Social Responsibility and Sustainability of Fast Fashion Retail Companies in the Textile Sector

2020 ◽  
pp. 303-324
Author(s):  
Javier Sierra-Sánchez ◽  
Luis Mañas-Viniegra
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Emerging Countries ◽  
International Standards ◽  
Annual Reports ◽  
Fast Fashion ◽  
Lack Of Control ◽  
Sustainability Reports ◽  
Textile Sector

Social and environmental sustainability in the supply chain has been a major concern over the last decade as public opinion has placed responsibility on the shoulders of retail companies for their lack of control over suppliers that go beyond the first tier, which are usually located in emerging countries with regulations far below international standards. The objective of this research is to identify the variables through which retail companies are building their brand equity with a fast fashion business model in the textile sector. An analysis has been carried out regarding the content of annual reports, as well as CSR and sustainability reports, of the main retail companies in the textile sector: The TJX Companies, Inditex, and H&M. Inditex, the company with the highest level of compliance, can be identified and considered as a case study.

scholarly journals Corporate Social Responsibility Information in Annual Reports in the EU—A Czech Case Study

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 237 ◽  
Author(s):  
Radka MacGregor Pelikánová
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Social Responsibility ◽  
Social Responsibility ◽  
International Standards ◽  
Annual Reports ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Eu Member States ◽  
Annual Reporting ◽  
Corporate Social ◽  
The Eu

The commitment of the European Union (EU) to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is projected into EU law about annual reporting by businesses. Since EU member states further develop this framework by their own domestic laws, annual reporting with CSR information is not unified and only partially mandatory in the EU. Do all European businesses report CSR information and what public declaration to society do they provide with it? The two main purposes of this paper are to identify the parameters of this annual reporting duty and to study the CSR information provided by the 10 largest Czech companies in their annual statements for 2013–2017. Based on legislative research and a teleological interpretation, the current EU legislative framework with Czech particularities is presented and, via a case study exploring 50 annual reports, the data about the type, extent and depth of CSR is dynamically and comparatively assessed. It appears that, at the minimum, large Czech businesses satisfy their legal duty and e-report on CSR to a similar extent, but in a dramatically different quality. Employee matters and adherence to international standards are used as a public declaration to society more than the data on environmental protection, while social matters and research and development (R&D) are played down.

Adapting business models in buyer-seller relationships: paradoxes in the fast fashion supply chain

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Simone Guercini ◽  
Andrea Runfola
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Business Model ◽  
Business Models ◽  
Multiple Case Study ◽  
Research Programme ◽  
Fast Fashion ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Multiple Case ◽  
A Chain

Purpose This paper aims to deal with the issue of business model change in industrial markets. It considers the fast-fashion supply chain by addressing the following research questions: What are the paths of change of the supplier’s business model to match the business model of fast fashion customers? How can a supplier’s business model be adapted to customer’s requirements in these paths of change? Design/methodology/approach Empirically, the paper presents a multiple case study of 10 semi-finished textile suppliers, carried out through a long-term research programme in the Italian textile industrial district of Prato. Findings The multiple-case study shows some key drivers of change in the suppliers’ business models. Three main paths emerged from the interactions with fast fashion clients. Paradoxes in the supplier’s business model changes are identified and discussed. Research limitations/implications The paper proposes implications for suppliers interacting with fast fashion clients and discusses how the adaptation of business models may be interpreted. This study points out how matching the business model of the customers does not call for alignment of similar features. Originality/value The paper deals with an understudied topic within the literature: business models change in business to business markets, taking into consideration the perspective of the supplier. It considers buyers-seller relationships in industrial supply chains as being part of a chain of business models and the need for the supplier’s business model to adapt and match one of the clients. The paper proposes two potential interpretations of such adaptation.

scholarly journals Fast Fashion in the Moroccan Apparel Supply Chain: A Case Study

2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 17-24
Author(s):  
Abdelmounaim Aggour ◽  
Abderrahmane Moussaid ◽  
Ahmed Abou El Hassan
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Fast Fashion

The state of disclosures on stakeholder engagement in sustainability reporting in Australian local councils

2014 ◽  
Vol 26 (1/2) ◽  
pp. 54-74 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amanpreet Kaur ◽  
Sumit K. Lodhia
Keyword(s):  
Stakeholder Engagement ◽  
Sustainability Reporting ◽  
The State ◽  
International Standards ◽  
Annual Reports ◽  
Global Reporting Initiative ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Key Stakeholders ◽  
Engagement Process ◽  
Sustainability Reports

Purpose – This study aims to examine the state and extent of disclosures on stakeholder engagement in sustainability reporting in Australian local councils. Design/methodology/approach – Content analysis was used to analyse 23 sustainability/state of environment/annual reports out of a total of 563 local councils (city, shire, district, borough and regional) in Australia for the year 2009-2010 – those found to be using stakeholder engagement in the development of sustainability reports. A stakeholder engagement index was developed on the basis of the literature review to examine the extent of disclosures on stakeholder engagement. Findings – This study identifies: the Australian local councils that are engaging with their stakeholders in the development of sustainability reports; key stakeholders for sustainability reports; extent of engagement; media and approaches used for engagement; and difficulties in the engagement process. The results suggest that stakeholder engagement is an essential component in the development of sustainability reporting as it informs reporters of material concerns, issues and aspirations of key stakeholders. Research limitations/implications – The focus of this paper is the state of disclosures on stakeholder engagement in sustainability reporting. The findings of the paper are limited to only one level of governance of the public sector, that is, local councils. Originality/value – International standards such as Global Reporting Initiative and AccountAbility (AA) 1000 have signified the role of stakeholder engagement in the development of sustainability reports. However, there has been a little research that demonstrates whether or not organisations engage with their stakeholders for reporting purposes. This paper provides evidence of stakeholder engagement in sustainability reporting in Australian local councils.

