Supply Chain Management, 5e (Chopra/Meindl)

Chapter 18 Sustainability and the Supply Chain

18.1 True/False Questions

1) A focus on sustainability allows a supply chain to better serve more conscious customers
while often improving supply chain performance.
Answer: TRUE
Diff: 1
Topic: 18.1 The Role of sustainability in a Supply Chain
AACSB: Ethical Understanding & Reasoning Abilities
Learning Outcome: Compare common approaches to supply chain design

2) A focus on sustainability allows a supply chain to better serve more conscious customers
while often reducing supply chain performance.
Answer: FALSE
Diff: 2
Topic: 18.1 The Role of sustainability in a Supply Chain
AACSB: Ethical Understanding & Reasoning Abilities
Learning Outcome: Compare common approaches to supply chain design

3) Walmart started its focus on sustainability as a defensive move given the beating it was taking
from environmental activists.
Answer: TRUE
Diff: 2
Topic: 18.1 The Role of sustainability in a Supply Chain
AACSB: Ethical Understanding & Reasoning Abilities
Learning Outcome: Compare common approaches to supply chain design

4) Customers have usually backed up words about the importance of sustainability with a
willingness to pay more for sustainable products.
Answer: FALSE
Diff: 2
Topic: 18.1 The Role of sustainability in a Supply Chain
AACSB: Ethical Understanding & Reasoning Abilities
Learning Outcome: Compare common approaches to supply chain design

5) Hardin (1968) described the tragedy of the commons as a dilemma arising when the common
good does not align perfectly with the good of individual entities.
Answer: TRUE
Diff: 1
Topic: 18.2 The Tragedy of the Commons
AACSB: Ethical Understanding & Reasoning Abilities
Learning Outcome: Compare common approaches to supply chain design

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6) Hardin (1968) described the tragedy of the commons as a dilemma arising when the common
good aligns perfectly with the good of individual entities.
Answer: FALSE
Diff: 2
Topic: 18.2 The Tragedy of the Commons
AACSB: Ethical Understanding & Reasoning Abilities
Learning Outcome: Compare common approaches to supply chain design

7) The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, a United Nations body that has been
assessing global warming since 1990, has written that even though most of the buildup of carbon
dioxide in the atmosphere has come from the United States and Western Europe, it is poorer
countries that are closer to the equator that are likely to pay the biggest price.
Answer: TRUE
Diff: 1
Topic: 18.2 The Tragedy of the Commons
Learning Outcome: Compare common approaches to supply chain design

8) In reality, there are no actions in a supply chain that improve both sustainability and supply
chain surplus.
Answer: FALSE
Diff: 1
Topic: 18.3 Key Metrics for Sustainability
AACSB: Analytic Skills
Learning Outcome: Compare common approaches to supply chain design

9) For most firms, the extent of direct emissions is typically only a small fraction of the extent of
indirect emissions in the supply chain.
Answer: TRUE
Diff: 3
Topic: 18.3 Key Metrics for Sustainability
Learning Outcome: Compare common approaches to supply chain design

10) Facilities often offer the best opportunity to simultaneously improve the environmental and
financial performance through innovation.
Answer: TRUE
Diff: 1
Topic: 18.4 Sustainability and Supply Chain Drivers
Learning Outcome: Compare common approaches to supply chain design

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18.2 Multiple Choice Questions

1) The factors driving an increased focus on sustainability can be divided into three distinct
categories. Which of the following is not one of these categories?
A) Increasing revenue for sustainability initiatives
B) Making the world more sustainable
C) Attracting customers who value sustainability
D) Reducing risk and improving the financial performance of the supply chain
Answer: A
Diff: 1
Topic: 18.1 The Role of sustainability in a Supply Chain
Learning Outcome: Compare common approaches to supply chain design

2) Most concrete action has been observed primarily when a focus on sustainability
A) increases revenue for sustainability initiatives.
B) makes the world more sustainable.
C) attracts customers who value sustainability.
D) reduces risk and improving the financial performance of the supply chain.
Answer: D
Diff: 2
Topic: 18.1 The Role of sustainability in a Supply Chain
Learning Outcome: Compare common approaches to supply chain design

3) Much less success for sustainability initiatives has been driven by

A) increased revenue for sustainability initiatives.
B) customer demand.
C) attracted customers who value sustainability.
D) reduced risk and improving the financial performance of the supply chain.
Answer: B
Diff: 1
Topic: 18.1 The Role of sustainability in a Supply Chain
Learning Outcome: Compare common approaches to supply chain design

