Supply Chain Management Refining Eco Labeling

Many leading sustainability-focused companies are now integrating sustainability concepts into their supply chains. Sustainable supply no longer simply means consistent on-time delivery at an affordable price. According to the Harvard Business Publishing, major sustainability-driven companies, like Wal-Mart, are increasing their supplier expectations with respect to environmental and social issues. In fact, many retailers are now leveraging tools to differentiate amongst “green” claims and reduce number of acceptable environmental certifications and ‘green’ labels.

The World Resources Institute (WRI) has initiated the Green Supply Chain Initiative which aims to develop and deploy a new set of tools to account for GHG impacts on any given firm’s supply chain. The project also involves creating a web tool that will bring clarity to the various environmental certifications given to products.

Designed to provide greater transparency into the eco-labels, this green supply chain focus will help companies decide which eco-labels businesses will recognize through a standard set of eco-label evaluation criteria. According to a WRI spokesman, “We hope our work can help companies assess certification options for their products in ways that improve the environmental impact and lessen the burdens on businesses by identifying and helping compare the many different standards that currently exist.”

At Taiga Company, our professional consulting views the recent emergence of sustainable supply chain management as an opportunity to gain access to new markets by reviewing processes, materials, and operational concepts from a different perspective. We provide information and small business resources to clients seeking to define and implement supply chain business sustainability strategies.