Unilever and Its Supply Chain

2017 ◽  
pp. 319-336
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Palm Oil ◽  
Sustainable Supply Chain ◽  
Crowd Sourcing ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
A Company

The chapter refers to Unilever and its efforts to implement the concept of radical transparency to implement sustainability and it is split into four sections in order to complete its purpose. First, the chapter provides a background on Unilever as a company. Second, the authors discuss several lenses with which Unilever may view their options to find the most optimal starting point or points to enact sustainability measures. The chapter then demonstrates one such tool, Sustainability Stakeholder Rating Tool (SSRT) and discusses how this weighting tool may be applied to three key products including dairy, vegetables, and palm oil. The chapter discusses various ways in which Unilever may encourage sustainable supply chain compliance, verify practices, and drive sustainability down the supply chain via the innovation and still relatively new radical transparency practices of certification, crowd-sourcing, and trust -based networks.

Quantitative Risk Management Models for Newsvendor Supply Chains

2011 ◽  
pp. 155-170
Author(s):  
Dimitrios Vlachos
Keyword(s):  
Risk Management ◽  
Supply Chain ◽  
Supply Chains ◽  
Stochastic Environment ◽  
Supply Chain Disruptions ◽  
Supply Chain Networks ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
The Impact ◽  
A Company

As the practices of offshoring and outsourcing force the supply chain networks to keep on expanding geographically in the globalised environment, the logistics processes are becoming more exposed to risk and disruptions. Thus, modern supply chains seem to be more vulnerable than ever. It is clear that efficient logistics risk and security management emerges as an issue of pivotal importance in such competitive, demanding and stochastic environment and is thus vital for the viability and profitability of a company. In this context, this chapter focuses on a set of stochastic quantitative models that study the impact of one or more supply chain disruptions on optimal determination of single period inventory control policies. The purpose of this research is to provide a critical review of state-of-the-art methodologies to be used as a starting point for further research efforts.

scholarly journals Multi-stakeholder initiatives in sustainable supply chains: Putting sustainability performance in context

Elem Sci Anth ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cory Searcy
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Supply Chains ◽  
Conceptual Framework ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Sustainable Supply Chain ◽  
Sustainable Supply Chains ◽  
Economic Thresholds ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Enforcement Mechanisms ◽  
Multi Stakeholder

The purpose of this article is to explore the role of multi-stakeholder initiatives (MSIs) in sustainable supply chains. I argue that MSIs are needed to help establish and institutionalize the natural and social thresholds in which a sustainable supply chain must operate. While a multitude of MSIs relevant to supply chains already exist, they do not yet adequately address sustainability thresholds. Building on theory and literature, I elaborate on four interrelated roles for MSIs in this area: (1) providing learning platforms, (2) developing standards, (3) developing enforcement mechanisms, and (4) issuing labels and certifications. All four roles emphasize the need for supply chains to operate within the thresholds set by nature and society. Staying within thresholds is what distinguishes between sustainable and unsustainable supply chains. The four roles form part of a broader conceptual framework outlining a way forward for MSIs in sustainable supply chains. Different MSIs could address one or more of these roles. I argue that all MSIs must be developed with special attention to their input and output legitimacy. Stakeholders from both within and beyond the supply chain must be involved in developing and implementing a MSI for it to be viewed as legitimate. I note that the conceptual framework presented here is a starting point. It would benefit from further testing and refinement. For example, future work could add further specificity to the four roles I discuss. Future research could also focus on integrating economic thresholds for sustainable supply chains into the framework.

scholarly journals COVID-19 and Its Implications to the Assessment of Sustainable Palm Oil Supply Chain Management: An Indonesian Perspective

2022 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nusrat Hafiz ◽  
Khairunnisa Mohd Azmi ◽  
Danjuma Tali Nimfa ◽  
Ahmad Shaharudin Abdul Latiff ◽  
Sazali Abd Wahab
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Supply Chain Management ◽  
Customer Service ◽  
Workforce Development ◽  
Palm Oil ◽  
Social Indicators ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Environmental Indicators ◽  
Sustainable Supply Chain ◽  
Chain Management

