Abstract
Suppliers have an important role in enabling the mining and minerals industry to achieve their goals for sustainable development and demonstrating corporate responsibility. Barriers that are limiting their business’ ability to maximise the contribution of suppliers to business outcomes were a limited understanding of their client’s business’ (by suppliers), insufficient time, and resources to dedicate to managing suppliers effectively (from the mining company’s perspective), and preferred vendor status. When mining companies had successfully engaged with suppliers, the supplier understood the needs of the business and tailored its approach accordingly. The supplier could demonstrate how its own commitment to environmental management and sustainable development would benefit the mining operation so understood the needs of their client. The supplier created value for the mining operation by reducing costs and providing an improved solution (compared with existing solutions). The supplier also knew the life-cycle impacts of its own goods and/or services on the mining operation’s business. Recommendations for future research would be in understanding application of blockchain and other technologies to streamline the transactions between suppliers and mining companies. They also could include harnessing the capabilities of suppliers to de-risk supply chains in terms of modern slavery, increasing the efficiency of their supply chains (i.e. reduce time, cost, maintaining quality), and eliminating waste in the broadest sense across mining operations.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Altham J, Guerin TF (2005) Cleaner production in sustainable mining practices. In: Rajaram V, Dutta S, Parameswaran K (eds) A.A. Balkema Publishers (Francis & Taylor Group Plc), London, pp 93–120
Anonymous (1997) Green purchasing in need of further boost. Supply Manag 2:9
Anonymous (1999) Green actions pay, managers told. Supply Manag 4:42
Anonymous (2008) Minerals Council of Australia. https://www.minerals.org.au. Accessed 3 Jan 2020
Azapagic A (2004) Developing a framework for sustainable development indicators for the mining and minerals industry. J Clean Prod 12:639–662
Baatartogtokh B, Dunbar WS, Van Zyl D (2018) The state of outsourcing in the Canadian mining industry. Res Policy 59:184–191. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resourpol.2018.06.014
Barton A (2006) Turn the supply chain green. Supply Manag 11:15
Block P (1996) Stewardship - choosing service over self-interest. Berrett–Koehler Publishers, Inc., San Francisco
Blowfield M (2000) Ethical sourcing: a contribution to sustainability or a diversion? Sustain Dev 8:191–200
Bravo-Ortega C, Muñoz L (2018) Mining services suppliers in Chile: a regional approach (or lack of it) for their development. Res Policy. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resourpol.2018.06.001
Bubicz ME, Barbosa-Póvoa APFD, Carvalho A (2019) Incorporating social aspects in sustainable supply chains: trends and future directions. J Clean Prod 237:117500. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.06.331
Canavan M (2019) Resources and energy exports forecast to set records, Minister for the Department of Industry, Innovation and Science. https://www.minister.industry.gov.au
Christensen L (2002) The environment and its impact on the supply chain. Int J Retail Distrib Manag 30:571
Ellinor R (2007) Costing the earth. Supply Manag 12:24
Endl A, Tost M, Hitch M, Moser P, Feiel S (2019) Europe’s mining innovation trends and their contribution to the sustainable development goals: blind spots and strong points. Res Policy:101440. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resourpol.2019.101440
Enever J, Robertson AC (1998) Role of equipment suppliers and mining consultants in the mining cycle. In: proceedings of the 1998 Annual Conference on Mining Cycle, AusIMM, Apr 19–23 1998. Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy Publication Series. Mount Isa, Aust, p 247
Eskew ML (1999) Profiting through environmental supply chain management. Executive Speeches 14:5
Fiksel J (1995) How to green your supply chain. Environ Today 6:29–30
Gruenhagen JH, Parker R (2020) Factors driving or impeding the diffusion and adoption of innovation in mining: a systematic review of the literature. Res Policy 65:101540. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resourpol.2019.101540
Guerin TF (2000) Can there be a win-win outcome in the sustainable mining debate? Asian J Mining:11–14
Guerin TF (2001) Why sustainable innovations are not always adopted. Resour Conserv Recycl 34:1–18
Guerin TF (2005) Maintenance wastes. In: Rajaram V, Dutta S, Parameswaran K (eds) Sustainable Mining Practices. A.A. Balkema Publishers (Francis & Taylor Group Plc), London, pp 209–230
Guerin TF (2006a) Realising Minerals Theories “Down Under”. Mining Environ Manag:12–16
