Abstract
The purpose of this research is to introduce a qualitative sustainability performance assessment framework for food supply networks, based on the perception of their key stakeholders’ upper management. Moreover, the paper provides industry insights by exemplifying the value of the proposed framework for the UK food industry. A critical review on the most acknowledged sustainability assessment methodologies and tools resulted in the synthesis of the proposed framework. An illustrative application follows, based on data from semi-structured interviews with C-level executives from key players of the UK poultry sector. The results demonstrate an easy-to-use approach, with a comprehensive and sharp outcome on supply chain sustainability performance assessment. Industry insights demonstrate an adequate sustainability performance with respect to the entire supply chain. A detailed view on different echelons reveals specific areas that could be improved, such as the environmental performance at both farming (production) and processing levels. This work extends the scope of current sustainability performance assessment tools by providing a tangible triple bottom-line overview, as well as echelon-specific and indicator-specific details, in a user-friendly, yet straightforward, way. UK food industry insights are valuable for practitioners and academics. The illustration is based exclusively on C-level executives’ viewpoint; thus, any generalization of the results should be considered to this effect. Supply chain stakeholders, policy-makers, and researchers could perform a quick and reliable supply network sustainability performance assessment.
Highlights
Stakeholder expectations along with growing institutional pressures over today’s sophisticated supply chains drive firms to adjust the traditional economic-driven network archetypes and embrace socially and environmentally sustainable business operations [1]
In terms of environmental repercussions, the wider United Kingdom (UK) food industry accounts for up to 40% of the total UK greenhouse gas emissions [7], while the generated post farm-gate food waste amounts to 10 million tonnes with an annual value of over £17 billion [8]
The proposed framework adopts elements from the following three constructs for sustainability evaluation: (i) the framework developed by the non-profit organization Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) [24]; (ii) the SAFA framework developed by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations [25]; and (iii) the Social Life Cycle Assessment (SLCA) framework developed by the United Nations along with the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry [26]
Summary
Stakeholder expectations along with growing institutional pressures over today’s sophisticated supply chains drive firms to adjust the traditional economic-driven network archetypes and embrace socially and environmentally sustainable business operations [1]. Food systems’ sustainability is becoming more pronounced considering the projected increase in food demand by 70% in 2050 [2] in tandem with the global challenges of natural resources’ overexploitation and diversified dietary norms [3]. In this regard, food chain stakeholders continuously reconsider the most critical issues that need to be collectively addressed for the effective management of such complex multi-tier networks in order to ensure efficiency and sustainability [4]. Beske et al [21], aiming to integrate the theories of Sustainable Supply Chain Management and Dynamic Capabilities, systematically assessed peer-reviewed papers on food networks and identified distinctive capabilities that could foster sustainable performance
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