4) Almost 40 percent of ________ could be achieved at negative marginal costs, meaning that
investing in these options would generate positive economic returns over their lifecycle.
A) greenhouse gas abatement
B) fuel consumption initiatives
C) increased customer base
D) improved company reputation
Answer: A
Diff: 1
Topic: 18.1 The Role of sustainability in a Supply Chain
Learning Outcome: Compare common approaches to supply chain design

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5) Unilever, the Dutch-British consumer goods giant has invested significant effort to help
emerging economies such as Brazil and India wrestle with poverty, water scarcity and climate
change. The company sees ________ of its sales and the majority of its growth coming from
emerging economies.
A) almost 25%
B) almost 50%
C) almost 60%
D) almost 75%
Answer: B
Diff: 3
Topic: 18.1 The Role of sustainability in a Supply Chain
AACSB: Dynamics of the Global Economy
Learning Outcome: Compare common approaches to supply chain design

6) Walmart reduced its energy consumption by

A) adding skylights for natural light.
B) reducing packaging.
C) milk jug redesign.
D) better transportation routing of trucks.
Answer: A
Diff: 3
Topic: 18.1 The Role of sustainability in a Supply Chain
Learning Outcome: Compare common approaches to supply chain design

7) There are major barriers to an increased focus on sustainability listed in the textbook. Which
of the following is not one of these?
A) Customers' unwillingness to pay a premium for green products
B) Insufficient return on investment
C) Difficulty of implementing sustainable programs
D) Difficulty evaluating sustainability across a product life cycle
Answer: C
Diff: 3
Topic: 18.1 The Role of sustainability in a Supply Chain
Learning Outcome: Compare common approaches to supply chain design

8) In the short to medium term, an improved focus on sustainability provides benefits that
A) are shared but costs that may be local to a firm.
B) are local to firms but a cost that is global.
C) are shared and costs that are global.
D) are local and costs that are global.
Answer: A
Diff: 3
Topic: 18.1 The Role of sustainability in a Supply Chain
AACSB: Reflective Thinking Skills
Learning Outcome: Compare common approaches to supply chain design

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9) ________ is a mechanism that constrains the aggregate emissions by creating a limited
number of tradeable emission allowances, which emission sources must secure and surrender in
proportion to their emissions.
A) Command-and-control
B) Cap-and-trade
C) Cap-and-control
D) Emissions tax
Answer: B
Diff: 2
Topic: 18.2 The Tragedy of the Commons
Learning Outcome: Compare common approaches to supply chain design

10) Metrics that would typically be in corporate social responsibility (CSR) reports would
contain
A) revenue.
B) social.
C) environmental.
D) Both B and C
Answer: D
Diff: 2
Topic: 18.3 Key Metrics for Sustainability
Learning Outcome: Compare common approaches to supply chain design

11) From an environmental perspective, there are four important categories that all firms should
measure and report. Which of the following is not one of these?
A) Water consumption
B) CO2 emissions
C) Energy consumption
D) Waste generation
Answer: B
Diff: 2
Topic: 18.3 Key Metrics for Sustainability
AACSB: Reflective Thinking Skills
Learning Outcome: Compare common approaches to supply chain design

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12) In the context of greenhouse gas emission, the GHG protocol initiative defines three levels of
scope. The following scope is referred to as direct emissions.
A) This scope refers to emissions from GHG sources that are owned or controlled by the
reporting entity.
B) This scope refers to indirect emissions from grid-sourced electricity and other utility services
of heat, steam and cooling.
C) This scope refers to the inclusion of other indirect emissions coming from sources such as the
production of purchased materials, outsourced activities, contractor owned vehicles, waste
disposal, and employee business travel.
D) This scope refers to the corporate responsibility for direct discharging of emissions into
public water systems.
Answer: A
Diff: 3
Topic: 18.3 Key Metrics for Sustainability
AACSB: Reflective Thinking Skills
Learning Outcome: Compare common approaches to supply chain design

13) A(n) ________ measure of performance is more effective at capturing sustainability

improvement.
A) scope
B) relative
C) absolute
D) statistical
Answer: B
Diff: 2
Topic: 18.3 Key Metrics for Sustainability
Learning Outcome: Compare common approaches to supply chain design

14) In the context of greenhouse gas emission, the GHG protocol initiative defines levels of
scope. This level refers to emissions from GHG sources that are owned or controlled by the
reporting entity.
A) Scope 1
B) Scope 2
C) Scope 3
D) Scope 4
Answer: A
Diff: 3
Topic: 18.3 Key Metrics for Sustainability
Learning Outcome: Compare common approaches to supply chain design

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Copyright 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall
15) In the context of greenhouse gas emission, the GHG protocol initiative defines levels of
scope. This level refers to the inclusion of other indirect emissions coming from sources such as
the production of purchased materials, outsourced activities, contractor owned vehicles, waste
disposal, and employee business travel.
A) Scope 1
B) Scope 2
C) Scope 3
D) Scope 4
Answer: C
Diff: 3
Topic: 18.3 Key Metrics for Sustainability
Learning Outcome: Compare common approaches to supply chain design

16) In the context of greenhouse gas emission, the GHG protocol initiative defines levels of
scope. This level refers to indirect emissions from grid-sourced electricity and other utility
services of heat, steam and cooling.
A) Scope 1
B) Scope 2
C) Scope 3
D) Scope 4
Answer: B
Diff: 3
Topic: 18.3 Key Metrics for Sustainability
Learning Outcome: Compare common approaches to supply chain design

17) In the context of greenhouse gas emission, direct emissions are

A) controlled by the reporting entity.
B) created through waste disposal.
C) come from utility based services.
D) come from employee based travel.
Answer: A
Diff: 3
Topic: 18.3 Key Metrics for Sustainability
Learning Outcome: Compare common approaches to supply chain design

18) In the context of greenhouse gas emission, indirect emissions would NOT include
A) purchased materials.
B) outsourced activities.
C) contractor owned vehicles.
D) all of the above
Answer: D
Diff: 1
Topic: 18.3 Key Metrics for Sustainability
AACSB: Reflective Thinking Skills
Learning Outcome: Compare common approaches to supply chain design

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19) In the textbook, a detailed analysis by Abbott indicated that their indirect emissions were
about ________ times their direct emissions.
A) 1 to 5
B) 6 to 14
C) 15 to 19
D) 20 to 22
Answer: B
Diff: 2
Topic: 18.3 Key Metrics for Sustainability
Learning Outcome: Compare common approaches to supply chain design

20) The disadvantage of using a(n) ________ measure is that a drop in supply chain sales and
production (for example in a downturn) will show an improved absolute measure of energy
consumption even though the company may not have changed anything.
A) scope
B) relative
C) absolute
D) statistical
Answer: C
Diff: 3
Topic: 18.3 Key Metrics for Sustainability
Learning Outcome: Compare common approaches to supply chain design

21) A(n) ________ measure of performance is more effective at capturing improvement.

A) scope
B) relative
C) absolute
D) statistical
Answer: B
Diff: 3
Topic: 18.3 Key Metrics for Sustainability
Learning Outcome: Compare common approaches to supply chain design

22) ________ tend to be significant consumers of energy and water and emitters of waste and
greenhouse gases and thus offer significant opportunities for profitable improvement.
A) Employees
B) Production processes
C) Facilities
D) Vehicles
Answer: C
Diff: 2
Topic: 18.4 Sustainability and Supply Chain Drivers
Learning Outcome: Compare common approaches to supply chain design

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23) According to its 2011 CSR report, ________ has designed and opened a viable store
prototype that is up to 25 to 30 percent more energy efficient and produces up to 30 percent
fewer greenhouse gas emissions compared to the 2005 baseline.
A) Starbucks
B) TJ Maxx
C) Walmart
D) Kmart
Answer: C
Diff: 2
Topic: 18.4 Sustainability and Supply Chain Drivers
Learning Outcome: Compare common approaches to supply chain design

24) Walmart has worked to convert ________ at its stores from a cost to a profit generator.
A) energy usage
B) waste generation
C) water consumption
D) reduced packaging
Answer: B
Diff: 2
Topic: 18.4 Sustainability and Supply Chain Drivers
Learning Outcome: Compare common approaches to supply chain design

25) Walmart reported that in California, over ________ percent of waste has been diverted from
landfills and made into something else that produces revenue.
A) 25
B) 40
C) 60
D) 80
Answer: D
Diff: 2
Topic: 18.4 Sustainability and Supply Chain Drivers
Learning Outcome: Compare common approaches to supply chain design

26) ________ has worked hard to reuse heat energy from boilers in its production process and
reduce its total water footprint.
A) Walmart
B) Coca-Cola
C) IBM
D) Starbucks
Answer: B
Diff: 2
Topic: 18.4 Sustainability and Supply Chain Drivers
Learning Outcome: Compare common approaches to supply chain design

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27) ________ who worked with their equipment supplier, Siemens VAI, to create a new
production process that cut costs and emissions by using local iron ore that was of lower quality
but cheaper.
A) Walmart
B) Coca-Cola
C) Posco
D) Starbucks
Answer: C
Diff: 2
Topic: 18.4 Sustainability and Supply Chain Drivers
Learning Outcome: Compare common approaches to supply chain design

