Getting the “S” Right: Designing Human-Centered Supply Chains for the Future

At the center—literally and figuratively—of the ESG equation lies the “S”: Social.It’s the most human dimension of Environmental, Social, and Governance standards, and the one that determines whether companies can build not just compliance—but culture, trust, and long-term value.

At B Global by Design, we believe the “S” isn’t an afterthought. It’s the core design principle of every resilient system. Why? Because the “E” and “G” depend on it. Decisions about resources and governance are made by people—and it’s people, across entire value chains, who feel their impacts. See our advisory services or Creative Innovation Labs for more. 

What “S” Really Means

Social performance covers areas like:

• Human rights and community relations

• Health, safety, and fair labor

• Ethical business conduct and transparency

• Equity and inclusion across contracts and employment

Too often, these principles stop at the first tier of suppliers. Yet global supply chains extend deep into second and third tiers where the most vulnerable workers live and work. If companies truly want to future-proof their businesses, they must design systems where social responsibility, equity, and excellence flow through the entire chain—from headquarters to harvesters.

There is no social standard that is unreasonable to implement or bad for business. Paying workers fairly, protecting communities, and investing in safety aren’t moral luxuries—they’re economic multipliers.

Research consistently shows that companies with strong social performance achieve:✅ Higher employee retention and innovation✅ Lower operational and reputational risk✅ Greater access to capital and new markets✅ Enhanced brand value and customer trust

In short, investing in people is profitable.

Lessons from the Field

For more than two decades, I’ve worked on agricultural and manufacturing supply chains across Africa, Asia, and Latin America. The lesson is always the same: when corporations engage early and deeply—helping producers organize, access finance, and connect to fair markets—product quality improves, communities stabilize, and everyone wins.

Take Olam’s work with farmers in Mozambique. By providing microloans, technical training, and clear agreements, the company didn’t just reduce defaults; it raised productivity, loyalty, and quality. Similarly, Shared-X Impact Farming and Barry Callebaut’s partnership with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) show that empowering producers through data, financing, and training enhances both sustainability and profitability.

Contrast that with disengagement. When companies ignore what happens at the producer level—when they don’t invest in the “S”—they lose control of risk. Exploitation, resource depletion, and community conflict thrive in the shadows of neglect.

The Fear Factor—and the Cost of Avoidance

Why do so many corporations hesitate to engage the third tier? Fear. Fear of corruption, unfamiliar markets, or political instability. Fear of reputational risk.

But avoidance is a risk. By staying out of emerging markets, companies inadvertently sustain the very problems ESG seeks to solve. When fair players withdraw, exploitative ones move in. The result: environmental destruction, child labor, lost trust, and eventually, supply instability.

Meanwhile, competitors from Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East are forging partnerships, building local goodwill, and securing resources for the long term. As Western companies hesitate, others are designing the future of sustainable supply chains.

What It Looks Like to Get “S” Right

Getting the “S” right is not about charity—it’s about co-design. It means engaging suppliers and communities as partners in innovation, not recipients of aid. It means applying human-centered design, creative problem-solving, and systems thinking to complex social and economic challenges. 

That’s what we at B Global by Design are building.

Our Creative Innovation Labs (CI-Labs) bring together corporations, foundations, local governments, and creative communities to co-design solutions that strengthen supply chains, unlock new markets, and build local capacity. We focus on what we call creative engines for change—artists, designers, entrepreneurs, and cultural innovators who drive both social value and business opportunity.

Through these labs, we help organizations:

• Map and understand their full social ecosystem

• Engage third-tier suppliers through equitable partnerships

• Build capacity for local creative enterprises

• Generate measurable ESG impact stories that go beyond compliance

Because sustainable systems are human systems.

A Call to Design Differently

The “S” is where profit meets purpose, where supply chains become communities, and where ESG becomes more than a report—it becomes a story of shared success.

At B Global by Design, we’re helping companies, governments, and communities co-create that story. By designing social systems that honor creativity, dignity, and local intelligence, we’re redefining what global responsibility looks like—from the ground up.

In the end, getting the “S” right isn’t just good ethics—it’s good business.And it’s the foundation of the future we’re all trying to design.

About the Author:Kristin Lobron is the Founder and President of B Global by Design, a nonprofit advancing creative economies as engines of economic growth, social cohesion, and cultural influence. With more than 25 years in international development and economic growth, she works at the intersection of creativity, social innovation, market access, and systems change.