A National Retail Supply Chain

The Challenge

A large national retailer needed to rapidly improve the performance, efficiency and consistency of its supply chain operations. With a complex network of systems, hand-offs and legacy processes, the organisation required a structured approach that would deliver tangible benefits quickly — while also developing internal capability to sustain improvement.

Our Approach

We designed and led an intensive, workshop-based Lean Six Sigma programme focused on rapid process re-engineering and hands-on capability building.

The approach was deliberately “learn by doing”:

• Catalyst designed the end-to-end workshop model and delivery framework
• An internal cohort of eight seconded staff was trained and coached to lead the work
• Initial workshops were led by Catalyst as exemplars, with internal teams progressively taking ownership under expert coaching
• This ensured that improvements were delivered at pace, while embedding practical Lean Six Sigma skills across the organisation.

“Learn by doing” approach enabled rapid delivery and deep capability transfer

Impact

The programme delivered both immediate operational improvements and long-term capability benefits:

• 88 retail supply chain processes re-engineered within six months
• Improved flow, clarity and consistency across supply chain operations
• Enhanced understanding and more effective use of existing systems
• Strong collaboration across teams and functions

All internal project leaders successfully achieved Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt certification through the delivery of real improvement work.

All project leaders achieved Yellow Belt certification through live delivery.

Outcome

The retailer achieved rapid, large-scale improvement across its supply chain while building a confident, capable internal improvement team. The programme not only delivered measurable operational benefits but also created a collaborative improvement culture that continues to support performance and resilience.

Feedback from retail supply chain teams:

“Learning from each other.”
“Working together.”
“Understanding how we can use our systems better.”