Sustainability And Sustainability

Sustainability, as defined by academics in the late twentieth century is a process of meeting the needs of the present without compromising the future (Coyle, 2017), however as Carter and Rogers (2008) discuss, there have been considerable inconsistencies in published definitions. In a world of fierce competition bolstered by globalisation and modern technology the subject of sustainability in business and Supply Chain Management (SCM) has gained significant attention since being first discussed and is now recognised as a significant objective in today’s profit focused private business sector (Coyle, 2017).

While traditional manufacturers were focused on efficiencies, environmental concerns have been receiving significant attention in global media. A common perception from the news is that sustainability relates to simply to greenhouse emissions and carbon footprints. While much has been discussed about sustainability in supply chains in recent years there is now a growing appreciation that this paradigm has a wider scope than just that of environmental issues. In addition, early research failed to recognise that a competitive

On a broader level, the 3BL model in a sustainable operation suggests that success is measured not solely by such traditional methods but also that of its social and environmental performance (Markley & Davis, 2007). In order to remain profitable, it must take the wider range of activities into account (Christopher, 2011).To reduce its environmental footprint, it is argued that one model does not fit all that sustainability starts at the conception stage of supply chain design (Mangan, Lalwani, Butcher, & Javadpour, 2012). Matching the internal capabilities of the organisation with environmental variability is critical in achieving a competitive advantage from sustainability (Markley & Davis,