The model of White Supply Chain Management for sustainable performance in the food industry

Abstract

Research background: The evolving business sector, driven by environmental factors and social pressure such as natural capital, global competitiveness, etc., necessitates continuous improvement and adaptation. The study presents White Supply Chain Management (WSCM), which incorporates ethical, social, and environmental practices into supply chains to enhance competitiveness. WSCM expands on Green Supply Chain Management (GSCM) by integrating principles of ethics and social responsibility towards achieving the SDGs. The variables include social pressure, ethical management and corporate social responsibility, promoting holistic sustainability across all supply chains. Purpose of the article: The study's objectives were to examine the validity components of WSCM in the food sector, analyze the influence of WSCM on the long-term effectiveness of the Food Industry, and examine the WSCM model to see how it promotes long-term effectiveness in the food business. Method: The research used a quantitative survey design to elicit responses from a sample group of 664 respondents, selected using a lottery-based random sampling method with 2-3 key informants per factory, typically occupying middle to high-level executive positions. The test tool was a structural equation model. Findings & value added: The results show that WSCM and sustainable performance (SUS) are much improved by social pressure. WSCM further improves SUS. The findings emphasize the need for food sector stakeholders to interact with their publics (both internal and external), maintain ethical standards, and leverage supply chain analytics for transparency. Theoretically, the findings show how societal pressure drives sustainability through WSCM, therefore addressing issues outside of conventional Green Supply Chain Management. The study focuses on the necessity of implementing an integrated framework for managing the supply chain, comprising ethical, social, and environmental factors, and advises future research to test the WSCM framework in additional sectors and investigate its long-term effects on sustainability.