Does sustainability improve a a company’s resilience towards supply chain vulnerabilities? Recently, in my research on supply chain vulnerability, I’ve come across the term sustainable supply chains. Curious as I am, and easily distracted by related topics, I decided to do some more digging, and this is what I came up with.
What are sustainable supply chains?
There are numerous definitions of the terms ‘Sustainable’ and ‘Supply Chain’, but in essence, this is a supply chain where the responsible manufacturer and retailer takes precedence over the green consumer. It is a supply chain, where resources are not just consumed but also replenished, and where business decisions consider long-term overall environmental and societal impacts. It’s not the opposite of just about business, but it is also not just about environment. It’s about
- Profitability
Yes, we need to make money, but we should do so in a responsible way. - Accountability
Whatever we do, we will be held accountable for doing so. - Community
How can our business benefit the community (more than just providing jobs and tax money)? - Environment
Does our business harm the environment in any way? - Sustainability
Do we simply consume, or do we also replenish?
Conclusion
A sustainable supply chain is not primarily seeking to maximize profits.
It may not necessarily be less susceptible to disruption, but nonetheless, a disruption in a sustainable supply chain may be less likely to wreck widespread havoc, since a sustainable supply chain is not streamlined for profit, but is streamlined for resilience.
Links
- sustainable-supplychain.com: Sustainability is free
- The Sustainable Supply Chain Council: The Sustainable Supply Chain Project
Related posts
- husdal.com: Sustainable supply chains
