Sustainability means less vulnerability?

Does sustainability improve a a company’s resilience towards supply chain vulnerabilities? Recently, in my research on supply chain vulnerability, I’ve come across the term sustainable supply chains. Curious as I am, and easily distracted by related topics, I decided to do some more digging, and this is what I came up with.

What are sustainable supply chains?

There are numerous definitions of the terms ‘Sustainable’ and ‘Supply Chain’, but in essence, this is a supply chain where the responsible manufacturer and retailer takes precedence over the green consumer. It is a supply chain, where resources are not just consumed but also replenished, and where business decisions consider long-term overall environmental and societal impacts. It’s not the opposite of just about business, but it is also not just about environment. It’s about

• Profitability
  Yes, we need to make money, but we should do so in a responsible way.
• Accountability
  Whatever we do, we will be held accountable for doing so.
• Community
  How can our business benefit the community (more than just providing jobs and tax money)?
• Environment
  Does our business harm the environment in any way?
• Sustainability
  Do we simply consume, or do we also replenish?

Conclusion

A sustainable supply chain is not primarily seeking to maximize profits.

It may not necessarily be less susceptible to disruption, but nonetheless,  a disruption in a sustainable supply chain may be less likely to wreck widespread havoc, since a sustainable supply chain is not streamlined for profit, but is streamlined for resilience.

Links

• sustainable-supplychain.com: Sustainability is free
• The Sustainable Supply Chain Council: The Sustainable Supply Chain Project
• gscmotion: When Green encounters efficiency