Sustainable Supply Chain Management Practices in Ghana's Mining Industry

The mining industry is very important to the economy of many developing countries, and offers an important source of revenue. Yet, in order to yield benefits on a long term, sustainable management practices are needed. This paper outlines and introduces a comprehensive framework for sustainable supply chain management implementation in the mining industry in Ghana. It evaluates, through a comparative analysis involving a sample of companies, environmentally sustainable supply chain management practices. The theoretical framework focuses on six major constructs. These constructs include Green Information Technology and Systems, Strategic Supplier Partnership, Operations and Logistics Integration, Internal Environmental Management, Eco-innovative Practices and End-oflife Practices. Using a field study approach the identified factors are subjected to an initial review by experts in Ghana to arrive at a preliminary framework. The framework is evaluated using gold mining industry managers in Ghana. Two multi-attribute evaluation approaches DEMATEL and AHP models help to identify and contrast the importance of the factors and attributes to the overall goal. One of the findings is that the framework for sustainable supply chain management practices in the mining industry is acceptable and comprehensive according to industry experts. The multiattribute evaluation tools used in this paper found that Strategic Supplier Partnership (SSP) and End-of-life (EOL) Practices are the two most prominent and influential major/strategic factors whereas Lean and Green Operations (OLI1), Substituting toxic inputs with environmentally friendly ones (ECO1) and Resale of used parts or components (EOL1) are the three most critical and prominent operational/sub-factors among the topmost ranked operational/sub-factors. This study and resulting framework allows practicing managers in the mining industry in Ghana and elsewhere in the developing world to make thoughtful decisions for making their supply chains more environmentally sustainable.