Sustainability in Global Business: Analytical Framework for Selected Value Chains in Sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract

During the last two decades, the dimensions of business sustainability have expanded from an environmental focus to a ‘triple bottom line (TBL)’ i.e. Economic, Social and Environmental. The analysis shows that the real challenge for businesses lies in balancing these three TBL dimensions. The TBL sustainability equation of any business is relative to the context in which it operates. In the case of global business value chains, it is observed that the TBL performance varies depending on the particular stage of the value-chain i.e. first sourcing to manufacturing, distribution, consumption and reverse logistics. There is no absolute formula for defining the TBL performance. Therefore, the issue requires contextual analysis of the different value chain levels in relation to the contextual considerations. The current paper focuses on analyzing three different value chains in Sub-Saharan Africa: Lithium Batteries; Coffee; and Pharmaceuticals. Based on the literature review, we first identify the important parameters for analyzing these three value chains. Two of the selected value chains focus on the sustainability issues in the inbound part of value chains (sourcing) while the third one focuses on the distribution (outbound) value chain. The paper explores how the considerations and approach of analysis shift depending on the contextual requirements. The paper offers insights for further developing the sustainability performance analysis framework in global value chains. instructions give you guidelines for preparing papers for this journal.