Sustainable supply chains

Abstract

Globalisation places demands on supply chain management to go beyond purely economic issues and to consider, for example, fair working conditions and environmentally friendly production. Managing supply chains in a sustainable manner is becoming a growing problem for companies of all sizes and operating in many industries. Meeting environmental and social standards at all stages of the supply chain ensures that (at least) a minimum level of sustainability is achieved. Unlike the traditional supply chain, which usually focuses on economic and financial business performance, a sustainable supply chain is characterised by a clear integration of environmental or social goals that extend the economic dimension to the triple bottom line. The implementation of the principles of sustainable development in the field of supply chain management focuses on closely related areas, such as sustainable, responsible, green, closed, or ethical chains, and the terms themselves are often used interchangeably. The purpose of the chapter is to review the different types of supply chains that respect the principles of sustainable development.