Digital supply chain technologies are the mixture of growing transparency and visibility that has helped in the increasing possibility for companies to implement, promote, and practice green supply chains and sustainable logistics. A sustainable supply chain is not only a great option to choose for the planet but is also helpful in creating positive brand awareness, competitiveness, and long-term profitability.
Here are some of the advantages of a sustainable supply chain:
Cost control
Over the market, it has been observed that there is a significant decrease in the operational cost of the supply chain; this causes a direct impact on digital transformation and investment made in supply chain sustainability. Sustainable supply chain management helps the organization in saving more and more money by reducing production costs. This further leads to lower prices for the end consumers. The reduced cost of products can be ultimately helpful in generating more revenue and profits.
When transferring to a sustainable supply chain model, this must always be kept in mind that the concept might be expensive at the beginning, but it has proven to bring greater efficiency in the long term.
Reduced environmental impact
It is a common belief that reducing the environmental impact of a company gives rise to the cost of the final product. Whereas, in reality, it can lead to big savings. By reducing the occurrence of waste and increasing the efficiency of operations, one can see a positive impact on the reduction of operational costs. A sustainable supply chain helps in minimizing pollution and protect the environment through the generation of minimal wastage, reduced usage of natural resources, and proper disposal of waste materials. These initiatives are going to be very beneficial for the improvement of air quality, reduce greenhouse gasses, and minimize surface runoff.
Building brand loyalty and reputation
Statistics reflected that consumers are 88% more likely to be loyal to companies that demonstrate strong social and environmental responsibility. Consumer awareness and preference for sustainable businesses are steadily increasing. A properly managed and supervised sustainable supply chain can help the organization to avoid reputational damage and build brand loyalty at the same time.
Minimizing risk and vulnerability
A sustainable supply chain enables enforcement of supply chain transparency through which unscrupulous suppliers and manufacturers can reduce the chances of the occurrence of potential damage to the company’s reputation. It can protect the business from unethical violations and environmentally irresponsible environmental behavior. This minimizes the level of risk.
Compliance
Governments around the world are mandating greater supply chain sustainability, and these regulations cover many areas, such as the traceability of raw materials, disposal of products, usage of banned materials and procedures, and many more. A sustainable supply chain enables companies to maintain better compliance with government requirements that gives rise to the extra charges of penalties or fines.
Increases Profits
Sustainable supply chain management can also help increase the number of profits as it decreases production costs. An improvement in production can be achieved due to the usage of fewer resources and less energy consumption. Companies that hold strong and efficient supply chains tend to generate more revenue and higher profits.