Motivated by the low sustainability index and pressure to meet the global demand for eco-friendly crude palm oil (CPO) in the pandemic-ridden environment, this research aims to investigate the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic to assess the drivers of sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) of the Indonesian CPO sector to tackle supply chain disruptions. To achieve this aim, the study seeks to determine the sustainability drivers to accommodate the pandemic-ridden environment and if sustainability indicators can help improve the supply chain management of the CPO sector. A methodology is divided into two interrelated parts: first, based on a careful review of extant literature of the CPO sector and sustainable supply chain in the light of pandemic. The proposed methodology is then tested using the response data of 108 oil mills' representatives collected through survey questionnaires and analyzed using statistical tools of reliability, distribution, Kaiser–Meyer–Olkin (KMO), Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), and diagnostic tests of CFA. The findings designate the environmental costs, rapidity, and adaptability as core economic indicators; the social and workforce development, health, and safety workforce development and consumer issues as crucial social indicators; while energy and material efficiency, management of waste and emissions, and sustainable suppliers as the best environmental indicators. This study provides a holistic platform on the implications of the pandemic to assess the SSCM of the CPO sector. These findings are expected to aid the industrial managers in employee skills and health protocols, customer service, and environmental management. The study is also anticipated to guide the supply-chain partners and government policymakers to take initiatives on SSCM in the context of the pandemic.

scholarly journals Synthesize a Sustainable Supply Chain of Biomass to Electricity via Mathematical Approach

2021 ◽  
Vol 2120 (1) ◽  
pp. 012001
Author(s):  
Chee Yau Hew ◽  
Li Wan Yoon ◽  
Yoke Kin Wan
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Palm Oil ◽  
Oil Palm ◽  
Sustainable Supply Chain ◽  
Biomass Waste ◽  
Oil Palm Biomass ◽  
Mathematical Equations ◽  
Palm Oil Mill ◽  
Chp System

Abstract The huge amount of biomass waste and palm oil mill effluent (POME) generated during oil extraction has prompted the need for a more sustainable framework in waste management. Since oil palm biomass waste is rich in lignocellulosic content, it can be potential to be converted into green energy such as bioelectricity via different pathway of processes such as the thermal conversion pathway and biochemical conversion pathway. This study proposes a mathematical approach to synthesise a sustainable supply chain of biomass to electricity by implementing the combined heat and power (CHP) system in palm oil mill. The optimum pathway of supply chain based on the technical, economical, and environmental aspects is generated. The purpose of this approach is to assists the industry players or owners to make decision in choosing the location of the pre-treatment technology, transportation method, location of power plant and configuration of CHP. A generic superstructure is first developed to achieve the objective. Then, a series of generic mathematical equations will then be formulated based on the pathways demonstrated in the generic superstructure. The mathematical equations involve general mass and energy balance, cost computation and carbon emission. The fuzzy optimisation concept will be adopted in this research to trade-off the conflicting objectives (maximize profit and minimize carbon footprint) in order to generate the optimum pathway. A palm oil-based bioelectricity supply chain case study in Selangor, Malaysia is solved to illustrate the presented approach. According to the optimised result in this case study, a total of 3,753.36 MW of bioelectricity can be generated per year. The result proved that the optimum pathway is feasible by comparing with the existing oil palm biomass-based power plant in Sarawak, where only 375 MW of electricity is generated by oil palm biomass. On the other hand, RM 7.25 million per year of net profit is estimated with a payback period of 2.81 years. Moreover, the CHP system is able to achieve 570 million kg CO2 per year.

Quantitative Risk Management Models for Newsvendor Supply Chains

2012 ◽  
pp. 347-362
Author(s):  
Dimitrios Vlachos
Keyword(s):  
Risk Management ◽  
Supply Chain ◽  
Supply Chains ◽  
Stochastic Environment ◽  
Supply Chain Disruptions ◽  
Supply Chain Networks ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
The Impact ◽  
A Company

As the practices of offshoring and outsourcing force the supply chain networks to keep on expanding geographically in the globalised environment, the logistics processes are becoming more exposed to risk and disruptions. Thus, modern supply chains seem to be more vulnerable than ever. It is clear that efficient logistics risk and security management emerges as an issue of pivotal importance in such competitive, demanding and stochastic environment and is thus vital for the viability and profitability of a company. In this context, this chapter focuses on a set of stochastic quantitative models that study the impact of one or more supply chain disruptions on optimal determination of single period inventory control policies. The purpose of this research is to provide a critical review of state-of-the-art methodologies to be used as a starting point for further research efforts.

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