Identifying and Categorizing Sustainable Supply Chain Practices Based on Triple Bottom Line Dimensions: Evaluation of Practice Implementation in the Cement Industry

Abstract

Recent research has placed greater emphasis on sustainable supply chain management (SSCM), specifically within the manufacturing sector. SSCM expands upon traditional supply chain management (SCM) by taking environmental and social considerations into account. Given the sustainability challenges facing the cement industry, SSCM has become a crucial topic for companies operating in this sector. Accordingly, the aim of this study is to identify and categorize SSCM practices based on the triple bottom line (TBL) dimensions of sustainability. Additionally, the study assesses the adoption of SSCM practices by Jordanian cement manufacturers according to the developed model. There is a lack of studies focused on creating a tailored and comprehensive SSCM conceptual model to evaluate sustainability practices within cement manufacturing. Therefore, this study attempted to develop a model for SSCM practices by incorporating 23 SSCM factors divided into three dimensions of sustainability: nine factors of environmental SSCM, seven factors of social SSCM, and seven factors of economic SSCM. The study employed a quantitative research approach, using a structured questionnaire to collect data from 41 cement company managers in Jordan and industry specialists. The proposed hypotheses were tested using SPSS software. The research findings revealed that the average level of implementation for all environmental factors was at a medium level within the Jordanian cement industry, the average level of implementation for all social factors was at a high level, and the average level of implementation for all economic factors was at a medium level. Overall, the implementation of SSCM practices was found to be at a moderate level. The study also provided a detailed level of implementation for each SSCM practice for each dimension of sustainability. By identifying and categorizing SSCM practices related to the cement industry, this study addresses a gap in the literature. It also highlights critical sustainability issues for decision-makers and academics, which can aid in the evaluation and improvement of SSCM practices in the cement industry. Future studies should aim to replicate this study with larger sample sizes and probability-sampling techniques to enhance the generalizability of the results.