute to successful supplier partnerships: sustainability, lead time and flexibility, logistics and quality.

The agenda also aimed to give suppliers greater insight into the Cotton On Group as well as the retail industry more broadly, with a presentation on global macroeconomic trends, interviews with brand general managers, a look at the Group’s objectives and plans for the future, and sessions focusing on the important issues of sustainability and workers’ rights.

The yearly event is not only an opportunity for the Group to educate suppliers on its values and strategic frameworks, but also provides a platform to strengthen relationships and encourage a healthy two-way dialogue. This year, conversation was facilitated in part through a mobile event app allowing attendees to interact with presentation content, post comments and images, and participate in live polling questions.

One of the most highly-anticipated portions of the day was the annual awards ceremony, which saw the Group conclude the conference by recognising and thanking high-performing suppliers – a proud moment for all winners.

Stay tuned in the coming weeks for an in-depth look into some of the topics covered.