Ensuring supplier participation toward addressing sustainability-oriented objectives of the mid-day meal supply chain

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore and further explain the phenomena of supplier participation in addressing the sustainability-oriented objectives of a supply chain. Specifically, the paper explains how a buyer can integrate sustainability concerns among its suppliers. The study is based in the context of the Indian school feeding (mid-day meal) program and approaches the issue from the perspective of a mid-day meal provider. Design/methodology/approach This paper first explains how the mid-day meal providers in India explicitly address the social and economic dimensions of sustainability. Thereby, it conducts an exploratory case study on a renowned meal provider with the objective to understand the nature of its efforts toward supplier participation through in-depth interviews. Findings As evident in the case, from the buyer’s perspective, the key to success in winning supplier participation in addressing the sustainability-oriented supply chain objectives largely revolves around efforts along the critical aspects of policy development, policy implementation, and intent building with suppliers. Originality/value This paper propagates a threefold value by outlining the central importance of the focus on efforts and challenges for understanding supplier participation in sustainable supply chain management (SSCM). First, the paper is among the initial studies to focus on ground-level efforts and challenges for a mid-day meal provider, and outlines best practices. Second, the case presents revelatory insights on SSCM from the perspective of supplier participation. For example, it demonstrates the relevance of supply-chain-based social identification in governing supplier willingness to participate in a buyer’s SSCM. Third, the findings also extend critical implications toward SSCM theory and practice.

Exploring the roles of lead organisations in spreading sustainability standards throughout food supply chains in an emerging economy

“…According to Chen et al (2017), collaboration involves information sharing, strategic alliance, performance and cost reduction. Collaboration became essential for SC integration, especially within buyer-supplier relationships (Kanyoma et al , 2018; Ralston et al , 2017; Roy et al , 2018). In our research, we found that the cooperative requires more collaborative behaviours of its members, which happens through daily practices.…”

“…for-profit focal companies) request changes in their SCs not only concerning sustainability standards implementation, but also on how their SC members are engaged to jointly develop these changes. This process of spreading sustainability requires a strong SC relationship, which generates compliance and commitment among SC members (Roy et al , 2018; Ramirez et al , 2020). Although spreading and diffusion are often seen as complementary, they do have different meanings.…”

Sustainability Recommendations and Practices in School Feeding: A Systematic Review

“…Among Asian countries, one study was identified in Japan [ 35 ] and one in India [ 72 ]. In Japan [ 35 ], the study demonstrated that the reinforcement of social norms not to waste and factors related to the planning of menus, pedagogical practices, and recycling and composting activities, contributed to reducing the food waste in schools.…”

The safety–quality dominant view of food chain integrity: Implications for consumer‐centric food chain governance

“…The literature generally advocates the inclusion of consumer-oriented safety-quality metrics in performance management systems to augment the traditional food chain goals of efficiency, flexibility and responsiveness (Aramyan et al, 2007). However (in interaction 35), Roy et al (2018a) broaden consumer emphasis by maintaining that it is the focal food firm's responsibility to: first, internalize the end consumers' safetyquality interests in its organizational operations as a cultural agenda; second, transform its functional units; and third, facilitate an inter-firm boundary spanning throughout the food chain to ensure a chain-wide emphasis on the end consumers' safety-quality preferences.…”