Integration Of Sustainable Practices Research Articles

THE AMBIVALENT ALLIANCE BETWEEN SUSTAINABILITY AND RESTAURANT BUSINESS

In the contemporary landscape, the assessment of business performance and societal advancement increasingly hinges on the concept of sustainability. Restaurant operators are now urged to elevate the significance of sustainability and implement measures more earnestly. The incorporation of sustainable practices has become imperative for the advancement of restaurants, and integrating sustainability into the overall business strategy is not only a moral imperative but also a pathway to securing a competitive edge. Yet, effectively managing a business while navigating the delicate equilibrium between sustainability and profitability presents significant challenges and is anything but straightforward. Restaurant operators encounter obstacles when considering the integration of sustainability practices into their business operations. Despite these challenges, there are also notable advantages. Overall, the crucial point is that restaurants have promising opportunities if they choose to embrace sustainability and take a step forward in that direction. This article delves into the discourse on sustainability in prior literature, exploring the factors considered by the researchers. Subsequently, it examines the obstacles that impede restaurant owners from embracing sustainability practices, along with the associated benefits. The final section outlines the opportunities that await restaurants that choose to incorporate sustainability. The overarching goal of this article is to provide restaurant operators with a comprehensive understanding of sustainability in the food and beverage industry, ultimately encouraging them to integrate sustainable practices into their business operations. KEYWORDS: sustainability, green restaurant, dining trends, advantages of sustainability practice, disadvantages of sustainability practice, opportunities in sustainability

How does the power structure affect the acquisition price and inventory decisions in the reverse supply chain

With growing concerns about environmental sustainability, reverse supply chains play a crucial role in recycling, remanufacturing, and reducing waste. Investigating the power structure's impact on decisions related to acquisition prices and inventory management can provide insights into the integration of sustainable practices. This paper analyzes a reverse supply chain with a supplier and a remanufacturer, in which the supplier provides the remanufacturer with sorted used cores. We investigate the acquisition pricing and inventory decisions under different power structures (supplier-led Stackelberg model, remanufacturer-led Stackelberg model) through game theory analysis. We first establish the centralized model to explore optimal acquisition decisions and profit of the total system. Then we evaluate the acquisition quantity, wholesale prices, the profit of supplier and remanufacturer in the supplier-led model and in the remanufacturer-led model. Finally, the impact of power structure on the performance of supplier and remanufacturer are explored by numerical analysis, as well as the supply chain system. Our significant findings show that (i) the total profit of the supplier-led and remanufacturer-led reverse supply chain are less than the centralized model due to the double marginalization; (ii) the remanufacturer-led reverse supply chain is superior to the supplier-led model reverse supply chain; (iii) the selected grades in the supplier-led model is proved the same as that in the remanufacturer-led model, which could not been affected by the wholesale price; (iv) the greater the inventory risk (the uncertainty in demand), the greater the profit share for the remanufacturer (supplier) in the supplier-led (remanufacturer-led) model.

Growing Green: Sustainable Agriculture Meets Precision Farming: A Review

Precision farming involves the use of advanced technologies such as the global positioning system (GPS), sensors and data analytics to make informed decisions on crop management. The integration of sustainable agriculture principles with precision farming techniques offers a holistic approach to address the challenges faced by modern agriculture. This review explores the convergence of sustainable agriculture and precision farming practices, aiming to enhance the efficiency, productivity and environmental sustainability of modern farming systems. The review delves into the principles of precision farming, which involves the use of advanced technologies such as GPS, sensors and data analytics to optimize resource use and improve crop yields. The integration of sustainable practices within precision farming frameworks is a central focus, emphasizing the importance of environmental supervision, soil health and biodiversity conservation. This review also highlights the collaboration between cutting-edge agricultural technologies and environment friendly farming practices, illustrating a path forward for the agriculture industry towards a sustainable and resilient nutritional security.

Global Country Classification of Sustainable Startups Levels

In today's world, the pursuit of sustainable development has become a global priority. However, the integration of sustainability practices in entrepreneurial ventures, particularly in new startups, lags behind. This article aims to bridge the gap between sustainable development and entrepreneurship by examining the role of sustainability in the formation of sustainable startups. Through the use of cluster analysis, this study classifies countries based on their environmental and social objectives in the context of sustainable startups. The analysis reveals distinct clusters of countries with varying degrees of emphasis on environmental and social considerations. The results of the analysis provide valuable insights into the distribution of countries across different clusters, delineating the sustainable goals of startups in those countries. These findings align with existing research on sustainable entrepreneurship and contribute to the broader discourse in the field. The implications of these findings are significant for promoting sustainable entrepreneurship. While the study acknowledges several limitations, future research can expand upon these findings to develop a more comprehensive understanding of sustainable entrepreneurship on a global scale.

