The methods and tools for the performance measurement and evaluation of the green supply chain management are very important elements for the construction and function of this type of supply chain. The result is a presentation of the considerations underlying a very general model, which presents some selected tools, but no breakdown of individual industries. The considerations undertaken are important and have scientific added value as usually in practice, a very large number of tools are used to assess the supply chain, which are not always correlated or adapted to the specificity of the chain. It is worth pointing out which of the already used or completely new tools and methods will be most useful for assessing the green supply chain. The structure of the paper covers the theoretical and empirical. It includes an introduction, our goals and hypotheses, state of the art, methodology, empirical findings, and discussion. We present the definitional differences between green and sustainable supply chains and focus on the selection and identification of methods for the framework model for evaluating the green supply chain. In the next step, the theoretical and selected method and tools were compared to a survey of Poland. On the basis of the survey, we present the findings and discussions found in this area. The main methodology used includes a literature review, a survey analysis using a questionnaire and statistical tools. The survey was carried out in 2015 in sample organizations in Poland. The research results showed that organizations were aware of the environmental elements of measuring and assessing the supply chain from an environmental point of view, but their use depended on many factors: the area, size of the organization, or the industry. If certain boundary conditions are met and the organizations are aware of the essence of environmental aspects in the chain, then they are applying green measures to the supply chain. These findings provide a glimpse into the measurement system and show that organizations still have yet to understand the essence of green and sustainable performance measurement, the meaning of its application, and the benefits it brings. However, traditional measurement still plays a large role, so it is important to reflect on how to convince organizations to pay more attention to environmental aspects, while at the same time applying a green supply chain assessment model. These results are a framework in which to start building a green supply chain assessment model. The empirical research aimed to answer the question of whether theoretical and sustainable management tools have already played a role in perceiving and assessing the green supply chain.

The aim of the article is to present and analyze the implementation of intelligent lighting within the concept of smart energies and smart cities. Motivation and research hypothesis: Electricity consumption in the world is based largely on non-renewable energy. Until these full changes, it is necessary to look for opportunities to save and use it efficiently. Today’s cities are increasingly implementing the smart concept, of which smart energy is one area. One of the smart city elements implemented by cities is smart energy. Within this framework, a supported concept is the replacement of traditional lighting with LEDs (Light-Emitting Diodes), which contributes to energy and cost savings and reduces the pollution of the sky with artificial light, while increasing the efficiency of urban lighting. Positive effects of modern solutions include reduced lighting expenses and increased safety of residents. Methods and results of the research: The authors chose the case study method for their research. The authors present forecasts for the development, not only from the point of view of the number of lamps but also the cost efficiency pointing out the importance of this element in the context of building smart cities. These are specific benchmarks for cities that have not yet implemented this concept. Conclusions and interdisciplinary implications: solutions are desirable directions for the development of the smart city concept, bringing benefits and reducing external costs. Considerations show a quantitative development forecast and an indication of the possibility of achieving trade-offs and cost reductions. It translates into meeting the requirements of sustainable development providing tangible benefits. The analysis of the case studies is intended to show the effects that can be achieved and the wide range of applications (indicating that modern lamps are not just lighting, but a platform for urban services). The analyses presented are intended to serve as benchmarks showing the possibilities of reducing costs and increasing the quality of life of residents in modern cities. The indicated examples and analyses are of economic importance, they show managers, but also inhabitants, in which direction they should lead the smart city concept, which will allow saving costs, but also to increase the quality of life of inhabitants.

