scholarly journals Sustainable procurement practices in the Brazilian chemical industry context

Exacta ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 583-602
Author(s):  
Roberta Souza ◽  
Mayara Sayuri Ide ◽  
Gabriela Scur ◽  
Willerson Lucas Campos-Silva ◽  
Sangeeta Khorana

Sustainable procurement requires an understanding of the full impact of purchase throughout the entire life cycle of the product or service, irrespective of location. The aim is to investigate the adoption of sustainable procurement in some Brazilian chemical companies. Questionnaires were sent to professionals from the Brazilian Chemical Industry Association (ABIQUIM) and from thirty-seven associated companies. The results were used to elaborate empirical illustrations about sustainable procurement practices in the Brazilian chemical industry context. Although the companies did not have a prescriptive supplier selection model that incorporates social-environmental criteria, most companies had more restrictive standards than the legislation and they supported suppliers to improve their social-environmental performance. In addition, that actions related to social and environmental issues occur in policies and documents and are reflected through middle and upper management commitments. It indicates that there are some organizational directions to incorporate social and environmental questions. However, no materialization in actions along the procurement process.

2013 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 55-84 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qianhua Ling ◽  
Maryanne M. Mowen

ABSTRACT In this paper, we investigate the relationship between corporate competitive strategy and environmental disclosure in the voluntary channel. Two major competitive strategies, investment in brand image and investment in research and development (R&D), are examined. Using a sample of companies in the chemical industry, we find that both strategies are associated with higher levels of environmental disclosure than chemical companies not emphasizing either of the two strategies. Additionally, companies emphasizing investment in brand image tend to disclose more when their actual environmental performance is low; conversely, companies emphasizing investment in R&D tend to disclose more when their environmental performance is good. When trying to interpret environmental disclosures, stakeholders should be aware of a company's strategy and adjust their assessment of environmental performance accordingly. Data Availability: Data are available from sources identified in the text.


2020 ◽  
Vol 23 (38) ◽  
pp. 134-138
Author(s):  
Cristiane Paulino Gomes Gonçalves ◽  
Gilberto de Sousa Bruno ◽  
José Francisco dos Reis Neto ◽  
Rafael Capriolli Goncalves

Este artigo visa avaliar como a responsabilidade socioambiental é um fator de competitividade para uma empresa do setor sucroalcooleiro instalada no Estado de Mato Grosso. O desenvolvimento foi embasado nas discussões sobre organizações no âmbito do setor sucroalcooleiro com foco na aplicação da responsabilidade socioambiental. A metodologia utilizada compreendeu o uso da técnica de pesquisa documental e bibliográfica aliada ao estudo de caso estruturado, a partir do cenário do setor sucroalcooleiro. Os resultados obtidos se referem como a responsabilidade socioambiental pode ser considerada um aspecto estratégico e um importante diferencial competitivo no mercado. Os projetos com foco na melhoria contínua do desempenho ambiental da empresa, como a adoção de praticas do seu papel de responsabilidade socioambiental que buscam contribuir para o crescimento e desenvolvimento das comunidades locais e regionais, a preservação do meio ambiente para a perpetuação da empresa, tornaram-se ainda mais credívéis perante aos stakeholders, os quais se mostram cada vez mais sensíveis e reativos às questões socioambientais. Palavras-chave: Responsabilidade Socioambiental. Competitividade. Sucroalcooleira. Stakeholders.  AbstractThis article aims to evaluate how socio-environmental responsibility is a factor of competitiveness for a company from the sugar and alcohol industry installed in the State of Mato Grosso. The development was based on discussions on organizations within the scope of the sugar and alcohol sector with a focus on the application of social and environmental responsibility. The methodology used included the use of the documentary and bibliographic research technique allied to the structured case study, based on the scenario of the sugar and alcohol industry. The results obtained refer to how social and environmental responsibility can be considered a strategic aspect and an important competitive differential in the market. The projects focused on the continuous improvement of the company's environmental performance, such as the adoption of practices of its social and environmental responsibility that seek to contribute to the growth and development of local and regional communities, the preservation of the environment for the perpetuation of the company, have made even more credible vis-à-vis stakeholders, who are increasingly sensitive and reactive to social-environmental issues. Keywords: Environmental Responsibility. Competitiveness. Sugar and Alcohol. Stakeholders.


