A discussion to eradicate misconceptions about Green Supply Chain Management (GSCM)

Abstract

GSCM aims to minimize or eliminate wastages including hazardous chemical, emissions, energy and solid waste along supply chain such as product design, material resourcing, manufacturing process, distribution of final product management business activities can pose a paramount threat to the environment in terms of carbon monoxide emissions, discarded packaging materials, scrapped toxic materials, traffic congestion and other forms of industrial pollution. Green distribution consists of green packaging with the aims to firstly, downsize packaging, secondly, utilize “green ” packaging materials, thirdly, promote recycling and reuse programs, fourthly, cooperate with vendor to standardize packaging, fifthly, embolden and adopt returnable packaging methods, sixthly, minimize material uses and time to unpack , seventhly, utilize recyclable pallet system and lastly preserve energy in warehouses .It has been suggested that internal environmental management practices, logistics, supplier assessment and evaluation, green procurement and logistics policy, supplier edification and mentoring, and industrial networks as consequential GSCM practices. It can be described that green procurement, green manufacturing, green distribution and green logistics are paramount dimensions of GSCM practices needed by manufacturing sectors to achieve enhanced sustainability performance. Green logistic is about reverse logistic that includes amassing used products and packaging from customers for recycling, returning packaging and products to suppliers for reuse, and requiring suppliers to amass their packaging materials. As for green logistics/conveyance, it is about distributing goods directly to utilizer site, utilizing alternative fuel conveyances and grouping orders together, rather than in more minuscule batches, investing in conveyances that are designed to reduce environmental impacts, and orchestrating transportation routes.

 Introduction

“Green Supply Chain” or “Environmentally Friendly Supply Chain” are almost synonymous. For  a firm , it is a set of supply chain policies formed and held, action taken accordingly and relationships formed in response to concerns related to the natural environment, so that acquisition, production, distribution and disposal of the firm’s goods and services does not hamper environment. Sometimes, joint technology programs are taken with the supplier and implement greener supply chain. By implementing greener supply chain initiatives lead to benefits for the company, for purchasing & supply process, also on society. These initiatives should focus not only the manufacturing company ,but also product and manufacturing process of supplier.

 

An environmental innovation

Green supply chain management (GSCM) is considered as an environmental innovation. As such, GSCM plays a vital role in influencing the total environment impact of any firm involved in supply chain activities and thus contributing to sustainability performance enhancement. The concept of GSCM is to integrate environmental issues into supply chain management (SCM). GSCM aims to minimize or eliminate wastages including hazardous chemical, emissions, energy and solid waste along supply chain such as product design, material resourcing , manufacturing process, distribution of final product management business activities can pose a paramount threat to the environment in terms of carbon monoxide emissions, discarded packaging materials, scrapped toxic materials, traffic congestion and other forms of industrial pollution.

Environmental Activism

Conclusion

Walmart contributed to green supply chain through it’s sustainability efforts. By dramatic goals and following up their plans they are using 20% of their required energy from renewable energy. They started their planning by about year two thousand five. Since year two thousand ten they eliminated one lac twenty thousand  metric tons of emission , saved US Dollar two hundred thirty one million through recycling programs. Their waste management programs prevented over 80% of their waste to go to landfill. It seems governments also should take initiative along with manufacturers, retailers to further improve the environmental situation.