Green supply chain overview and a South African case study

Abstract

This paper investigates status quo concerning the environment and the human (economic) impact on its sustainability. It narrows in on the South Africa context and then focuses on the transport and supply chain's contributions. Green supply chain practices are highlighted and the GreenSCOR framework portraying green best practices and measurements is presented. This is followed by a specific case study in the South African grocery retail industry, that illustrates the impact that a specific variable: extra kilometers has in terms of additional costs and carbon pollutants added to the atmosphere and analyses the causes of extra kilometers with an eye on informing better supply chain decision making.