Creating a sustainable supply chain

However, when considering the sustainabUity of apparel retail, the most important aspect of the business model to consider is associated with how the retailer sources products. This activity has the most direct impact on the ability of the retailer to be sustainable. The retailer s products and supply chain are the most significant source of the environmental and social impacts. Up to two-thirds of a retailer s carbon footprint and up to 90% of its water footprint is created by its products and supply chain (WRAP, 2011). And as a retailer s supply chain may have more than 20 times more workers in it than in its retail operation, and often in countries where social issues may be significant, the supply chain is a major source of social and ethical challenges for the retailer. Therefore, the sourcing model for products and suppliers is a critical consideration in the development of a sustainability strategy. 

In a broader sense, the supply chain consists of two or more organizations, which may be the production company parts, components and final products or may also include the supply and distribute service providers or end-customer (SCC 2008). The most important determinant of effective supply chain management is the credibility and confidence in the relationship between partners in the chain. Therefore, in the development of any integrated supply chain, increase trust among partners and creating for them reliability are key factors to achieve sustained success (Ghazanfari Fatholla 2006). One of the measures of confidence assessment for the project is its reliability. 

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