Cross-country comparison of sustainable e-commerce entrepreneurship impact on sustainable development goals implementation: The case study of Germany and India

E-commerce plays a significant role in driving global economic growth, and the integration of sustainable practices into business has given rise to the concept of Sustainable E-commerce Entrepreneurship (SEE). As the number of SEE initiatives continues to grow, examining their impact on implementing Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) becomes crucial. This study aims to explore the disparities between German and Indian SEEs regarding their perspectives on SDG implementation. This study presents a unique approach by comparing the viewpoints of e-commerce entrepreneurs in the Indian National Capital Region of New Delhi and the Berlin-Brandenburg Region in Germany regarding SDG implementation through SEE activities. The interviewees from both countries were asked about three key aspects: (1) the current impact of SEE on SDGs implementation, (2) the future impact of SEE on a specific category of SDGs, and (3) whether e-commerce should be seen as a source of global patterns for SDGs implementation or should be tailored to local needs. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to gather data, and the scripted interviews were analyzed with the assistance of ATLAS.ti software. The study collected semi-structured interviews with ten Indian and nine German SEEs. The study’s findings indicate that German SEEs place a greater emphasis on SDGs related to the biosphere compared to their Indian counterparts. This divergence in prioritization aligns with the socio-economic challenges currently faced by Indian society, which influences their focus on social and economic SDGs. Indian SEEs do not foresee significant contributions to improving the biosphere through SEE activities in the future. In contrast, German SEEs demonstrate an idealistic perspective on SDG implementation, with a stronger emphasis on the biosphere category of SDGs.

Looking into literature in the field of circular supply chain and the subtopic from a customers’ perspective: A bibliometric approach

In contemporary times, the integration of sustainable practices in supply chain operations constitutes a crucial factor that confers competitive advantages to enterprises. In this vein, circular supply chain strategies may lead to a reduction of waste and pollution by ensuring that resources are used efficiently and that products are designed to be reused, recycled, or repurposed. In this vein, customers are becoming more environmentally conscious and are increasingly seeking products and services that are produced sustainably, and demand transparency and accountability from the companies they purchase from. By implementing circular supply chain practices, companies can demonstrate their commitment to sustainability and build a positive reputation with customers. The main purpose of this research is to analyze the major contributions made in the field of circular supply chain, both from a general approach and from a customers' perspective (authors, affiliations, and countries), as well as the main areas analyzed by papers in both fields, and their intellectual structure. Data were extracted from the Web of Science database and analyzed using bibliometric techniques, particularly Bibliometrix® software in its version 4.2.1. The results show that these fields have increased in importance over time, especially in the last seven years, and that research trends are directed towards the implementation of new technologies that favor the circularity of the supply chain. It is concluded that the implementation of circular economy practices in the supply chain is vital for reducing waste and pollution by maximizing the use of resources and materials, requiring this approach the participation of all stakeholders, especially customers. In this respect, the subtopic from the customers' perspective demands further research efforts.

Investigating the Factors That Determine the ESG Disclosure Practices in Europe

The increased focus on environmental (E), social (S), and governance (G) (ESG) disclosure has become a necessary step toward the integration of sustainability practices into firms’ culture to meet the expectations of stakeholders. The social and environmental implications of firm activities on the environment and surrounding communities have led to the growing demand for useful non-financial information. This paper investigates the impacts of the board’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategy and CSR orientation, GRI, and the country–cultural dimensions, based on Hofstede’s measures of ESG disclosure practices within Europe. Using a European dataset from Bloomberg and Refinitiv Eikon, this paper adopts a quantitative research methodology to test the research hypotheses through a statistical analysis of 7840 observations from European companies to analyze the extent of the relationship between micro- and macro-variables and the disclosure of company ESG. Our findings suggest that both board CSR orientation and strategy and the GRI have positively and significantly affected the overall disclosure of ESG practices within Europe. When examining country–cultural dimensions, we find that individualism and feminine cultures are positively associated with increased levels of ESG disclosure. Our findings shed light on factors affecting ESG disclosure practices within Europe and could be of interest to companies, policy makers, and other stakeholders.