Implementing environmental sustainability in logistics operations: a case study

2016 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 98-125 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liliyana Makarova Jørsfeldt ◽  
Hans-Henrik Hvolby ◽  
Vivi Thuy Nguyen
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Single Case ◽  
Boundary Function ◽  
Third Party ◽  
Single Case Study ◽  
Sustainable Supply Chain ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Third Party Logistics

Purpose The purpose of the study is to develop an in-depth understanding of how supplier–buyer relationships, particularly in operational coordination, are affected when a company introduces an environmental sustainability target (CO2 emissions reduction) into its supply chain operations. The investigation focuses on the joint activities of the logistics function of the company (buyer) and the third-party logistics providers (3PLs) (suppliers). Design/methodology/approach This single-case study takes the perspective of a sustainability-conscious Danish company that outsources logistics services to 3PLs but maintains internal logistics as a boundary function. The value offering point/order penetration point (VOP/OPP) methodology is used. Findings The results showed that the introduction of sustainability led to the emergence of multiple decoupling points in both the demand and the supply chains. The logistics function therefore began to play the role of “integrator” across both the functions in the company and the organizations in the supply chain. The findings indicate the need to develop clear cross-functional and inter-organizational coordination mechanisms. Research limitations/implications This is a single-case study in a Danish context. Practical implications The study provides rich insights into managing the implementation of sustainability in supply chain operations, and it exemplifies how the VOP/OPP tool can be applied by 3PLs to develop sustainable offerings. Originality/value The current research on sustainable supply chain management takes into account the entire supply chain. In contrast, this study focuses on the logistics function. The VOP/OPP concept is used to capture the processes used in actual practice, and both the buyer and the supplier are considered potential co-producers of value.

scholarly journals Environmental sustainability and reshoring in the automotive industry: a multiple cases study

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Tim Becker
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Supply Chain ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Transaction Cost Economics ◽  
Home Country ◽  
Sustainability Research ◽  
Tier 1 ◽  
Multiple Case ◽  
Automotive Suppliers

Reshoring – the reversal of offshoring strategies – referring to a firm’s decision to bring previously offshored manufacturing activities back or close to the home country has become a key theme in the industrial location literature. This thesis investigates the interdependence between reshoring, environmental sustainability and supply chain reconfiguration through a multiple case study in the automotive suppliers sector. The purpose is to explore the perception of environmental sustainability, to investigate reshoring decision-making and to analyse the need for supply chain reconfiguration in the context of environmental sustainability. Research is far from reaching an in-depth understanding of how reshoring decision-making takes place concerning environmental sustainability particularly in the automotive supplier sector. The thesis gathers qualitative data from 17 interviews with experienced managers from nine internationally-active, mainly Tier-1 automotive suppliers. The level of influence of environmental sustainability on reshoring decisions is not near to the top but on the rise. Issues such as cost and quality, efficiency of operations and qualified employees are more important than environmental sustainability to strengthen competitive advantage. The conventional idea of reshoring does not apply very well to Tier-1 automotive suppliers, since a key concern is bringing manufacturing sites closer to the OEM or to other suppliers in the supply chain regardless of the supplier’s home country. The findings from the study are used to develop models and frameworks of both reshoring and the relationship between reshoring and environmental sustainability. This contribution to knowledge is used to develop propositions for further research. The findings are linked to management theories such as Transaction Cost Economics and the Resource-Based View to deepen the contribution to theory. Some of the models and frameworks, such as the drivers and barriers for reshoring and environmental sustainability, together with the decision-making process and decision criteria for supply chain reconfiguration, have been developed so they can be used by practitioners to assist them with reshoring and supply chain management activities.

scholarly journals Eliminating medicine waste in a Finnish university hospital — a qualitative study

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Teijo Peltoniemi ◽  
Reima Suomi
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Information Systems ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Economic Loss ◽  
University Hospital ◽  
Annual Reports ◽  
Pharmacy Staff ◽  
Medicine Supply ◽  
Medicine Waste

Abstract Background Medicine waste in hospitals leads to severe economic loss. This waste emerges for a number of reasons. Medicines are often ordered in too large quantities, which leads to stock expiring without being dispensed. Wastage can also be a consequence of poor management practices. Technical aids, such as automatic dispensers, have been suggested to reduce waste, but they too have shortcomings. Information systems can arguably contribute to waste reduction, but this area has not been widely researched. In this exploratory case study, we scrutinized the management of medicines waste in a hospital from an information systems perspective and examined how information systems are used to manage the medicine supply chain and medicine waste. Our research case was a Finnish university hospital, its central pharmacy, and, more widely, the medicine supply chain within the hospital. Methods This is a qualitative case study, based on data gathered through interviews and a survey and a review of other information sources, including annual reports and other relevant collateral. The study participants included pharmacy staff members and other hospital staff involved in medicine supply. The interviews were conducted in two rounds, first capturing the main themes and then exploring them further in the later study stages. Results The findings outline a picture of unfit technology and inconsistent and unreliable information. This is compensated for by manual practices and processes that cause an excessive administrative burden and ultimately increased wastage. An infrequent ordering process combined with the lack of recycling practices increase the wastage even more. Conclusion Medicine supply and waste management remain a manual administrative task. Inconsistent information and unfit information systems make this task challenging, and the process relies on the medicine supply staff’s experience and assumptions.

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