Triple Bottom Line of Sustainability and Supply Chain: A Case Study of Patagonia

Running head: SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT
TRIPLE BOTTOM LINE OF SUSTAINABILITY AND SUPPLY CHAIN: A CASE
STUDY OF PATAGONIA
Name of the Student:
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Author’s Note:

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The report sheds light on the aspect of sustainability within the supply chain management used
by the different business corporations through the usage of the case study of Patagonia. The
entire report is divided into two sections, namely, literature review and analysis of the case study
on the basis of the arguments presented in the case study. The literature section of the paper
discusses the concept of sustainability, supply chain management, triple bottom line approach to
sustainability, green supply chain logistics, the challenges that the business corporations face for
the usage of the green supply chain logistics and others. In the case study analysis section of the
report, the researcher had used these concepts for analyzing the sustainability of the supply chain
logistics used by the corporation Patagonia. Lastly, on the basis of the results of this analysis, the
researcher had suggested the usage of time-based competition, triple bottom line approach to
sustainability and “recycle and reuse policy” for the corporation Patagonia for the improvement
of the effectiveness of the supply chain logistics which is being used by it.

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Table of Contents
1.0 Introduction................................................................................................................................3
2.0 Literature Review......................................................................................................................4
2.1 Overview of the concept of Supply Chain Management.......................................................4
2.2 Overview of the concept of Sustainability.............................................................................5
2.3 Triple Bottom Line Approach to Sustainability....................................................................6
2.4 Usage of the concept of Sustainability within the Supply Chain Management process
followed by the Business Corporations.......................................................................................7
2.5 Challenges faced by the corporations for the usage of the concept of Sustainability within
the Supply Chain Management process.......................................................................................9
3.0 Analysis of Patagonia and its Sustainability..............................................................................9
4.0 Recommendations....................................................................................................................12
5.0 Conclusion...............................................................................................................................13
6.0 References................................................................................................................................15
7.0 Appendix 1...............................................................................................................................19

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1.0 Introduction
As opined by Gold and Schleper (2017), the complexity as well as the dynamicity of the
modern business world had made it imperative for the business corporations to take into account
the concept of sustainability for the attainment of long-term growth and competitive advantage
within the industry of their operations. Mani et al. (2016) are of the viewpoint that the majority
of the contemporary business corporations are presently trying to enhance their profitability as a
way to accelerate their growth rate. However, as discussed by Monczka et al. (2015), the major
problem arises because this approach of the business corporations had made resort to the kind of
business activities which although offer various benefits to them in the short-term range yet are
detrimental from the interests of the concerned corporations in the longer run. Furthermore, it is
expected that the ineffective measures or for that matter business activities followed by the
business corporations is not only likely to adversely affect their profitability in the long-term but
also their growth or competitive advantage as well (Markman and Krause 2016). In the light of
these aspects, it can be said that it had become important for the business corporations to take
into account the aspect of sustainability within the framework of their business operations.
Ansari and Kant (2017) are of the viewpoint that an interest trend which is being
presently seen within the particular context of the business world is the fact that the majority of
the business corporations are resorting to the usage of the green supply chain system. In this
relation, it needs to be said that the business corporations for the effective usage of the green
supply chain system are required to take the help of the concept of triple bottom line approach to
sustainability (Matthews et al. 2016). This construct in turn requires the business corporations to
take the help of the kind of business practices which will enable them to create value for the

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environment, society and the economy of the nation of their operation. Thus, it is likely that
through the usage of the green supply chain system or for that matter sustainable supply chain
system the business corporations would be able to reduce the environmental damage caused by
them and also create value for society and the economy of the nation of their operation. The
objective of this report is to undertake an analysis of the concept of sustainable supply chain
management through the usage of the concept of triple bottom line approach to sustainability and
the case study of the business corporation Patagonia.
2.0 Literature Review
2.1 Overview of the concept of Supply Chain Management
Su et al. (2016) are of the viewpoint that the process of supply chain management refers
to the management approach which is being undertaken by the business corporations for the
effective management of the flow of the goods and the services. Adding to this, Türkay,
Saraçoğlu and Arslan (2016) have noted that the construct of supply chain management also
involves the adequate movement as well as the storage of the goods or the raw materials,
management of work-in-progress inventory, adequate transfer of goods from the point of origin
to the point of consumption and others. As discussed by Meckenstock, Barbosa‐Póvoa and
Carvalho (2016), the business corporations for the effective usage of the construct of supply
chain management need to develop effective relationship with the suppliers who are responsible
for delivering the raw materials that are needed by the business corporations for the manufacture
of the commodities. In this relation, it needs to be said that the success attained by the business
corporations greatly depends on the ability of the business corporations to timely supply the
commodities to the customers in the markets which in turn is reliant on the effectiveness of the

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supply chain system used by them. Thus, it becomes important for the business corporations to
develop an effective supply chain system which will help them to timely procure the raw
materials that are needed by them and also to supply the finished commodities to the markets in a
timely manner.
According to Cosimato and Troisi (2015), the business corporations in order to enhance
the effectiveness as well as the efficiency of the supply chain system used by them are presently
taking the help of the recent technological developments and the innovations. For instance, it had
been seen that the usage of the processes of e-procurement, green supply chain logistics, green
purchasing and others had gained a substantial amount of prominence within the contemporary
business world (Wieland, Handfield and Durach 2016). More importantly, Centobelli, Cerchione
and Esposito (2018) have noted that the adequate usage of these supply chain management
measures have helped the business corporations to reduce the damage that they caused to the
environment on the score of the traditional supply chain management process used by them and
also to reduce cost associated with the same. Furthermore, it had been seen that the adequate
usage of these measures have helped the business corporations to ensure that they are being able
to procure raw materials in a timely manner and also to deliver the finished commodities to the
markets as per the demands shown by the customers as well (Meixell and Luoma 2015). Thus, it
can be said that the adequate usage of the emerging trends had helped the business corporations
to improve the effectiveness of the supply chain system used by them.
2.2 Overview of the concept of Sustainability
Luthra, Garg and Haleem (2015) are of the viewpoint that sustainability can be defined as
the ability or for that matter the capability of the business corporations to maintain a certain
minimum level of growth without causing the over-utilization or the over-exploitation of the