Mario Risso

A horizontal approach to implementing corporate social responsibility in international supply chains

In the context of a globalised economy, many companies have adopted corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategies in their vertical relationships with suppliers whom they have asked to comply with their own codes of conduct. Thus, suppliers that enter into contractual relationships with such large companies may be confronted with multiple codes of conduct that incorporate different standards that they are expected to meet. This entails additional costs with consequential limited benefits. This paper focuses on large companies in specific sectors that operate in supply chains where they do not exert control over their suppliers and that are already promoting several collaborative initiatives among competitors to facilitate the identification of common standards across their supply chains. The descriptive and exploratory research includes a qualitative analysis of four cases, each of which explains an intra-sector collaborative approach to implementing CSR in international supply chains.

ICT Innovation for Buyer-Seller Relationships in International Supply Chains

This study focuses on the adoption of ICT innovation for international supply chains managed by large retailers. Three areas of innovation have been analyzed. The first is related to information and communication technology (ICT), the second to the joint management of supplying activities, and the third to collaboration on marketing issues, included end-customer analysis and joint marketing policies. An empirical research on a sample of 70 firms in the food sector was conducted adopting a suppliers’ perspective. Results revealed a connection between the size of suppliers and the size of customers, on one side, and the adoption of ICT innovation for vertical relationships, on the other side.

The Social Responsibility of Retailers and Small/Medium Suppliers in International Supply Chains.

This paper presents an overview of corporate social responsibility (CSR) drivers within retailers’ supply chains, following a multiple perspective of the different players involved. The study is focused on the relationship between European retailers and small-medium enterprises in the food sector. In particular the analysis examines the effects of the large retailers’ CSR initiatives on the small suppliers involved in supply chains where large retailers are leaders. The research identifies that small and medium Italian manufacturers adapt their processes and tools to the CSR requirements of large retailers. When food SME are strongly involved as suppliers of international large retailers, they reach a higher level of consciousness in CSR relevance and, above all, they are more capable of managing CSR activities by adopting standards and certification systems.