| What is green supply chain management? | | | | Business benefits |
| There is currently little consensus as to a definition | | | | There are two main types of business benefit.: |
| but Srivastara, 2007 provides the following useful | | | | - Potential cost reductions achieved largely through |
| definition: "Integrating environment thinking into supply | | | | increased resource efficiency. |
| chain management, including product design, material | | | | - Customer preferences and enhanced reputation. |
| sourcing and selection, manufacturing processes, | | | | Both businesses and consumers are increasingly using |
| delivery of the final product to the consumers, and | | | | environmental issues as a criterion in their purchasing |
| end-of-life management of the product after its | | | | decisions. |
| useful life". | | | | So how would you go about greening your supply |
| The benefits | | | | chain? |
| Business Link have identified two clear sets of | | | | Microsoft's Midsize Business Centre gives the |
| benefits from making your supply chain as green as | | | | following advice: |
| possible - these are: | | | | 1. Develop a strategic plan, set clear, comprehensive |
| Environmental benefits | | | | objectives for your green chain initiative. |
| There are straightforward, low-cost things that | | | | 2. Assess your current environmental impact. |
| every business can do to make a positive difference | | | | 3. Implement green practices internally. |
| to the environment, what you decide to buy and | | | | 4. Address your suppliers' environmental responsibility. |
| whom you decide to buy from can make a | | | | 5. Communicate your company's environmental |
| difference. Making chain of supply as green as | | | | policies to your suppliers, and have them complete a |
| possible needn't be difficult. Small steps - such as | | | | self-assessment questionnaire about current practices. |
| ensuring that suppliers are using recycled or recyclable | | | | Audit the responses to ensure they're accurate. If a |
| materials where possible and that their packaging is | | | | vendor is out of compliance with one of your |
| minimised and sustainable - can have a significant | | | | requirements, help it develop a remediation plan. |
| impact if they're taken by enough businesses. | | | | |