Skip to main content

A Structured Approach for Assessing Sustainable Best Practices in Supply Chains

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Sustainable Transport

Abstract

This book chapter presents a structured approach to assess supply chain practices. The proposed solution incorporates sustainability dimensions into the evaluation process—considering social, economic and environmental impacts—and can be applied to select supply chain practices that can help to reduce the negative impact of transport, while improving long-term economic performance. Although there is no universal practice that can be applied across all business and national contexts, based on the extensive analysis of various supply chain practices across Europe, the most common ‘generic’ solutions used to improve supply chain are presented. The analysis of each ‘generic’ practice includes its social, economic and environmental impact, as well as its drivers and limitations, which should be considered when new implementation takes place.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • BestLog (2007) Existing methods of benchmarking. Best practices in logistics, BestLog project report

    Google Scholar 

  • Carroll JM, Swatman PA (2000) Structured-case: a methodological framework for building theory in information systems research. Eur J Inf Syst 9(4):235–242

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cetinkaya B, Cuthbertson R, Ewer G, Klaas-Wissing T, Piotrowicz W, Tyssen C (2011) Sustainable supply chain management: practical ideas for moving towards best practice. Springer, Berlin

    Google Scholar 

  • Cuthbertson R, Piotrowicz W (2008) Supply chain best practices: identification and categorisation of measures and benefits. Int J Productivity Perform Manage 57(5):389–404

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cuthbertson R, Piotrowicz W (2009) Transferring best practices. In: Rutkowski K (ed) Best practices in logistics and supply management. Warsaw School of Economics, Warsaw

    Google Scholar 

  • EC (2006a) Commission staff working document: freight transport logistics in Europe—the key to sustainable mobility. Appendix: summary of the impact assessment—points for reflection. Commission of the European Communities, Brussels

    Google Scholar 

  • EC (2006b) Commission staff working document: freight transport logistics in Europe—the key to sustainable mobility. Impact assessment. Commission of the European Communities, Brussels

    Google Scholar 

  • EC (2007) Sustainable development. European Commission

    Google Scholar 

  • Gunasekaran A (2001) Performance measurement and benchmarking in manufacturing. Int J Oper Prod Manage 21(1–2):9–14

    Google Scholar 

  • Laugen BT, Acur N, Boer H, Frick J (2005) Best manufacturing practices: what do the best-performing do? Int J Oper Prod Manage 25(2):131–150

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Piotrowicz W (2008) Designing closed-loop supply chains: implementation of the WEEE directive in the UK. Eur Retail Digest 56:12–15

    Google Scholar 

  • Piotrowicz W, Cuthbertson R, Islei G (2007) Sustainable supply chains: a framework for best practice assessment. Results of the pilot study, BestLog project. In: Markatos M, Stamou K, Belrao A et al (eds) Proceedings of the 3rd IASME/WSEAS international conference on energy, environment, ecosystems and sustainable development (EEESD’07), Crete, Greece, WSEAS, pp 455–464

    Google Scholar 

  • Shepherd C, Gunter H (2006) Measuring supply chains: current research and future directions. Int J Productivity Perform Manage 55(3/4):242–258

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sulogtra (2002) Effects on transport of trends in logistics and supply chain management. Final Publishable Report. Sulogtra Project

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The work presented in this chapter was completed within the European Commission BestLog (Best Practices in Logistics) project. The project consortium included: Technische Universitat Berlin, Logistics Department; University of St. Gallen, Chair of Logistics Management; METTLE Groupe; Reliant s.r.l.; Warsaw School of Economics, Logistics Department; Packaging, Transport and Logistics Institute (ITENE); Saïd Business School, University of Oxford; Chalmers University of Technology and European Logistics Association.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Wojciech Piotrowicz .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2012 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Piotrowicz, W., Cuthbertson, R. (2012). A Structured Approach for Assessing Sustainable Best Practices in Supply Chains. In: Golinska, P., Hajdul, M. (eds) Sustainable Transport. EcoProduction. Environmental Issues in Logistics and Manufacturing. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-23550-4_3

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics