An expert in sustainable supply chain operations and the circular economy at Aston University has co-authored a new book focused on the sustainability of small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs).
Dr Prasanta Kumar Dey, professor of operations management at Aston Business School, has written Supply Chain Sustainability in Small and Medium Sized Enterprises alongside Dr Soumyadeb Chowdhury of Toulouse Business School and Dr Chrisovalantis Malesios from the Agricultural University of Athens.
This comprehensive book examines the sustainability of supply chains in SMEs across developed and emerging economies. It draws on contributions from experts and examines case studies from countries including Thailand, Bangladesh, France, Spain, Austria and Greece.
The book offers practical guidance for researchers and industry practitioners. It explores the trade-offs between economic, environmental and social aspects of sustainability, the current state of sustainable supply chain practices and critical success factors across various industries.
The book highlights the experience of SMEs on the decarbonisation journey, from the concept to the implementation of the energy efficiency measures. This experience helps not only to standardise the customers’ journey towards decarbonisation but it also facilitates the undertaking of cost-benefit analysis for decarbonisation measures.
Professor Prasanta Dey said:
“Small and medium-sized enterprises are the backbone of economies worldwide.
“Through this book, we aim to provide a comprehensive roadmap for SMEs to achieve sustainable supply chains, balancing economic growth with environmental stewardship and social responsibility.
“The selection of the most effective enablers across facilities, operational processes and logistics for decarbonisation is made easier through the case studies of the book.
“By learning from real-world case studies and expert insights, businesses can navigate the complexities of sustainability and drive impactful change. These help to develop a comprehensive reporting template for communicating energy audit outcomes to specific company for their further actions. The book also helps SMEs to develop implementation plan for decarbonisation measures.
“Adopting a carbon footprint tool and business modelling technique from the book helps a decarbonization project identify energy-efficient strategies that reduce emissions and enhance economic, environmental and social performance.”
You can purchase a copy of the book here.