The effect of sustainable business practices on profitability. Accounting for strategic disclosure

AbstractThis work tackles from an empirical perspective the widely debated relationship between sustainability in business practices and profitability, focusing on a sample of listed European firms. To measure the extent of sustainable practices at the firm level, the Comprehensive Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) score is proposed. The indicator, computed using the Mazziotta‐Pareto method, combines qualitative ratings on adherence to ESG standards with quantitative observations on the extent of data disclosure. Firms failing to pursue full disclosure are penalized. Focusing on the constituents of the Euro Stoxx 300 index, a dynamic panel model is implemented, where profitability is explained by the indicator. The results show that sustainability in business practices reduces profitability. These findings are in line with a strand of literature that highlights the role of strategic disclosure of ESG information on part of firms. Strategic disclosure occurs as a combination of greenwashing and social washing, with firms overstating the extent of their positive behaviors. The integration of sustainable practices within successful business models thus remains a relevant societal problem. The current EU policy framework is discussed in line with our findings.

Mapping Studies on Sustainability in the Performance Measurement of Public-Private Partnership Projects: A Systematic Review

The integration of sustainable practices into infrastructure projects under the auspices of public-private partnerships (PPPs) is vital in the attainment of United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Since the inception of the SDGs in 2015, the attention of world has been shifting towards more sustainable practices and it is essential that the conventional performance measurement models on PPP projects also adapt to the trend of sustainable practices. Therefore, This study aims at reviewing and operationalising sustainable performance measures for the PPP infrastructure projects. A systematic literature review (SLR) methodology was utilised in this study. The research process began with the search, retrieval and selection of thirty-three (33) journal articles. Thoroughly, the selected articles were contently analysed to form key themes that form the basis of this research’s findings. The outcomes of this review demonstrate twenty-seven (27) most critical sustainable performance criteria of PPP projects such as the lowest project costs, green index, disability-friendly inclusion rate and carbon emission per project among others. Although, the study is limited to few journal articles, it provides theoretical and practical understanding of integration of sustainability in PPPs. Further, it gives a list of relevant research gaps for further studies. This study contributes to the benchmarking and management of sustainable performance assessment of PPP projects.

The role of blockchain technology in the integration of sustainability practices across multi-tier supply networks: implications and potential complexities

ABSTRACT Global supply networks encompass many inter-connected suppliers. Many of these suppliers are unpredictable and beyond the direct realm of the company, making the management of sustainability a difficult task. This research attempts to put forth a profound exploration of the integration of sustainability across complex multi-tier supply networks through the utilization of blockchain technology. The research includes a selected literature review compromising well-cited research that focuses on multi-tier supply networks and blockchain technology. The findings suggest that blockchain can enhance suppliers’ visibility. Managers will have increased transparency and traceability of their global supply networks, which will eventually reduce information asymmetry and limit opportunistic behaviors. Furthermore, the connectivity and rapid/immutable sustainable information sharing features associated with blockchain increase suppliers’ predictability and create robust sustainable supply networks. Despite the potential benefits enabled by the technology, the research highlights some vital complexities that may obstruct the adoption of the technology across multi-tier supply networks.

Empowering Collections-Based Organizations to Participate in Agenda 2030: The “Our Collections Matter Toolkit”

Collections-based organizations (CBOs) can play a crucial role in addressing sustainable development (SD), but their aspiration to become more sustainable, as seen in policies and guidelines, is confronted with several challenges in practice. To facilitate a sustainability transition, this process of change needs to be managed and adequate tools adopted and implemented. Many tools exist to support this transition; however, a scarcity of centralized resources available to CBOs might negatively affect the integration of sustainability practices in their work. With the aim to address this gap, ICCROM launched the project “Our Collections Matter” (OCM) and developed an online toolkit (OCMT) to centralize resources and help CBOs align their work to the UN Agenda 2030. Recently, a workshop was organized with professionals in the field to discuss shared challenges and aspirations and to test the OCMT. This study reflects on how such centralization of resources can contribute to overcoming existing challenges and support the sustainability aspirations of CBOs, fostering change in the field. To do that, the workshop outcomes are analyzed and discussed from a change management perspective, looking at the impact that the OCM project and its activities can have on fostering change, and the role that ICCROM can play in facilitating the sustainability transition of the field.

Impact of vehicular movement on road dust resuspension and spatiotemporal distribution of particulate matter during construction activities

