Implementing Sustainable Best Practices In Supply Chains

Best Practices -page2 the engagement of inter-rm co-operation, aimed at identifying and carrying out environmental improvements, both on the input-side of the product life cycle (e.g., procurement, co-operation with main suppliers) and on the output-side (e.g., organizing recycling, information on proper use for nal consumers, etc.). These are implemented to pursue cost-reduction and to increase efficiency (Corbett and DeCroix, 2001) the selection of providers who have adopted effective environmental practices (i.e., applying an environmental management system that complies with ISO 14001 requirements) can be carried out to reduce the environmental risks associated with their activities (Sarkis, 2003). Page3 The main ndings of the relevant literature emphasise that, while in the early stages of an EMS application the ISO 14001-certied or EMAS-registered companies mainly focused on housekeeping, today these companies are increasingly looking beyond the boundaries of their production process and organization (Klinkers et al., 1999) towards the whole life cycle of their products and services and, therefore, and rstly, to their supply chain. An increasing number of theoretical and empirical studies have found that expanding an EMS by way of a life cycle approach has great potential for inter-organisational environmental management (Sinding, 2000), i.e., for effective co-ordination and cooperation between