28) What type of inventory is one of the most damaging from a sustainability perspective?
A) Raw materials
B) Work in process
C) Finished goods
D) Landfill
Answer: D
Diff: 1
Topic: 18.4 Sustainability and Supply Chain Drivers
AACSB: Reflective Thinking Skills
Learning Outcome: Compare common approaches to supply chain design

29) The sustainability damage from landfill additives comes in which form?
A) Potential energy lost
B) Materials lost
C) Terrible smell
D) Both A and B
Answer: D
Diff: 1
Topic: 18.4 Sustainability and Supply Chain Drivers
Learning Outcome: Compare common approaches to supply chain design

30) ________ can be used to assess the environmental impacts associated with a product's life
from cradle to grave.
A) CRM
B) SRM
C) LCA
D) MRP
Answer: A
Diff: 3
Topic: 18.4 Sustainability and Supply Chain Drivers
Learning Outcome: Compare common approaches to supply chain design

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31) ________ reduced the amount of harmful phosphates in laundry and dish detergents in the
Americas region by 14.5 percent in 2011 with a goal of reaching a reduction of 70 percent.
A) Walmart
B) BASF
C) 3M
D) Proctor & Gamble
Answer: A
Diff: 3
Topic: 18.4 Sustainability and Supply Chain Drivers
Learning Outcome: Compare common approaches to supply chain design

32) ________ has always worked hard to design products that can be shipped flat to achieve high
volume and weight density during transportation. As a result, the company not only lowers its
transportation costs, it also reduces emissions and energy use.
A) Walmart
B) IKEA
C) 3M
D) Proctor & Gamble
Answer: B
Diff: 3
Topic: 18.4 Sustainability and Supply Chain Drivers
Learning Outcome: Compare common approaches to supply chain design

33) The presence of lead paint in some of its most popular toys forced ________ to recall
hundreds of thousands of toys sold between April and July of 2007.
A) Walmart
B) Hasbro
C) Mattel
D) Remco
Answer: C
Diff: 2
Topic: 18.4 Sustainability and Supply Chain Drivers
Learning Outcome: Compare common approaches to supply chain design

34) ________ continues to be one of the biggest challenges to improved supply chain
sustainability.
A) Good information
B) Waste generation
C) Water consumption
D) Reducing packaging
Answer: A
Diff: 2
Topic: 18.4 Sustainability and Supply Chain Drivers
AACSB: Reflective Thinking Skills
Learning Outcome: Compare common approaches to supply chain design

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35) Walmart implemented a web-based scorecard that evaluated the packaging of each product
along nine metrics which included
A) cube utilization.
B) distance traveled.
C) recycled content.
D) Both A and C
Answer: D
Diff: 2
Topic: 18.4 Sustainability and Supply Chain Drivers
Learning Outcome: Compare common approaches to supply chain design

36) This company has not hit its targets for the use of renewable energy because these sources
have higher costs compared to other sources of energy. In general, the public has not been
willing to pay for the added costs.
A) Walmart
B) IKEA
C) IBM
D) 3M
Answer: A
Diff: 1
Topic: 18.4 Sustainability and Supply Chain Drivers
Learning Outcome: Compare common approaches to supply chain design

37) Guide and Van Wassenhove (2009) describe three scenarios where a supply chain may
handle returns. Which is not one of these?
A) Product needs repairing
B) Product can be recycled
C) Product needs efficient transportation to landfill
D) Product can be remanufactured
Answer: C
Diff: 1
Topic: 18.5 Closed Loop Supply Chains
AACSB: Reflective Thinking Skills
Learning Outcome: Compare common approaches to supply chain design

38) These two companies have also set aggressive targets for their suppliers to improve overall
supply chain sustainability.
A) Walmart and IKEA
B) IBM and 3M
C) Mattel and Hasbro
D) Apple and Starbucks
Answer: A
Diff: 1
Topic: 18.4 Sustainability and Supply Chain Drivers
Learning Outcome: Compare common approaches to supply chain design

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39) McDonough and Braungart (2002) discuss the importance of ________ design if we are to
truly limit the landfill inventory generated by a supply chain.
A) cradle to grave
B) cradle to cradle
C) manageable sustainability
D) recyclable content
Answer: B
Diff: 2
Topic: 18.4 Sustainability and Supply Chain Drivers
Learning Outcome: Compare common approaches to supply chain design

40) The goal of every supply chain should be to track its

A) landfill inventory.
B) transportation utilization.
C) water consumption.
D) packaging materials.
Answer: A
Diff: 2
Topic: 18.4 Sustainability and Supply Chain Drivers
AACSB: Reflective Thinking Skills
Learning Outcome: Compare common approaches to supply chain design

18-13
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18.3 Essay Questions

1) Discuss the role of sustainability supply chains.

