Sustainable supply chains: a study of interaction among the enablers

Purpose A focus on supply chains is a step towards the broader adoption and development of sustainability, since the supply chain considers the product from initial processing of raw materials to delivery to the customer. The purpose of this paper is to present an approach to effectively adapt sustainable practices in a supply chain by understanding the dynamics between various enablers that help to transform a supply chain into a truly sustainable entity. Design/methodology/approach Using interpretive structural modeling, the paper presents a hierarchy‐based model and the mutual relationships among the enablers of sustainability in a supply chain. Findings The paper shows that there exists a group of enablers having a high‐driving power and low‐dependence requiring maximum attention and of strategic importance while another group consists of those variables which have high dependence and are the resultant actions. Practical implications This paper provides a useful tool to supply chain managers to differentiate between independent and dependent variables and their mutual relationships which would help them to focus on those key variables that are most important for effective implementation of sustainability concepts in the design of a supply chain. Originality/value This paper assumes importance in context of countries in the Gulf region which are developing economies and the pace of development is quite high, putting a lot of pressure on natural resources. Sustainability demands that the resources be used such that the environment is conserved and this requires all the partners in a supply chain to be aware and ready to implement sustainable practices. The findings of this paper would help delineate those variables that should to be necessarily considered to design a sustainable supply chain.