Cascale Discusses the Impact of Tariffs on Global Trade and Sourcing Landscape
Cascale’s senior director of brand and retailer membership, Joleen Ong, joined a panel at the recent Innovation Forum in New York to discuss the impact of tariffs on the global trade and sourcing landscape and explore strategies that can streamline supply chains, build resilience, and drive sustainability.
Ong moderated the discussion titled "Global Disruptions: Navigating Responsible Sourcing for Efficient and Resilient Value Chains," joined by Annie Agle, vice president of impact and sustainability at Cotopaxi, and Chana Rosenthal, apparel consultant, manufacturing and supply chain, at NYU Stern Center for Sustainable Business.
Kicking off the discussion by setting the stage, Ong highlighted the crucial inflection points in the global consumer industry where tariff shifts, climate disasters, and shifting sourcing patterns are converging. She emphasized the importance of building agile strategies that are not only equitable but also align with climate goals.
Highlighting the impact of ongoing cost pressures and shifting market demands on suppliers, Ong shared data insights from Better Buying that noted less than 49 percent of suppliers were paid enough to cover production costs. She explored how companies can balance short-term agility with long-term supplier viability — and the role responsible purchasing practices have to play in building more resilient supply chains. For companies selling through retailers rather than direct-to-consumer, margin flexibility is also shaped by retailer price negotiations and consumer expectations.
Ong concluded by emphasizing the importance of implementing sourcing strategies that can mitigate physical climate risk and support decarbonization. She noted how climate stressors such as heatwaves, floods, droughts are influencing sourcing decisions and highlighted investment in shared renewables and Higg FEM aligned roadmaps, and supporting regional decarbonization efforts as solutions to help mitigate climate risks.