2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hsiu Mei Wang Chen ◽  
Shuo-Yan Chou ◽  
Quoc Dat Luu ◽  
Tiffany Hui-Kuang Yu

Due to the challenge of rising public awareness of environmental issues and governmental regulations, green supply chain management (SCM) has become an important issue for companies to gain environmental sustainability. Supplier selection is one of the key operational tasks necessary to construct a green SCM. To select the most suitable suppliers, many economic and environmental criteria must be considered in the decision process. Although numerous studies have used economic criteria such as cost, quality, and lead time in the supplier selection process, only some studies have taken into account the environmental issues. This study proposes a comprehensive fuzzy multicriteria decision making (MCDM) approach for green supplier selection and evaluation, using both economic and environmental criteria. In the proposed approach, a fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (AHP) is employed to determine the important weights of criteria under vague environment. In addition, a fuzzy technique for order performance by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS) is used to evaluate and rank the potential suppliers. Finally, a case study in Luminance Enhancement Film (LEF) industry is presented to illustrate the applicability and efficiency of the proposed method.


2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 195-210 ◽  
Author(s):  
Avanish Singh Chauhan ◽  
Gaurav Kumar Badhotiya ◽  
Gunjan Soni ◽  
Prem Kumari

Purpose Because of the increased global competition and the need for environment consciousness, organisations have started focusing on incorporating sustainability dimensions into suppler selection criteria. In the past decade, sustainable supplier selection has received much attention from researchers as well as industry practitioners. The purpose of this paper is to identify various sustainable supplier selection criteria (SSSC) and underlying interdependencies among prominent selection criteria to develop a framework for sustainability dimensions. Design/methodology/approach The sustainable criteria for supplier selection were established through comprehensive literature review. An interpretive structural modelling (ISM) approach is used to investigate the interrelationships among these criteria. Findings A total of 21 SSSC under 3 dimensions (social, environmental and economic) are established. Ten criteria related to quality, capability, flexibility, waste management, pollution prevention, local community, employment practice, labour, etc. are exhibiting strong driving as well as dependence power, as demonstrated through ISM and matriced’ impacts croises-multiplication applique’ and classement (MICMAC) analysis. The findings show that delivery/service, eco design and rights of stakeholders are the “key” criteria having a high-driving and low-dependence power. These criteria require high attention from managers, while other criteria having low-driving and high-dependence power require secondary actions. Research limitations/implications The inter-relations for the development of ISM model and MICMAC analysis were obtained through the opinion of industry experts and academicians, which may tend to be subjectively biased. Further exploration is proposed to statistically validate the developed interdependency model. Practical implications This paper might act as a reference for the supplier development managers of organisations by providing an appraisal of various SSSC based on their interdependencies. Originality/value This study contributes to the knowledge base by proposing a framework of the interrelationships of the SSSC and also provides an additional perspective for managing these criteria based on ISM.


2021 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
pp. 1333-1342
Author(s):  
Núria Boix Rodríguez ◽  
Marco Marconi ◽  
Claudio Favi ◽  
Giovanni Formentini

AbstractFace masks are currently considered essential devices that people must wear today and in the near future, until the COVID-19 pandemic will be completely defeated through specific medicines and vaccines. Such devices are generally made of thermoplastic polymers, as polypropylene and polyethylene and are single use products. Even if in this period the sanitary emergency must have the maximum priority, the world society should not completely forget the environmental problem that are causing more and more obvious climate changes with correlated damages to ecosystems and human health. Despite the well-known correlation among anti-COVID protective equipment (or more generally medical devices) and environmental issues, the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and eco-design-based studies in this field is very scarce. The present study aims to derive the most important environmental criticalities of such products, by using LCA and product circularity indicators of five different common masks. The final aim is to provide eco-design guidelines, useful to design new face masks by preventing negative impact on the environment.


