Describing and organizing green practices in the context of Green Supply Chain Management: Case studies

The purpose of this article is to present a qualitative model that allows researchers and practitioners to analyze activities that can contribute to eco-efficiency in the context of Green Supply Chain Management. A literature review identified 21 green practices, organized in four groups using duster analysis: collaboration, innovation, operation, and mitigation. Practices and aspects of these were embedded into a model, which was tested in four companies in the footwear industry. Each practice was analyzed and appraised regarding how the activity contributes to the overall eco-efficiency in the supply chain. The most contributory practice is the existence of a specific strategy to deal with environmental impact. The most contributory aspect is mitigation. The companies in the sample predominantly demonstrate a reactive attitude in facing the challenges posed by eco-efficiency, which can help managers to formulate a new strategic approach to improve eco-efficiency. The main scientific value added by the article is a structured reference model to help practitioners and scholars analyze how green practices can improve eco-efficiency in the supply chain.