#42 - Dr. Kerstin Höfle | Körber Supply Chain | Conquering Sustainability in the Supply Chain

Innovation Rockstars

“Logistics is sexy. It's a cool industry to work in. The same goes for innovation - it's also very sexy. You just have to find a way to make it happen. Don't give up. It sometimes takes some time and patience.” In this episode, we are joined by Dr. Kerstin Höfle, Vice President R&D and Product Management at Körber Supply Chain. Together with her team, Kerstin is responsible for the automation portfolio, driving knowledge creation and implementing new technologies and solution approaches at Körber Supply Chain. Among other things, we dive into the topic of sustainability: What does sustainability mean for the logistics industry? Where does it come into play? Why are collaborations so important to successfully implement this topic? And what is it about the special challenge of the "last mile"? We also address the question of how attractive the logistics industry is perceived to be today and what needs to be done to bring the right talent on board. Curious to find out more? Then tune in. The episode at a glance: Who is Kerstin? (00:01:32) Kerstin, please complete the 3 sentence starters… (00:02:56) Trends & Sustainability in Logistics What is the health of our global supply chains today? (00:05:40) What are some of the hottest trends on your radar right now? (00:06:55) How should sustainability be addressed in the areas of warehousing and transportation? (00:09:25) Given where logistics is today: Where is the most urgent need for innovation? (00:11:07) The “Either-Or” game (00:15:11) Innovation & Logistics at Körber What’s the real driver for innovation: Market pull or technology push? (00:18:41) How is Körber tracking changing market conditions and new technologies or new technology applications? (00:19:59) Did COVID impact the way of Körber interacts with the market and the customers? (00:21:08) How does the technology & innovation management process at Körber Supply Chain look like? (00:22:17) How does innovation work along the supply chain? Do you regularly involve partners, e.g., via open innovation? (00:24:23) Are there specific team members delegated to the task of partnering/ partner scouting? (00:25:34) How is Körber driving transparency and communication within the internal innovation process? (00:26:19) What does talent acquisition look like at Körber? (00:28:13) Kerstin's advice for ambitious and dedicated talents when entering the "real world" of logistics (00:30:55) Kerstin’s 3 key takeaways of this episode (00:32:54) A look into the future: What to expect from Kerstin and Körber Supply Chain in the future (00:33:42) The Innovation Rockstar moment (00:34:16) *** If you would like to give us feedback on this episode or know someone who also has some thrilling stories or insights to share from the world of corporate innovation (maybe yourself?), just shoot us a note at [e-mail]. *** LISTEN - LIKE - SHARE You like our show? Then leave us a rating or a review on Spotify or Apple Podcast and share it with colleagues and friends and whomever!