Investigation of green supply chain management practices and sustainability in Indian manufacturing enterprises using a structural equation modelling approach

• Published in: Scientific reports Vol. 15; no. 1; pp. 14909 - 20
• Main Authors: Gupta, Priya, Sharma, Yogesh, Chauhan, Ajay, Parewa, Bhawna, Rai, Pratibha, Naik, Nithesh
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 28.04.2025; Nature Portfolio
• Subjects: 639/705/1046; 639/705/531; 639/705/794; Green logistics; Green practices; Humanities and Social Sciences; Low carbon performance; multidisciplinary; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Sustainable manufacturing; Sustainable society; Top management performance; Green practices; Sustainable society; Green logistics; Sustainable manufacturing; Top management performance; Supply chain analytics; Low carbon performance
• ISSN: 2045-2322; 2045-2322
• DOI: 10.1038/s41598-025-95940-9

Green Supply Chain Management (GSCM) has gained increasing attention as a means of ensuring sustainable manufacturing and a sustainable society. This study examines the relationship between GSCM practices and top management performance to understand its effect on low-carbon performance, sustainable manufacturing, and sustainable society. Data were gathered from 389 top-, middle-, and lower-level managers working in bag-manufacturing firms in India. The data were analyzed using a structural equation modelling (SEM) approach. The findings indicate positive and significant relationships among the constructs, with "green product and product design" showing the most substantial influence on "top management performance" (β = 0.274, p  < 0.001). This top management performance significantly boosts "low carbon performance" (β = 0.375, p  < 0.001), which in turn positively impacts “sustainable manufacturing” (β = 0.283, p  < 0.001) and “sustainable society” (β = 0.347, p  < 0.001). The SEM model explained 20% of the variance in "top management performance," 19.5% in "low carbon performance," 16.1% in "sustainable society," and 14.7% in "sustainable manufacturing." The link between “low-carbon performance” and "Top Management Performance" is found to have a medium effect size, indicating a strong and discernible correlation between the two variables. In practical terms, an organization will likely make significant strides toward sustainability and carbon emissions reduction when senior management actively supports and implements these measures. This study highlights that adopting GSCM practices is limited to improving firm performance and goes beyond creating sustainable manufacturing and society. This study is in the exploratory stage and adopts a holistic approach to understand the impacts of GSCM practices. Further studies on GSCM practices should be conducted to gain deeper insights. The model provides a broader picture for manufacturers to develop a long-term vision while adopting GSCM practices for sustainable manufacturing and sustainability.