Investigating the development and implementation of green supply chain strategies by South African consumer goods manufacturers

Abstract

This study investigates the development and implementation of green supply chain strategies. The study explores the motivations, strategies, challenges, and impacts of green supply chain management. Key drivers include cost reduction, sustainability, ethical considerations, and regulatory compliance. The integration strategies encompass delivery process optimisation, energy optimisation, research and innovation, supplier collaboration, KPI integration, and recyclability. Despite the benefits, implementing green supply chain strategies faces challenges such as stakeholder alignment, lack of knowledge, initial investment, and cost management. The impact analysis reveals that green supply chain processes lead to cost efficiency, operational improvements, reputation enhancement, and CO2 reduction. The findings underscore the importance of aligning environmental goals with business objectives and the need for continuous innovation and collaboration with suppliers to achieve sustainability targets. This research provides valuable insights into developing and implementing South African consumer goods manufacturers' green supply chain strategies, highlighting the critical role of cost-benefit analysis, stakeholder engagement, and continuous improvement in achieving sustainability goals. The research methodology adopted in this study is qualitative, involving semi-structured interviews with professionals from one of South Africa's leading dairy product producers. The study employs thematic analysis to identify key themes and patterns in the data. The interviews were conducted online, recorded, and transcribed for analysis. The study's trustworthiness is ensured through credibility, transferability, dependability, and confirmability. The following recommendations for further studies were made: To investigate how corporate key performance indicators can be used as a model to implement green supply chain strategies. To explore South Africa's public transport infrastructure to identify supply chain channels that are more cost-effective and environmentally friendly. Investigate how small and medium-sized firms implement green supply chain strategies. Conduct a qualitative investigation on multiple firms to understand the country's most effective green supply chain strategies in terms of environmental impact and cost saving.