Sustainable Supply Chains

The three pillars of sustainability are ecological preservation, corporate social responsibility (CSR), and the global economy. The supply chain provides the means for assessing impacts on the environment, on the society, and on economics. The decisions on resource use pattern, global reputation and brand value, and disruption risk entail the entire supply chain. It is increasingly becoming apparent that the benefits of pursuing sustainable practices can outweigh costs. Enhanced efficiencies in water and energy usage over the years have led to a cost reduction of $2 billion at DuPont, $50 million at Novartis, and $82 million at 3M. In addition, the greenhouse gas emissions went down by 66% at DuPont. Sustainable practices can help improve business reputation, and provide new business opportunities by developing novel sustainable products that match customers’ preferences.