The maturity of sustainable supply chain management practices: an applied study on pharmaceutical firms

Abstract

Purpose – The aim of this paper is to contribute to empirical research dealing with the measurement of green and sustainable supply chain management(SSCM) practices. The paper intends to empirically evaluate the practices maturity related to green supply chain management (GSCM) in one of the most strategic sectors in Saudi Arabia, namely, pharmaceutical sector. Design/methodology/approach – Based on a research questionnaire, data were collected from 111 respondents in pharmaceutical companies. Data analysis has been conducted based on Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) program to evaluate the extent to which pharmaceutical companies in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) are mature regarding each sustainable SCM dimension. Findings – The results reflect high adoption of green practices related to SCM by pharmaceutical companies operating in KSA that are highly meeting environmental requirements that represent one of the core objectives of KSA vision 2030. Research limitations/implications – The study presents a platform based on which future studies can link the maturity of Sustainable SCM with the firm's performance. Practical implications – This study provided professionals and managers in the pharmaceutical sector with in-depth insights regarding the maturity of their green practices related to SCM. This study also proposed a framework that could be by managers to continuously assess their Sustainable SCM practices. Originality/value – This research intends to demonstrate to what extent SSCM in pharmaceutical sector are mature.

Keywords

• Maturity evaluation
• Sustainable supply chain management practices
• Pharmaceutical sector