2015 ◽  
Vol 87 (4) ◽  
pp. 2335-2348 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bruno Milanez

ABSTRACT In this article, I argue that attempting to solve real problems is a possible approach to bring social and natural sciences together, and suggest that - as Environmental Impact Assessment necessarily brings together social and environmental issues - this debate is a strong candidate for such a task. The argument is based on a general discussion about the possibilities and limitations of Environmental Impact Assessments, the social-environmental impacts of mining activities and three case studies. The analysis of the cases indicates possibilities and limitations of the dialogue between scientists from various areas - and of the collaboration with social movements and affected communities - in avoiding negative impacts of mining projects and, eventually, increasing their sustainability.


Urban Studies ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 55 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-18 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yong Tu

From the catalogue of environment-related publications in Urban Studies, this paper identifies and reviews 12 thought-provoking articles that have addressed the issue of climate changes and cities from complementary perspectives. It argues that to advance a holistic understanding of urban environmental issues it is necessary to embrace a broad multi-disciplinary approach, particularly as moving towards low carbon urban living will require integrated social, political and technical adaptation processes. Ultimately, the paper advances a forward-looking research agenda that extends beyond consideration of how to improve urban environmental performance to include evaluation of how urban consumers, firms and local government endeavour to achieve sustainable urban development.


Author(s):  
K.S. Savita ◽  
P.D.D. Dominic ◽  
T. Ramayah

The global shift in ecological movement has significant impacts on business operation of manufacturing firms that are located in developing countries. The intense pressure of being environmentally sustainable has caused Green Supply Chain Management (Green SCM) concept to emerge as an important corporate environmental strategy for manufacturing companies. Information technologies and systems have permeated in most business activities, in which, they extend important opportunities to resolve environmental issues. However, many researchers, including manufacturers and government bodies often disregard the green concept of information technologies and systems in minimizing environmental issues. A comprehensive review on Green SCM, Green IT and Green IS for sustainable environmental performance in manufacturing companies is presented using Input-Process-Output (IPO) Theory and Technological-Organizational-Environmental (TOE) theory. In bridging the research gap, a model is constructed to link the aforementioned constructs. Next, the paper reports on the development of survey questionnaire using cognitive interviewing strategies, followed up with semi-structured interview to investigate and obtain preliminary findings on the influential factors, green activities and performance outcomes from implementing Green SCM. Lastly, the finalized survey questionnaire was distributed to 60 ISO14001 certified manufacturing companies located in the region of Perak and Kulim. Out of 60 manufacturing companies, only 32 responses received as the dataset in analyzing for improvements in reliability, measurement error, and validity of measured items. The findings from this pilot study explain that internal and external factors have stronger influence over the implementation of green initiatives in supply chain with substantial outcome on environmental performance. The information technologies and systems being the physical resource, capability and backbone to run a business seamlessly are significantly recognized. But, the green component of IT and IS were poorly attended and disregarded to an extent in the process of greening the processes, operations or entire business. Therefore, further investigations are required in the main study to validate the findings obtained here and other possible association between the factors, practices and outcomes in realizing ecological improvements in the supply chain and firm itself.


Author(s):  
Sharul Shahida Shakrein Safian ◽  
Hanny Zurina Hamzah

The use of the green concept in the automotive industry as an energy-efficient transport innovation is still regarded as a new technology in Malaysia. It also has the potential to alleviate environmental issues in order to improve environmental performance in the automotive industry context. As such, the significance of green technology has become a growing concern, especially among developing countries. The purpose of this study is to determine consumers’ willingness to pay for green vehicles towards solving environmental issues in Malaysia. In order to achieve this, the consumers’ willingness to pay (WTP) and their preferences were examined using the contingent valuation method (CVM) as found in previous studies. Data was gathered using survey questionnaires which were distributed among 445 Malaysians so as to know their preferences in terms of green vehicles and green practices. The data was analyzed using the Economic Valuation Method. The result shows that Malaysians are willing to pay the price increase in road tax by 6.49% maximum level for non-green vehicles as well as all control variables included in the doubled-bounded case. On the other hand, for a single-bounded case, the maximum value is 7.91% which is higher as respondents were given single WTP amount for acceptance compared to the double-bounded case when the initial WTP was followed by another different amount.


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