The Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS) has honoured Professor Douglas Boateng with its new Lifetime Achiever Award, making him the first recipient.

The independently adjudicated recognition is the highest honour that could be bestowed on a person for making an outstanding global contribution to the procurement and supply profession during their lifetime.

A statement issued by the Global Media Alliance and copied to the Ghana News Agency on Saturday explained that in order for one to qualify for the award, the recipient ought to have continuously set professional standards, in addition to influencing others to strive for world class capability and performance in procurement and supply.

It said such individuals might have had proven and significant impact far beyond their organizations and amongst others possess a host of verified accomplishments.

The statement quoted Professor Boateng as saying: “A lifetime award seems so final. Perhaps it is CIPS’ polite way of either telling me that the time is up to take a back seat or intensify my efforts.

“Either way, I am deeply humbled by the recognition. This award is not just for me but also for all professional colleagues who are passionate about the role of the procurement aspects of supply chain management in the long term socio-economic development of Africa.”

Professor Boateng said he would continue to serve his profession adding that though procurement officers were being considered to be executives in some companies, their importance continue to be underrated in too many public and private decision making corridors.

“For such an award to be coming from the world’s oldest and largest procurement and supply body signals the strategic importance CIPS now attaches to experts who make a professional difference, not just in their own industrial and academic backyards, but also to the global fraternity as a whole,” he said.

The statement said since the eighties, procurement and supply chain management had helped corporate executives, governments and policy makers transform various organizations, industries, countries, regions and continents.

According to the statement, Professor Boateng said: “Africa’s long term industrialization, job creation, SMME growth is inextricably linked to the entire continents procurement and supply chain management practices.

“It is for this reason why over the last 20 years, I have intensified my efforts to directly and indirectly reach out to African executives, politicians and decision makers on the need to fully embrace procurement and supply chain management in the decision making corridors.”

He expressed the hope that the profession would continue to stand in words and in concrete actions to convince CEOs, politicians and policy makers on the need for true representation in the various board rooms and decision making corridors.

The inaugural maiden award ceremony took place in August this year at a glittering event in South Africa.

Professor Douglas Boateng, a fellow of CIPS, is Africa’s first ever Extraordinary Professor for supply chain management at the UNISA Graduate School of Business Leadership (SBL) in South Africa; UK Institute of Operations Management (IOM) first ever Extraordinary Chair in Operations and Supply Chain Management Professional Development for Africa; and the Chairman of the KNUST’ West African Institute for Supply Chain Leadership.

The statement said Professor Boateng is still the only known supply chain management strategy authority in the world to be concurrently conferred with over six elected fellowships by the foremost global organizations associated with uplifting standards in corporate leadership and governance, supply chain management practice and education.

It said as part of his quasi academic social responsibility, Prof. Boateng has over the last six years mentored, coached and supervised numerous supply chain management professionals master’s and doctoral level students some of whom are now occupying Chief Executive and senior level positions in industry.

In 2011, CIPS appointed then Dr Douglas Boateng as chairman of its Africa Strategic Advisory Board, to manage the sub-Saharan Africa operations from South Africa.

In 2013, the South Africa-based Ghanaian Founder and CEO of PanAvest Partnership was also officially endorsed by the Commonwealth Business Council as the distinguished extraordinary chair of a joint PanAvest Partnership and Institute of Operations Management supply chain management professional development initiative to highlight the inextricable strategic connection between supply chain management, global trade, long term job creation, and economic development.

Recently, Professor Boateng participated in supply chain management related matters at the just held BRICS Business council summit where some of the continent’s most powerful industry leaders and policy makers gathered to discuss economic development matters.

In 2008, Professor Boateng was officially inducted into the Institute of Directors’ Southern Africa Hall of Fame for his continued contribution to international logistics and supply chain management.