When the word “green” is heard, one of the first words that comes to mind is “environment.” Green supply chain management is a supply chain management approach that is sustainable and minimizes environmental impact. It can be defined as the integration of environmental concerns into the traditional supply chain. For an effective greening implementation, greening should be implemented across the entire supply chain within a green supply chain approach. This approach begins with raw material procurement and continues through the after-sales process. Green activities in green supply chain management are as follows:
– Green Procurement
– Green Production
– Green Distribution
– Green Packaging
– Reverse Logistics
As a member of the Purchasing and Logistics department, I would like to elaborate on the concepts of green purchasing and reverse logistics. Green purchasing is one of the most important green supply chain management activities. It is the process of purchasing recyclable, reusable, or recently recycled materials. Therefore, just as we are sensitive to environmental issues in the purchasing of a product, we also prioritize and monitor our suppliers’ environmental approach. If reverse logistics practices are not used, the supply chain should not be defined as “green.”
Reverse Logistics encompasses recycling, remanufacturing, reuse, and disposal. As I mentioned earlier in this article, the more green the supply chain functions, the more successful the supply chain will be.
In November 2019, the European Union took environmental and social sustainability a step further by presenting a package of definitive and solution-oriented steps to address environmental and sustainability issues. This package became known as the European Green Deal. Sustainable industry, one of the seven strategies of the Green Deal, also intersects with green supply chain management.
Increasing environmental awareness will create job opportunities and improve the quality of life. In this regard, the green deal and supply chain management approaches share the same fundamental goal, and the green deal plays a significant role in strengthening and reinforcing the green supply chain approach. As the Dönmez Debriyaj Family, we have adopted the green supply chain management approach, embracing the prudent use of natural resources and effective management of supply chains to improve our supply chain. We utilize our waste materials, manufacture new parts from them, and minimize waste production. We transform waste steel pallets into steel crates that can be used in our production and contribute to recycling practices.
As we move forward with you, our valued suppliers, striving to minimize our environmental impact and expand our “Green” approach to sustainable living will always be among our core goals. As always, I thank you for your continued support in the 50th issue of our magazine, which means so much to us.
Ayşe Ilgaz ÇAVUŞOĞLU