How the social dimension of sustainability can be addressed in global supply chain management within the transport sector?
Introduction and background.
Social sustainability can be defined as a viable way of managing both the good and bad impacts business organizations, different processes, different systems and activities on social life of people and the community at large. Just like any other sector, major companies operating within the transport sector such as FedEx, Trans UK, Rodgers Transport, Road Haulage UK, Maxi Haulage Limited and TELLS Group Companies has a mandate to ensure sustainability. Sustainability concentrates on giving thoughts to the future whereby societal, economical and environmental considerations are tried to be balanced with the main aim of improving future life. In sustainability, the available resources are used in such away that they are not fully exploited but preserved.
Purpose of the essay.
The main question of this essays is in and out of How the social dimension of sustainability can be addressed in global supply chain management within the transport sector, where the major companies operating in the sector such as FedEx, Trans UK, Rodgers Transport, Road Haulage UK, Maxi Haulage Limited and TELLS Group Companies are taken into the consideration. Under this main question, several sub questions are also considered including;
-What are social dimensions of sustainability
-How do these social sustainability affects human beings.
-Need of social sustainability
In this essay, these questions have been properly and appropriately answered depending on the most recent global data on data on sustainability.
Discussion.
Social dimensions of sustainability in the line of supply chain management within the transport sector is majorly concerned with making sure that the supply chain associates control their operations that aid at promoting: a better working surrounding, health and safety in general, uphold of human rights, employment rights and higher standard of ethical practices.
Addressing Social sustainability dimensions in global supply chain management within the transport sector.
Under the general discourse about the social dimensions concerning sustainability and the
ways of calculating and managing supplier’s activities across the modern supply chain management, we
are able to come to a position of illustrating and demonstrating how these matters can be combined
into a viable sustainability strategic formulating process. Social aspects should be properly addressed
across the activities of the supply chain associates. (D’Eusanio Zamagni and Petti 2019 pp.178-189)
The main concern of the social dimension of sustainability in a supply chain organization should be to boost: worker health and general safety, working environment, human rights including labor rights, while having a better impact on the surrounding community along the supply chain. A member of a supply chain must identify the social effects and results of its supply chain activities on human health and general human well-being.
S-LCA is typical be regarded as a very useful methodology here. The S-LCA evaluates an
organization’s social phases and sustainability progress including the good and bad impacts of its ready products and services on peoples’ health and general well-being along the supply chain from the extraction of raw materials to final disposal of finished products. It may be used to determine which of the aspects of social sustainability focus is or are more significant to stakeholders and which aspects may prevail across the activities of the supply chain associates. It takes into the account the requirements of both local and international laws and regulations and the possible prospects from the involved Non-Governmental Organizations. Furthermore, the methodology takes into account the geographical location, political attributes, and country regulations to evaluate an organization’s and its supply chain associate’s social impacts. (D’Eusanio Zamagni and Petti 2019 pp.178-189)
A list of sustainability facets within the supply chain of the transport sector shall be obtained, that should be taken into account while developing the sustainability strategy and practices in order to boost the performance of the entire supply chain and the well-being of stakeholder parties.
Dimensions of social sustainability.
Supply chain management of every viably operational organization has a mandate to ensure that
these sustainability dimensions are addressed in the most appropriate way (Ikram, Zhang, Sroufe
and Ferasso 2020 p.8747)
Institutional.
Institutional sustainability is where the important and basic institutions are persevered. Some of this institutions include: financial institutions, educational institutions, health institutions as well as religious institutions. These institutions provide crucial services to the members of the public.
Environmental.
Environmental sustainability is where the environmental recourses are used sparingly that ensures that they are not fully exhausted but preserved to be even used by the incoming generations. Some of the beneficial environmental factors are: plants, wildlife, natural rivers, lakes oceans seas etc. these environmental factors should be preserved in their pure form. Their pollution should be minimized as much as possible.
Social.
Social sustainability refers to the act of preservation of valuable ethical practices and cultures to the
next generation. Culture dictates our way of life and influences our behavior. (Amrutha and Geetha
2020 p.119131). Negative aspects of culture such as female genital mutilation should however be
shaded off and forgotten.
Economic.
Economic sustainability is the act of preservation of productive economic aspects such as price stabilization properly operational industries as well as favorable taxation policies. Unfavorable economic aspects such as financial crisis, inflation and economic recession should be fought against at all costs.
Technical.
Technical skills such as artesian skills should be preserved. Such skills are: jua kali artisan, poetry, and boat making should be preserved as passed to the next generation.
Importance of social sustainability.
Here, the significances of sustainability within the transport sector involving major companies such as FedEx, Trans UK, Rodgers Transport, Road Haulage UK, Maxi Haulage Limited and TELLS Group Companies are discussed in details, how sustainability is of importance to both the current and several incoming generations.
Environmental quality.
If the environment is preserved, people are able to reap several benefits from the environment both the present and future generations. Such benefits include: fresh air, beautiful scenery as well as wildlife conservation. Environment free from pollution makes up the highest quality environment. Environmental quality is the main aim of environmental sustainability.
