The Impact of Sustainable Supply Chain Management on Corporate Performance – An Empirical Analysis of Manufacturing and Processing Companies in Germany

Abstract

Companies implement Sustainable Supply Chain Management (SSCM) practices to remain competitiveness not only on the economic, but also on the environmental and social levels of the Tripple Bottom Line (TBL). The aim of this paper was to empirically investigate the impact of SSCM practices on the economic, environmental, and the social level of corporate performance of manufacturing and processing companies. In order to achieve this goal, a theoretical research model was set up based on relevant literature with four internal and four external SSCM practices, each of them was expected to have a positive effect on all levels of corporate performance. After an online survey of the 500 biggest manufacturing and processing companies in Germany measured by turnover, 61 questionnaires were evaluated using partial least squares structural equation modelling. In total, 10 of the 28 expected positive effects of internal and external SSCM practices on the three levels of corporate performance could be confirmed. This paper provides a theoretical research model for further studies and supports manager in companies in case of implementation of SSCM practices.

Keywords: Sustainable Supply Chain Management; Unternehmensperformance; Tripple Bottom Line; Partial Least Squares Strukturgleichungsmodellierung.