Track: Sustainability Issues in Manufacturing, Services, Logistics, and Freight transportation

Abstract

Growing pressures from various players such as governments, non-governmental organizations, customers, and public in general have impelled business corporations to address the economic, environmental, and social issues associated with their supply chain activities. Consequently, the concept of sustainability has become a buzzword among scholars and industry practitioners. However, although the concept of sustainability is attaining high level of importance in Europe, America, and Asia continents due to its ability of ensuring environmental sustainability, in Africa continent the integration and application of sustainability’s concept is facing several challenges. To this end, the present research paper was conducted primarily to explore the barriers hindering the implementation of such concept in mining industry, particularly in the region of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), which its economy depends heavily on mining sector. In this region, many mining corporations are firstly concerned on becoming competitive in the global market where the level of competition is extremely high, and this latter is growing on a day basis. The findings revealed that the major barriers blocking the development of Sustainable Supply Chain in mining industry of SADC region include Lack of commitment on environmental deterioration, lack of communication and knowledge sharing, Ineffective monitoring and control system, lack of effective policy and legislation direction, high cost associated with the implementation of SSCM, Poor Supplier Commitment, lack of green practitioners, poor senior managements’ commitment, lack of recycling activities. Lack of Political commitment and support, Lack of managerial support and practical tools, and inadequate individual capacity.