With all the talk about sustainability and the need to reduce our carbon footprint, just how far have companies come in their efforts to meet these challenges?<\/p>\n
That overarching question shaped a survey conducted by researchers within the Ryder Center for Supply Chain Management in the College of Business Administration, collaborating with those from other entities at Florida International University. The results yielded a number of surprises and pointed to areas for improvement.<\/p>\n
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\u201cWe expected big companies to be much more sophisticated in their activities than they are,\u201d said Walfried Lassar<\/strong>, the center\u2019s director, Ryder Professor, and chair of the Department of Marketing, who helped create the questionnaire and analyze the data. \u201cWe found they really don\u2019t yet have a handle on green supply chain management in general and they don\u2019t yet see how their sustainability efforts could increase their profitability.\u201d<\/p>\n According to Lassar, brand image was one of the major drivers for respondents to this initial survey. However, with the escalating cost of oil and gasoline, even during the few months since the data were collected, and with the centrality of transportation in the supply chain, he expects that \u201cgreen sustainability efforts will switch to more focus on cost reduction, rather than on public relations.\u201d<\/p>\n Ryder<\/em> Center<\/em> establishes green niche.<\/em><\/p>\n Although many consultants and universities conduct research on supply chain management, viewing the chain from raw materials to final customer, the Ryder Center has carved out its own area of expertise\u2014and a timely one\u2014by zeroing in on sustainability and on the green aspects of supply chain management.<\/p>\n