Creating alternative supply chains can help increase economic and social benefits for all beneficiaries of the supply chain. Alternative short supply chains for organic products are considered when seeking optimal scenarios to obtain the highest profit for producers, with maximizing profit being one of the main reasons for taking up business within this type of supply chain strategy. The aim of this study was to clarify the ideas of short food supply chains (SFSCs) and the organic production of food products and to indicate how economic benefits can be achieved in individual markets. The identified research gaps include the lack of a strong theoretical basis, as well as the lack of empirical studies concerning the multi-objective optimization of the economic effects of producers using computer simulation methods. However, the aim of this research was to identify the activities within such structures that can produce economic effects and influence the competences and soft relationships between the organizations participating in the chains. The adopted research methods included a critical analysis of the literature and the use of information technology tools and computer simulation. We found that computer simulation methods can lead to better decisions (to increase manufacturer benefits) regarding how to service selected markets within the SFSC. The most important limitations are the small territorial scope of the research and the consideration of only three of the most frequently purchased and manufactured products in Poland. This study was a pilot study, which will be developed further by the authors, from both a territorial and product point of view.

The literature indicates that green supply chain is not only dedicated for organic products. Rather, the authors take a focus on the analysis of processes, organizational and law issues and the implementation of innovations that include, among others, the green aspects (manufacturing, production, transportation). Connection of green supply chain with organic products seems to be very important, among other reasons, because the development of the market for these products is dynamic. The interest of these products is growing worldwide. Production of organic products is legally regulated. The final result of this work will identify the basis for building a model of green supply chain for organic products (with emphasis on agricultural products), the identification of the factors forming the basis for the construction, relationships between stakeholders and indicate which of the factors determine the greening supply chain and whether they are necessary or sufficient factors for the role of ecological products of the market.

Sustainable supply chain management has been an issue in both literature and business practice since the 1990s. Both the development phases and the definition range (including the complexity and number of individual processes) have been subject to changes and modifications over the years. The multitude of definitions and theoretical scope is a barrier to the implementation of the concept in economic practice. The aim of this paper is to show how it has evaluated the concept and thematic scope in theoretical point of view and in relation to its practical implementation. The research was carried out using content analysis methods, as well as selected case studies. The most important findings include: a presentation and change in the understanding and application of SSCM; bibliometric analysis with an interpretation of the state, volume and scope of SC research; directions and trends in research including the identification of research gaps that may be a basis for further research.

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The problem of energy poverty exists in practically every European country. Its size and scope are determined by a variety of factors, ranging from economic development to the direction of energy and climate policy implementation to cultural factors. Our aim in this paper was to carry out a comparative analysis of indicators related to energy poverty and sustainable development to identify correlations and links between the two issues and determine how they are related. The fact that the analysis was performed for most European countries is new and represents a broad spectrum of research; we were not limited to studies of countries bound by formal political-economic arrangements or by consideration of the degree of economic development. This approach enabled explication of how diverse the situation is in Europe. The research methods used included a critical analysis of the literature and the use of descriptive and mathematical-statistical tools. The main conclusions and findings of the analysis were that in some countries in economically developed Europe, energy poverty is a major problem, and that, in this respect, there are large differences between “old European Union” and “new European Union” countries, and in the countries that do not belong to political-economic structures in Europe. It is clear, from the research, which countries are rapidly and effectively reducing their energy poverty problems and which factors are the determinants of this. These results are linked to the new direction of energy policy and the shift towards more environmentally friendly energy use. In conclusion, it has been possible to identify the causes of energy poverty and how the energy poverty situation in Europe is changing.

Interest in the field of the development and implementation of the principles of green supply chains is increasing. Among theorists and practitioners of management, they are seen as a new trend and an innovative strategy. Everincreasing customer requirements, the development of economies in the direction of closing the loop and the depletion of resources lead to a situation in which innovative solutions (including green supply chains) should be implemented. Qualitative and quantitative tools are used to assess their operations. This paper focuses largely on aspects of quantitative statistical methods that are used to assess individual elements of a supply chain, as well as a holistic approach to the evaluation of the entire chain. The methods that were chosen are an attempt to build a framework for a model and determine which of the tools are used in practice. The analysis includes an indication of the advantages, as well as the limitations, of the use of particular instruments. The second part of the paper includes an analysis of qualitative tools, devoting particular attention to tools and instruments from the area of management.