Business and supply chain: what are the hot topics?

The true complexity and scale of a company's supply chain is often something that remains behind closed doors, with the idea that for the consumer, what's out of sight is out of mind.

This of course has been given particular prominence in the press recently with the rapidly escalating horsemeat scandal. The revelations over the past few weeks has left governments, business and consumers unable to ignore the urgent need for far more traceability and accountability in supply chains. It also highlights the cost of sustainable production and as Michael Gidney, CEO at Fairtrade Foundation, writes, the need to rethink cheap food which has maintained its place on supermarket shelves thanks to the squeeze placed on farmers and producers.

However, it's not just food systems that have come into the firing line. Just this weekend, fashion retailer Monsson Accessorize, was accused of placing pressure on its suppliers after it ordered a mandatory 4% supplier invoice discount and increased its payment time from 60 days to 90.

In November last year, over 100 workers were killed in a factory fire at a garment factory just outside of Bangladesh's capital, Dhaka. Safety standards in the multi-storey factory were questioned as it emerged that managers had told people to remain in the building and witnesses reported that locked exit doors prevented workers from being able to escape. Fashion retailers were criticised for remaining silent on the issues surrounding safety in supplier factories, where low wages and substandard working conditions persist in countries such as Bangladesh and China.

Alongside labour standards and the human rights issues embroiled in factory suppliers, we'll be aiming to explore supply chain in its broadest sense. Coverage will range from environmental considerations such as how to tackle the impact of climate change, to empowering producers and ensuring fair wages, to strategy questions such as what are the alternative business models and where to go next with certification.

As with any search for sustainability solutions, the consumer will also play a key role and over the coming year, we'll be looking at whether the tide is changing in consumer demand and expectations, the role of education and awareness campaigns and the ways that business can tackle fair commodity pricing; how can companies ensure value in their supply chains yet meet price expectations?

Over the next 12 months, in partnership with Fairtrade Foundation, we will bring you the latest comment, debate and best practice on sustainability in the supply chain. We'll be dissecting the environmental, social and business aspects outlined above and far more.

As we kick off coverage, now is the perfect time for you, our readers, to let us know what areas you'd like to see us cover over the next year. What are the hot topics in supply chain at the moment? Which areas often get left off the media radar and in your experience, where should the focus of this hub lie?

Post your ideas in the comments section below, tweet us @GuardianSustBiz or email us here - we're looking forward to reading your feedback.

This content is brought to you by Guardian Professional. Become a GSB member to get more stories like this direct to your inbox