Embedding Sustainability and Circularity With Material Intelligence for Responsible Sourcing in Digital Supply Chains with Veera Johnson, Co-Founder of Circulor
- S1E57
- 21:17
- May 5th 2021
In Latin, the word Circulor means 'to form groups'. Doing business responsibly is now a business imperative and enabling the network effect through sustainable supply chains and circular economy is Circulor's unique mission.
In episode 57, host Sheri Hinish (SupplyChainQueen) chats with Veera Johnson - supply chain extraordinaire, woman of many trades including owning a retail operation at 16 + an acting feature in Aladdin, and current co-founder of Circulor. We explore why sustainable benefits in supply chains have historically been consequential, not intentional. Veera urges that traceability at scale - including digital identity and the tracking of physical material composition - is available now to enable 2nd and 3rd use, in a reuse, circular economy.
Traceability-as-a-Service, to verify responsible sourcing, and to underpin effective reverse supply chain infrastructure is unpacked, including the parts of OEM's supply chains that most currently have little real visibility into. Within mapped supply chains, Veera shares how she has proved responsible sourcing in mining cobalt and 28 other raw materials including green steel in battery production in engagement with Volvo and Polestar. Lastly, with a breadth of experience, Veera shares hard-earned lessons that patience, creating the space for change, and self care are critical to success.
To learn more about Veera and Circulor, visit https://www.circulor.com/ and connect on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/veera-johnson-3830271/
To learn more about the Supply Chain Revolution, visit SupplyChainQueen.com
Supply Chain Revolution
The supply chain podcast where sustainability, AI, and global trade strategy collide. If you run supply chains, set procurement strategy, or lead enterprise transformation, this is the show that connects the dots others miss.
Hosted by Sheri Hinish, the Supply Chain Queen, each episode tackles the questions keeping executives up at night: how tariffs and trade disruption reshape sourcing and supplier networks, where agentic AI and automation are actually delivering ROI in supply chain planning, what reshoring and nearshoring mean for sustainability commitments, how to operationalize ESG and Scope 3 reporting without destroying margins, and why the companies building circular economy and regenerative supply chains are outperforming those that are not.
Guests include senior leaders from Microsoft, SAP, IBM, Amazon, Starbucks, Unilever, MIT, TerraCycle, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, and the most ambitious climate technology companies in the world. These are not scripted talking points. These are real operators, real decisions, and real outcomes.
Whether the topic is autonomous supply chain planning, digital twins, supply chain cybersecurity, trade compliance, sustainable procurement, carbon data transparency, or the talent pipeline for next generation supply chain leaders, every episode delivers frameworks you can use Monday morning.
Built for chief supply chain officers, heads of procurement, sustainability leaders, operations executives, technologists, policymakers, and graduate students in supply chain management, operations, and sustainability. If your role touches global supply chains, this show was made for you.
Sheri Hinish is an award winning executive strategist, board advisor, and global thought leader in supply chain transformation, sustainability, and AI. She is the Founder of Supply Chain Revolution Global and previously led sustainability consulting at EY and IBM. Featured in The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, The Economist, and Forbes. Named the number one Global Supply Chain Leader and Top 250 Leaders in Sustainability. She speaks regularly at COP, New York Climate Week, Reuters Events, and Gartner Supply Chain Symposium.
Show notes and resources at supplychainqueen.com
Full episodes on YouTube at youtube.com/@supplychainqueen
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Keywords: supply chain, sustainability, AI, artificial intelligence, ESG, tariffs, trade policy, procurement, reshoring, nearshoring, circular economy, Scope 3, digital transformation, supply chain management, supply chain technology, supply chain leadership, agentic AI, climate tech, supply chain strategy
Learn more at supplychainqueen.com
My purpose is to make a meaningful impact for the clients, colleagues, partners, and communities I serve. I have spent my career at the intersection of supply chain, sustainability and innovation in large-scale transformation. I’d love to walk with you on your journey.
I'm the Founder and Host of the Supply Chain Revolution podcast. In my day role, I currently serve as the Global Consulting Sustainability Services, Technology + Ecosystems Leader at EY serving across sectors, alliances, sustainability solutions, and digital ventures. I formerly led Sustainability Services + Alliances at IBM with a passion for sustainable supply chain, circularity, and hardening emerging sustainability tech use cases.
Colleagues and clients affectionately call me the nickname “Supply Chain Queen.” I'm recognized as a trusted partner that F500 companies consistently leverage for connected transformation, end-to-end digital supply chain, purpose-driven leadership, and disruptive thinking in embedding sustainability and emerging innovation in transformations.
Recent awards include: Top 250 leaders in Sustainability (2025), Leaders in Excellence, Supply & Demand Chain Executive (2025), Top 100 Women in Sustainability and Supply Chain (2024), Top 50 influencer in Sustainability by Onalytica (2023), 100 Women in 2023 by March8 Magazine, the 2021 #1 Supply Chain Leader by Supply Chain Digital, a 2022, 2021, 2020 & 2019 Supply & Demand Chain Executive "Pro to Know," the "People's Choice 2020 Global Woman in Supply Chain Leader,” and a Corporate Vision Excellence award in 2020.
I’m a Rebel who loves creating, building, and bringing out the best in people, helping to grow high-performance teams. I've made a career in turn-around and scaling high growth opportunities (product, solutions, infrastructure for practice areas and alliances), simplifying the complex, rethinking paradigms for F500 clients, mainly in CPG, Financial Services, Retail, Advanced Manufacturing, Chemicals and Energy.
I am a graduate lecturer in Sustainability at the University of Arkansas and have a Masters from Harvard University with emphasis in Sustainability + Liberal Arts. I hold 2 credentials from Rutgers University with highest distinction (Beta Gamma Sigma), an MS in Supply Chain Management, and a Mini-MBA in Digital Supply Chain. I also have a BS in Business, Supply Chain Management (Summa Cum Laude) from the University of Maryland. I hold an IBM Industry Academy Expert designation (in Consumer), Project Management Professional (PMP), and Lean Six Sigma Greenbelt.
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