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J Bus Ethics (2013) 116:189203 DOI 10.1007/s10551-012-1458-4
Sustainable Supply Chains: Governance Mechanisms to Greening Suppliers
Cristina Gimenez Vicenta Sierra
Received: 8 December 2011 / Accepted: 16 August 2012 / Published online: 31 August 2012 Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2012
Abstract One of the key challenges for rms is to manage sustainability along the supply chain. To extend sustainability to suppliers, organizations have developed different governance mechanisms. The aim of this paper is to analyze the effectiveness of two different mechanisms(i.e., supplier assessment and collaboration with suppliers) to improve one dimension of sustainability: environmental performance. Structural Equation Modeling and cluster analysis were used to analyze the relationships between supplier assessment, collaboration with suppliers, and environmental performance. The results suggest that (1) both mechanisms, supplier assessment and collaboration with suppliers, have a positive and synergistic effect on environmental performance, and (2) assessment acts as an enabler of collaboration. Finally, the paper also contributes to the literature by providing a framework of sustainability governance mechanisms.
Keywords Sustainable supply chains Supply chain
governance mechanisms Green supply management
Greening suppliers Environmental performance
Introduction
A key challenge for rms is to manage sustainability along the supply chain, which comprises interdependent units that can inuence one anothers reputation and performance. Firms have responded to this challenge by developing strategies that extend their traditional corporate governance processes beyond the rms boundary to their supply chain partners (Kytle and Ruggie 2005). The most visible indicator of this extension is the implementation of sustainable practices such as suppliers codes of conduct. In 2008, over 90 % of the worlds largest 250 companies had a supply chain code of conduct (KPMG 2008).
Researchers have also shown an increasing interest in the topic of sustainability in supply chains (e.g., Amaeshi et al. 2008; Carter and Rogers 2008; Jiang 2009a, b; Krueger 2008; Lim and Phillips 2008; Maloni and Brown 2006; Mueller et al. 2009; Park-Poaps and Rees 2010; Preuss 2009; Van Tulder et al. 2009; Vurro et al. 2009; Yu 2008). Some of them have analyzed the practices adopted in particular industries such as food, apparel, toys, or electronics (e.g., Maloni and Brown 2006; Park-Poaps and Rees 2010). Others have focused on the implementation of suppliers codes of conduct (e.g., Krueger 2008; Preuss 2009; Van Tulder et...