Answer: This is a general question and many answers would suffice in answering it. Answers
should be similar to the following comments.

Each supply chain is only a small part of the world it resides in. Ultimately the health and
survival of every individual depends on the health of the world around us. It is thus important to
expand the goal of a supply chain beyond the interests of its participants (which the supply chain
surplus represents) to others that may be affected by supply chain decisions. It is in this context
that the 21st century has seen a growing focus on sustainability. The focus on sustainability has
increased as large countries like Brazil, China and India have grown. On the one hand, the
growth of emerging markets is improving global living standards in a way that perhaps has not
happened before in human history. On the other hand, this growth puts pressure on resources and
the environment in a way that has also never happened before. It has become increasingly clear
that if supply chains do not become much more sustainable than they have been in the past, the
world's resources and environment cannot sustain this level of growth.
Diff: 2
Topic: 18.1 The Role of sustainability in a Supply Chain
AACSB: Reflective Thinking Skills
Learning Outcome: Compare common approaches to supply chain design

2) Discuss the factors driving an increased focus on sustainability.

Answer: First, they can be divided into three distinct categories:

1. Reducing risk and improving the financial performance of the supply chain
2. Attracting customers who value sustainability
3. Making the world more sustainable

Most action has been observed primarily when a focus on sustainability reduces risk for the
supply chain and improves financial performance. Much less success has been driven by
customer demand or the desire to make the world more sustainable. It is interesting to note that
there is significant opportunity even if supply chains only focus on the areas that reduce risk and
improve financial performance. Customers to this point have not been willing to pay extra for
sustainable products as a whole even though many customers are environmentally sensitive. As
such, macro policies may be one of the best options for improving the sustainability of all supply
chains.
Diff: 2
Topic: 18.1 The Role of sustainability in a Supply Chain
AACSB: Reflective Thinking Skills
Learning Outcome: Compare common approaches to supply chain design

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Copyright 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Prentice Hall
3) What are the challenges to greater sustainability posed by the tragedy of the commons?
Answer: The tragedy of the commons is a dilemma arising when the common good does not
align perfectly with the good of individual entities. Many actions that improve sustainability of a
supply chain impose costs that are local (to an individual, a firm, supply chain or country) but
provide common benefits that are more global. In contrast, a disregard for sustainability provides
benefits that are local but costs that are shared globally. As a result, it can be difficult to
encourage sustainability without some external pressure either in the form of a public mandate or
economic incentive.
Diff: 2
Topic: 18.2 The Tragedy of the Commons
AACSB: Reflective Thinking Skills
Learning Outcome: Compare common approaches to supply chain design

4) What are some metrics that can be used to measure sustainability for a supply chain?
Answer: There are many metrics both quantitative and qualitative that can be used to
measure sustainability in a supply chain. Some measures mentioned in the chapter include
energy consumption, water consumption, greenhouse gas emission, and waste generation. It is
important that these metrics be tracked across as wide a scope of the supply chain as possible.
One measure discussed at length was that of landfill inventory. A qualitative measure of landfills
would be the amount of undesirable odor created by the landfill inventory. A following
quantitative measure is the loss of value for potential production or residential development due
to the inherent odors.
Diff: 2
Topic: 18.3 Key Metrics for Sustainability
AACSB: Reflective Thinking Skills
Learning Outcome: Compare common approaches to supply chain design

5) What are some opportunities for improved sustainability in various supply chain drivers?
Answer: There are many drivers associated with improved sustainability for supply chains.
Facilities can be redesigned to reduce both energy use and emissions. Products should be
designed with a "cradle to cradle" philosophy to decrease landfill inventory and increase the
reuse of material. Designing products to limit packaging and improve transportation density
helps reduce costs as well as emissions during transportation. Given that any one firm is only a
small fraction of a supply chains impact on the environment, it is critical that powerful players
work with the extended supply chain to improve sustainability. Clearly defined standards for
measurement and reporting of performance are important if sustainability is to improve across
supply chains. Finally, a significant driver of improved sustainability will be customers'
willingness to reward successful supply chains.
Diff: 2
Topic: 18.4 Sustainability and Supply Chain Drivers
AACSB: Reflective Thinking Skills
Learning Outcome: Compare common approaches to supply chain design

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