Sustainable Supply Chain Management
Sustainability is seen as a strategic issue for most business firms and organizations, even those that have previously given it lip service are now having to show tangible action. Why? Stakeholder pressure is forcing firms to operationalise and embed their sustainability strategy into their organizations DNA. See for example:
https://www.blackrock.com/corporate/sustainability . Some organizations are seeing that be taking a sustainability focus and utilizing their supply chain they are able to improve their share price and market share, others however, are finding it more difficult to adopt and adapt to these changes (see for example:
https://www.theguardian.com/business/marketforceslive/2013/jan/16/horse-meat-tesco-marketvalue-shares and https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2015/dec/30/vw-exxonlobbying-brazil-mining-tragedy-toshiba-corporate-scandals-greenwashing-climate-change ). Why is that?
You have been commissioned as a newspaper reporter to write a maximum 3,000 word review article (this is a total word count figure – see course handbook in Canvas) for the Financial Times (using academic models – theories, concepts, tools and techniques, that you have recently learnt) – on a leading FTSE 100 company, your article will be published as a feature piece on how companies are demonstrating ‘success’ in sustainability through utilizing supply chain strategy and what challenges and barriers they have come across and how they have managed to overcome them. You are also asked to think like a futurologist and give your insights, based on your research, on where you think things are going in the future and how the company should position itself.
Before you write your article have a look at this link: https://www.ft.com/content/e3e8ff2b-95c748f8-9eda-312494422e10
In order to write your article, you will need to:
1. Select a FTSE100 firm. Provide an history and context of the firm, its industry and past, current and predicted performance (using appropriate frameworks and financial, market and industry data).
2. Using appropriate theories, concepts and frameworks learnt in this module you need to conduct a general analysis (using publicly available data e.g. company reports, newspaper clippings etc) of your case firm. You should include its corporate and in particular its supply and sustainability strategies.
3. Identify what you see as the key supply chain and sustainability challenges facing the firm, past, present and future. Your answer should utilise appropriate theories, concepts and frameworks from the module material.
4. Offer YOUR thoughts, based on your analysis, on how the company should use its supply strategy to improve its sustainable position, you should discuss what ‘success’ might look like incorporating a social, environmental and economic perspective. Your analysis should also include financial, market and industry data to support your strategic predications. You should aim to predict forward in the short, medium and long-term – however you define this.
Data sources:
• Financial Times www.ft.com
• Electronic Journals (See library searches)
• Books
• Consultancy Reports e.g GoldmanSachs etc https://www.goldmansachs.com/what-wedo/sustainable-finance/index.html?cid=sch-pd-google-sustainability-searchad-201912ukbru—
&mkwid=sfAbkyDmZ_dc_pcrid_484326643423_pkw_sustainability_pmt_p_pdv_c_slid__pgri d_116126106602_ptaid_kwd-21510980_&ptaid=kwd-
21510980&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIv6jNtOnA7gIVGOvtCh0rFwIPEAAYASAAEgKgffD_BwE&pgrid =116126106602.
How will your article be assessed?
1. Writing style, approach, referencing and clarity. I am looking for a clearly written and argued thought piece. You should have a clear structure that addresses the question. Your article should begin with a short abstract summarizing your piece. You should clearly reference any sources that you use.
2. You should make sure that you have addressed the question and have used the theories, models, tools and techniques that have been taught to you on this module. You should show clear understanding of their application to this problem.
3. You are required to conduct some secondary research of companies (make sure you reference your sources) – the level and detail of this information will improve your paper, but importantly I am looking for your ability to take this information, assimilate it and apply it. Simply copying data is from public sources will not suffice. You must USE the data to support your arguments. You must then use appropriate frameworks from the course to help you explain and make sense of the data.