Unlock new market.
A business organization known for its sustainability programs are likely to attract several customers due to the better business reputation. Consumers love sustainable practices and thus are likely to associate with the organization which prioritize sustainability.
Assist in attracting and retaining business partners.
There are several sustainabilit5y partners looking for the associates to work with. If an organization shows interest in sustainability, it is likely to partner with these sustainability partners. Existing partners are also likely to remain as the associates of the organization due to the already established strong relationship and business reputation.
Stimulates innovation of new and higher quality products and services.
As the business organizations formulate and implement sustainability strategies, they are likely to produce more goods and services of higher quality.
Rise in internal motivation of the employees.
If the employees are made to know the importance of sustainability, they will work hard towards achieving the sustainability hence motivated.
Increase in productivity
Due to the motivation resulting from sustainability, productivity is likely to massively and significantly increase. Increased productivity is likely to increase the profit margin realized by a firm due to the increased sales volume.
Better risk management.
Sustainability requires that tasks are keenly and properly done to their maximum perfection to reduce the possibility of the occurrence of anticipated activities. By maintaining keenness, several operational risks occurrences are likely to be mitigated. In an organization where sustainability is not prioritized, reckless usage of recourses is likely to be the case. Recklessness is more often accompanied by several risks.
Improved company and local community relationship.
Community is often optimistic with an organization ensuring sustainable practices. This association is likely to create a very strong bond between the firm and the surrounding households hence building on the reputation of the firm.
Impacts of social sustainability on human life.
Life standard is improved
Sustainability leads to improved living standard since the natural environmental resources are sustained and not exploited fully (Glasson and Wood 2009 pp.283-290).
This is in the case of environmental sustainability. In the case of institutional sustainability, important institutions such as health and financial institutions are sustained. These institutions are basic for human life.
Protection and preservation of natural resources for the coming generations.
Sustainability practices purely works towards sustaining the available resources both human and natural in order to ensure that these resources are remain productive to both current and future generations.
Need for social sustainability.
Poverty reduction.
Poverty is still a main challenge in the developing countries of Africa, Latin America and Asia. Eradicating
poverty should be a joint effort of individuals, organizations as well as the government including
international organizations. The most interesting fact is that t5he countries found in these named places
are struggling in poverty and starvation yet they are well endorsed with both natural and human
resources. One of the reason of the continuously high poverty level is unstainable use of resources that
results to premature exhaustion. There is need to formulate and implement sustainable policies
regarding the use of the available resources for these resources to be useful for a relatively longer
period of time (Glasson and Wood 2009 pp.283-290). If this is made applicable, poverty level is likely to
reduce due to increased productivity resulting from sustainable use of resources.
Social investment.
To achieve better state of social investment, social sustainability is necessary since it’s the sustained resources that are channeled in making such investments.
Safe and caring communities.
Sustainability creates safer and caring community in several ways. Both safety and caring effects of sustainability is seen as discussed in these different forms of sustainability.
Environmental sustainability.
If the environment is properly sustained, people are likely to benefit in different ways. First, environmental sustainability mitigates the different forms of pollution such as air, water and soil. If air is free from pollutants, people breath in fresh air hence less chances of being attacked by respiratory diseases. Secondly, environmental sustainability results to conservation of the wildlife. Wildlife attracts several of both local and foreign tourists who earn a country foreign exchange. The money obtained from tourism sector can be channeled to the developmental projects.
Institutional sustainability.
Institutional sustainability is of great importance to human beings. Firstly, education institutions offer education programs to the children which teaches them good morals as well as academic knowledge. Education is one of the main pillars of an economy of any country. Sustainability in the financial institution ensures that ready funds are available in the financial markets and thus can be accessed by the borrowers for investment purposes.
Economic sustainability.
Economic sustainability in the other hand ensures that economic is stable and different economic factors favorable. Economic sustainability ensures that bad economic aspects such as inflation, economic recession and financial crisis are mitigated. Instead, good aspects of economy such as favorable taxation policies, price stabilization and higher income among both the households and firms is achieved.
Conclusion.
To conclude, ensuring social sustainability is a broad umbrella that should involve stakeholders from different sectors. Sustainability is important as it prevents the overexploitation of the available resources and ensures that these resources remains viably productive to both the current and incoming generations. Supply chain management of every organization within the transport sector also has crucial roles to play in ensuring the social sustainability. Proper sustainability has numerous positive results to both the present and future organizations. This essay has elaborated broadly main issues in the social sustainability within the transport sector where FedEx, Trans UK, Rodgers Transport, Road Haulage UK, Maxi Haulage Limited and TELLS Group Companies are taken into the consideration. Very useful and key sustainability practices have been discussed in this easy as well as the impacts of sustainability to human life including the types of sustainability. If the social sustainability practices stated and elaborated in this essay is properly formulated and implemented by organizations as well a s by the individuals, social sustainability level is likely to be high.
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