Guerin TF (2006b) A survey of sustainable development initiatives in the Australian mining and minerals industry. Miner Energy Raw Mater Report 20:11–44
Guerin TF (2008) Environmental liability and life-cycle management of used lubricating oils. J Hazard Mater 160:256–264. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2008.03.029
Guerin TF (2018) Are you asking the right business-related questions as an environmental or sustainability manager? Environ Qual Manag 28:7–11. https://doi.org/10.1002/tqem.21585
Guerin TF, Turner O, Tsiklieris J(2004) Moving towards sustainable development in the minerals industry - the role of a major supplier. In: Proceedings of the Australian Institute of Mining & Metallurgy, New Zealand Branch, Nelson. pp 125–137
Hagelaar G, van der Vorst J, Willem JM (2004) Organising life-cycles in supply chains: linking environmental performance to managerial designs. Greener Manag Int 45:27–42
Halme M, Anttonen M, Kuisma M, Kontoniemi N, Heino E (2007) Business models for material efficiency services: conceptualization and application. Ecol Econ 63:126
Lamming R, Hampson J (1996) The environment as a supply chain management issue. Br J Manag 7:S45
Lane G, Danielson L (2001) Mining and minerals sustainability survey. PriceWaterHouseCoopers and MMSD, London
Lloyd M (1994) How green are my suppliers? - buying environmental risk Purchasing & Supply Management [PSU] ISSN:36–39
Lutz P (2005) Rhetoric and reality of corporate greening: a view from the supply chain management function. Bus Strateg Environ 14:123
Martins CL, Pato MV (2019) Supply chain sustainability: a tertiary literature review. J Clean Prod 225:995–1016. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.03.250
Mehta SK (1994) Environmental concerns in the supply chain. Purch Supply Manag 3:26
Mitchell P, Downham L, van Dinter A (2019) Top 10 business risks and opportunities – 2020. EY. https://www.ey.com/en_gl/mining-metals/10-business-risks-facing-mining-and-metals. Accessed 10 January 2020
Moktadir MA, Ali SM, Jabbour CJC, Paul A, Ahmed S, Sultana R, Rahman T (2019) Key factors for energy-efficient supply chains: Implications for energy policy in emerging economies. Energy 189:116129. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2019.116129
Monteiro NBR, Da Silva EA, Moita Neto JM (2019) Sustainable development goals in mining. J Clean Prod 228:509–520. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.04.332
Ntabe EN, Lebel L, Munson AD, Santa-Eulalia LA (2015) A systematic literature review of the supply chain operations reference (SCOR) model application with special attention to environmental issues. Int J Prod Econ 169:310–332. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpe.2015.08.008
Que S, Wang L, Awuah-Offei K, Chen Y, Yang W (2018) The status of the local community in mining sustainable development beyond the triple bottom line. Sustainability 10:1749. https://doi.org/10.3390/su10061749
Rao P, Holt D (2005) Do green supply chains lead to competitiveness and economic performance? Int J Oper Prod Manag 25:898–916
Robinson GJ, Hagan TN, Tucker AJ (1995) Mine owner and explosives supplier. Partners in controlling the environmental effects of blasting. In: AusIMM Annual Conference - Technical Proceedings, Newcastle, Australia, Australasian Inst of Mining & Metallurgy, Carlton, p 263
Ryu S, Eyuboglu N (2007) The environment and its impact on satisfaction with supplier performance: an investigation of the mediating effects of control mechanisms from the perspective of the manufacturer in the U.S.A. Ind Mark Manag 36:458
Simpson D, Power D, Samson D (2007) Greening the automotive supply chain: a relationship perspective. Int J Oper Prod Manag 27:28–48
Tost M, Hitch M, Chandurkar V, Moser P, Feiel S (2018) The state of environmental sustainability considerations in mining. J Clean Prod 182:969–977. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.02.051
Tyler G (1997) Blueprint for green supplies. Supply Management 2:36
UNDP (2016) Mapping mining to the sustainable development goals: an atlas. Columbia University, UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, and World Economic Forum (WEF), New York
WCED (1987) Our common future. World Commission on Environment and Development and Oxford University Press, Oxford
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Publisher’s note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Guerin, T.F. Perceptions of supplier impacts on sustainable development in the mining and minerals sector: a survey analysing opportunities and barriers from an Australian perspective. Miner Econ 33, 375–388 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13563-020-00224-5
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13563-020-00224-5
Keywords
- Suppliers
- Supply chain
- Sustainable development
- Barriers
- Adoption
- Survey
- Australia
- Survey
- Minerals processing