This paper presents the characteristics of ambient particulate matter (PM), resuspendable road dust and PM mass deposition in the human respiratory tract during preconstruction and construction phases. PM Emission Rates (PMER) due to resuspension and spatiotemporal distribution were estimated and compared on construction roads (CR) and non-construction roads (NCR) for both phases. The construction phase monitoring results demonstrated that the silt load (SL) and PMER at CR (SL = 26–47 g/m2, PM10ER = 18.1–43.8 g/VKT, PM2.5ER = 4.3–10.6 g/VKT) were significantly high when compared to NCR (SL = 3.0–12.5 g/m2, PM10ER = 0.3–7.5 g/VKT, PM2.5ER = 0.1–1.8 g/VKT). Preconstruction phase results showed 15 to 20 times lesser values. Spatial and temporal variation studies showed that maximum PM concentrations (PM10 = 270.1, PM2.5 = 71.8, PM1 = 56.3 μg/m3) were found during night at construction roads due to the movement of heavy-duty vehicles carrying excavated earth overnight. Between 0 and 100 m length of road on either side of the construction sites, average PM10 concentrations were greater than 250 μg/m3. Similarly, for distance between 100 and 200 m, 200–400 m and 400–500 m, the PM10 values ranged between 200 and 250 μg/m3, 150–200 μg/m3 and 100–150 μg/m3 respectively. The current study results clearly indicated that resuspension of road dust due to movement of heavy duty trucks highly influence the PM concentrations in the surrounding environment of a construction site. The MPPD model results indicated that the total deposition fraction of PM10 in construction workers airway during the construction phase was 74–78%, followed by PM2.5(23–54%) and PM1(20–25%). Integration of sustainable practices, use of pollution control technologies and implementation of policies at a local scale are the way forward to mitigate the pollution from construction activities.

Sustainability practices in Spanish higher education institutions: An overview of status and implementation

Higher education institutions have been steadily progressing towards the integration of sustainable practices in their university system. Consequently, an increasing number of these institutions have recognized their responsibility and are incorporating sustainability into their operations, and practices, following a holistic approach. Despite these efforts in the implementation, there are still many challenges to pursue sustainability. In the Spanish framework, there is a lack of studies that investigate sustainable development in higher education by considering all the dimensions. Especially, the efforts of the Spanish Universities in research have been scarcely analysed in detail. This study analyze how Spanish Public and Private Universities (SUE) are integrating sustainability into their institutions by the following dimensions: Research (based on a search strategy proposed by considering the social, economic and environmental perspective); Internationalization (participation in GreenMetrics ranking and European Framework projects), University Governance (Strategic Plans); Assessment and Reporting (Sustainability Plans) and Campus Operations (Green offices).The findings reveal that some institutions present a higher production of scientific activity on the topic (e.g. UAB), while others with less production are more specialized (e.g. UA). The commitment of the universities has increased over time but it varies greatly among different kind of universities, especially in favour of the public institutions. By analyzing the correlation between sustainability practice, it was found that there are high association between some of the variables i.e. sustainability plan and having a green office. However, this study clearly demonstrates that although SD is recognized as being very important to HEIs and society, it is not yet embedded in the whole system’s strategies, activities, and policies.

Integration of Sustainable Practices in Fashion Design Education: An Experimental Study Based on Experiential Learning

Integration of Sustainable Practices in Fashion Design Education: An Experimental Study Based on Experiential Learning

Recent sustainable trends in Vietnam's fashion supply chain

The integration of sustainable practices within the fashion supply chain has been one of the areas receiving increased attention due to global competition and stricter regulations. The concept of Sustainable Supply Chain Management (SSCM) ensures that eco-friendly practices have been adopted by many global fashion brands. Fashion industries in developing countries such as Vietnam, one of the leading fashion manufacturing countries in South-East Asia, are under tremendous pressure to comply with sustainability norms. Therefore, this paper aims to review the recent trends in SSCM in Vietnam's fashion and retail industries. A four-step approach was adopted: collection of information through literature or data collection (Step 1), classification and codification (step 2), input of industry experts (Step 3) and analysis of the above three inputs (Step 4). The findings showed that although Vietnam is among the top five exporting countries of textiles and garments globally, the concept of a sustainable supply chain is new to many of the Vietnamese supply chain players. Four out of five stakeholders claimed that they are attempting to achieve sustainability by reducing environmental pollution, taking care of the labor force, and pursuing future sustainable materials as well as renewable energy resources. In addition, one of the stakeholders, the retailers, regularly focus on ethical practices in their sustainable sourcing. These practices help Vietnam to concurrently diminish its environmental impact and ensuing negative consequences as well as improve the country's social and economic sustainability.

