NISCL Press Release

Supply Chain Management Association Ontario (SCMAO) together with Supply Chain Management Association British Columbia (SCMABC) rebrands to the National Institute of Supply Chain Leaders (NISCL) 

May 16, 2024, Canada: SCMAO, one of Canada's largest communities of supply chain professionals along with its western counterpart SCMABC rebrands to the National Institute of Supply Chain Leaders (NISCL). 

This change is triggered by the need to reflect the organization's Canada-wide operations and also to amplify the critical role played by the supply chain profession in building a thriving economy, a sustainable future, and an inclusive society. With this new rebrand, NISCL not only aspires to empower supply chain professionals with functional excellence but also leadership excellence, in order to influence critical enterprise decisions. 

"Supply chain professionals have led the Canadian economy with courage and commitment in the past five years - what is clearly marked as one of the most challenging times in the history of Canada's economy. Supply chain professionals have been the frontrunners of Canadian economy during most challenging and disruptive times. They have demonstrated true leadership through their ability to think ahead, solve problems and pivot towards innovative solutions. This rebrand is to ensure that supply chain professionals continue to be recognized for the leadership attributes they demonstrate in driving strategic enterprise success and to ensure that the next generation of supply chain leaders are prepared to meet the expectation of employers" - says Al-Azhar Khalfan, President and CEO of NISCL (formerly operating as SCMAO). 

This change is also reflected in the rebrand of the Certified Supply Chain Management Professional (CSCMP) Designation, Canada's leading designation for supply chain professionals, which is bestowed by SCMAO. With the rebrand, this Designation will transition to the NISCL, Certified Supply Chain Leader (CSCL) Designation to reflect the excellence of its new curriculum, which is benchmarked against global standards and is emblematic of NISCL's brand attributes. Our new brand attributes include: strategic thinking, a sense of responsibility, self-confidence and self-knowledge, integrity and professional pride, ability to influence by providing purpose, direction and motivation - all of which culminate to defining Leadership attributes. This is a change for existing CSCMP Designation holders, who can continue to use the CSCMP Designation in addition to the NISCL- CSCL Designation, that is, represent themselves with [First Name] [Last Name], NISCL-CSCL/ CSCMP Designation holder. 

The L in the logo clearly symbolizes these Leadership attributes. The different gradations of blue in our logo indicate the various, integrated functions of supply chain and the long continuous line shows our representation of end-to-end supply chain. The continuous line also represents the fact that leadership is a continuum, and a never-ending learning path. The various levels of L are a great reflection of the different categories of the new NISCL-CSCL Designation. 

“Supply chain professionals are critical team members working in a wide range of industries, helping to solve complex problems during emergencies and sustaining daily operations,” said Patrick Shannon, President of NISCL BC, (formerly SCMABC). “SCMABC joining forces with SCMAO in the creation of our new national NISCL and a new NISCL, Certified Supply Chain Leader Designation is significant and will propel our profession to new levels. At NISCL we are committed to bringing heightened awareness of the role supply chain professionals play in the global economy; on procurement and distribution of consumer goods; in helping to provide solutions during the climate emergency; in helping to improve our country’s health care system and so much more. 

In terms of membership benefits at NISCL, we are delivering unique education offerings and networking events for our community. At the same time, we are building public awareness to further elevate recognition that supply chain leaders, with the NISCL, Certified Supply Chain Leader Designation (CSCL) are being recognized as an integral part of any company, organization, or institution’s success. This is an exciting time to be a supply chain professional in Canada!”

Recognizing that the scope of the global supply chain community has expanded exponentially, and that change is imperative, NISCL's focus on benchmarking against global standards is also reflected in its recent partnership with CIPS - one of world's largest supply chain and procurement associations. NISCL is now the exclusive Canadian partner of CIPS. By virtue of this partnership, NISCL designation holders will be offered a pathway towards the MCIPS designation offered by CIPS. This is the first step towards a broader partnership between the two organizations. 

With this rebrand NISCL is building a future-ready community of Canadian supply chain leaders. The supply chain landscape is evolving constantly. The need to re-invent and innovate is now more pressing than ever. Therefore, this rebrand indicates the beginning of a new era - one that is marked by transformation, growth and the re-establishment of a standard excellence for the supply chain profession. 

Boilerplate: National Institute of Supply Chain Leaders (NISCL) is one of Canada's largest communities for supply chain professionals, with over 4,000+ members and a broader community of 13,000+ supply chain professionals. Our vision is to enhance employer recognition for the supply chain profession through development of functional and leadership excellence. Anchored by a legacy of 35 years and fueled by a vision that has the future of supply chain at its core, the rebranded NISCL is committed to strengthening the supply chain network, which embodies end to end supply chain and its key functions. The supply chain profession has never been more vital to the progress of the Canadian economy and as the profession continues to be in the spotlight, we are on a steadfast path to deliver on our purpose: to promote awareness of the important role of supply chain management in society, as well as the career potential within the field.