Barriers Militating Against the Adoption of Biomimicry as a Sustainable Construction Practice

The integration of sustainable practices into construction processes and activities are imperative for achieving the greening agenda of the construction industry. However, there has been a proliferation of several sustainable construction practices (SCPs) with biomimicry standing out among them. As a novel approach that studies and emulates nature’s forms, processes, and strategies to proffer sustainable solutions to human challenges, biomimicry is beginning to gain momentum in its application across different sectors. This research sets out to identify what constitutes the barriers to the application of biomimicry. A structured questionnaire survey was conducted to establish the perception of construction professionals on the significant barriers to biomimicry adoption and implementation. A quantitative approach to data analysis was employed using the mean scores of the identified variables. Lack of awareness, lack of professional knowledge, and lack of training and education are identified as the top three barriers to biomimicry adoption and implementation. The study recommended that government, relevant professional bodies and stakeholders should encourage and embrace the adoption of biomimicry through awareness, education, training, and inclusion in the curriculum of institutions of higher learning. These will maximise the potential of biomimicry to aid innovative and sustainable outputs in the construction industry.

Leveraging environmental sustainability for competitive advantage in the Italian Clothing and Leather sector

ABSTRACTThe present study analyses how the elements of a corporate environmental management system (environmental strategy, environmental management practices (EMPs) and business competitiveness) are connected for the creation of competitive advantage in clothing and leather companies, strongly affected by sustainability issues. The research was conducted through an online survey submitted to Italian companies. A structural equation modelling approach was employed to test the hypothesised model. Results indicate that the implementation of sustainable product and process practices have positive impacts on company’s business competitiveness. Moreover, companies having a greater integration of sustainable practices in their competitive strategy show advantages in terms of brand value, employees’ retention and access to capital. The most important stakeholders involved in the definition of an environmental strategy are suppliers and companies’ employees. Focusing the attention on the business competitiveness impacts of EMPs, companies that have a production plant abroad show greater competitiveness impacts.

Sustainable trail development: Applications of the GreenPaths Rating System

ABSTRACTExpanding on the concept of green building, sustainable development is being implemented across various infrastructure systems. Performance metrics and rating systems have been developed to measure the economic, social, and environmental impacts of the development process. The transportation sector has adapted with the development of sustainable rating systems, such as Greenroads, which focuses on roadway planning, design, and construction. Efforts to support more sustainable modes, such as pedestrian and cycling, have led to the development of new transportation rating systems, such as GreenPaths. The GreenPaths Rating System, developed as part of a previous research project, includes sustainable performance metrics related to the planning, location, design, construction, safety, and maintenance of shared-use pathways. This research builds on the development of the rating system and explores the feasibility of applying GreenPaths to various pathway development phases (existing, in development, and proposed). Therefore, the rating system is applied to three case study phases along the Buffalo Valley Rail Trail in Union County, PA. The results of the case study applications provide insight into the implementation process to three different development phases as well as an opportunity for rating system improvement. Results show that using the rating system earlier in the planning and design phase can lead to improvements in the integration of sustainable practices. The GreenPaths case studies serve as examples of how to implement the rating system for real-world pathway projects to support the development of sustainable transportation systems.

Rogers Theory on Diffusion of Innovation-The Most Appropriate Theoretical Model in the Study of Factors Influencing the Integration of Sustainability in Tourism Businesses

Sustainable tourism development is now a necessity of time. All the parties involved in tourism should participate in efforts to sustainable tourism development. Sustainability, as the best way of doing business today, is a new concept in the tourism sector and sustainable tourism practices can be considered as a new type of innovation in the tourism industry. Therefore knowledge of the factors affecting tourism businesses to integrate sustainability in their activities is critical. Without this type of information, we are limited in our ability to design tools that work in the future to mitigate barriers and increase motivations tourism businesses to adopt sustainable tourism practices in their activity. Factors’ influencing in the integration of sustainable practices into business activities is very subject discussed in different industries and different scientific disciplines after the late 80's. However, a limited number of studies addressed perspective of tourism businesses to adopt sustainable tourism practices. These studies have used different theoretical models. This paper undertakes the analysis of these models from the review of literatures, giving their advantages and limitations in the study of the factors influencing businesses to adopt sustainable tourism practices. After analysis, the paper finally concludes that Rogers's theory on adaptation and diffusion of innovation is a suitable theoretical model in the study of factors influencing the adoption of sustainable tourism practices in tourism businesses.

Ranking assessment systems for responsible tourism products and corporate social responsibility practices

Responsible tourism and corporate social responsibility (CSR) have a significant role in promoting the integration of sustainable practices in the tourism industry. The paper presents the results of a study carried out on reporting programmes assessing the “responsibility level” of tourism companies. It aims at developing a tool to encourage and support enterprises, especially small companies, in behaving in a more responsible way and adopt systems to assess their business responsibility. After an overview of the literature regarding the concept of responsible tourism and CSR and a description of the reporting programmes, a quantitative model (the analytic hierarchy process) has been implemented to clarify the main attributes, the strengths, and the weaknesses of the assessment systems and to determine their overall effectiveness with respect to different criteria.