Green Supply Chain

Environmental challenges have been growing and spreading quicker than a forest fire from
country to region, region to globe level territory in recent decades, which is a major contributor
to climate change and global warming. Furthermore, a lack of natural resources, as well as
pollution of the air and water, harms fauna and flora and leads to poor human health, including
heart disease, lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, stroke, cholera, hepatitis, and
other viral diseases. The green supply chain idea, on the other hand, is used to reduce
environmental deterioration and pollution of air, water, and waste by incorporating green
practices into company operations. The core premise behind the green concept is undeniably to
improve environmental sustainability, however, businesses adopt the green concept for a variety
of reasons as “kill two enemies with one bullet”.
Corporate social responsibility, green manufacturing, waste reduction, recycling and
remanufacturing sustainable/environmentally friendly supply chain, green supply chain, and so
on are all examples of green ideas that are expanding with innovations and techniques to protect
environmental sustainability.
A sustainable or green supply chain incorporates sustainable environmental operations within the
standard supply chain. Processes such as supplier selection and material purchasing, product
design, product production, assembling, distribution, and end-of-life management are all
examples of this. Rather than reducing the negative impact of business and supply chain
activities, the green supply chain focuses on adding value and/or creating value throughout the
entire chain's operations. The main goal of the green supply chain is undeniable to reduce air,
water, and waste pollution, while green operations also improve firms' performance in terms of
less waste manufacturing, product reuse, and recycling, cost reductions, asset efficiency, positive
image building, and increased customer satisfaction.
Green supply chains are logistical frameworks that ensure the ecologically friendly
manufacturing and distribution of items around the world. Companies must engage in the design
and planning optimization of their logistic systems to reach this goal while taking into account
the trade-off between earnings and environmental implications.
Despite a significant amount of research on supply chain management in recent years, a new area
exploring environmental challenges in supply chain structures and operations has emerged. This
is due to the rising recognition of the need of addressing such concerns alongside traditional
economic metrics. This movement has been fueled by several factors, the most significant of
which are tougher government restrictions and shifts in customer perceptions toward more
environmentally sensitive systems, both of which may lead to increased product sales and a
favorable brand image for businesses.
 Apple Inc. Case Study

Introduction
Apple Inc., originally Apple Computer Inc., is a global firm based in the United States that
develops and sells consumer gadgets and software. The company's most well-known hardware
products include Macintosh computers, iPods, and iPhones. Apple software includes the Mac OS
X operating system, the iTunes music player, the iLife multimedia and creativity software, the
iWork productivity software, and Final Cut Studio, a collection of professional audio and film-
industry software tools. The company has hundreds of retail locations across the globe, as well as
an online store and an iTunes store.
On April 1, 1976, Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak created Apple Computer, Inc. in Cupertino,
California. The corporation was originally known as "Apple Computer, Inc." for the first 30
years, but on January 9, 2007, it eliminated the word "Computer" to represent the company's
further expansion into the consumer electronics sector. Because of its rigorous aesthetic design
philosophy and imaginative advertising efforts, Apple Inc. has made a reputation for itself in the
market.

Challenges Faced
 Regulatory barriers: Across border movement regulations originally intended to create
environmental protections do acts as a barrier for the movement of the recovered
materials from scrap, end-of-life products, and parts for use in new products.
 Contamination: The method with which the materials are recovered for recycling can
impact the composition of the material, reducing its purity and usability. • Technical
features: Recycled or renewable materials may have certain technical properties that must
be taken into consideration when designing a product.
 Availability: End-of-life items and industrial scrap sources for recycling may be scarce,
limiting the availability of recycled materials. Furthermore, the supply of renewable
materials is sometimes limited.
 Supply chains: Recycled or renewable content may be difficult to get on the market,
necessitating the creation of new supply channels.
 Transparency: Information on the origins of materials, whether mined, recycled, or
renewable, may be difficult to come by.
 Scale: Identifying and mobilizing high-quality recycled or renewable materials for use in
our goods at a larger scale.

Initiatives of Apple to Achieve Green Supply Chain Process

Product Design
Apple's product line is currently free of harmful components in whole or in part. Apple creates
energy-efficient items, often exceeding the energy star standards. The package design used by
the company in the current scenario is lighter and has less volume compared to the initial years.
Energy usage in products was decreased through increased hardware efficiency from the first to
the current generation.
Suppliers and Purchasing
Apple switched to suppliers who comply with the company’s environmental regulations. Apple
has a supplier code of conduct that it requires all suppliers to comply with. They include specific
provisions that address a variety of environmental protection and sustainability issues. Hazardous
material management, wastewater management, air emissions management, solid waste
management, and environmental permits and reporting are all areas where they have mandated
environmental management. Routine audits and training programs designed to assist vendors
comply help Apple align its supply chain around these principles.
Manufacturing
Suppliers are critical to achieving our zero-waste objectives. Apple's Zero Waste Program for
manufacturing partners was announced in 2015. Over 165 establishments can take advantage of
resources such as trash diversion guidelines, waste management tools, and, in certain
circumstances, onsite support. Each effort contributes to the overall goal. By holding the
suppliers to these standards, products created are safer across their entire life cycle. Materials
with smarter chemistries can be more readily recycled and reused, enabling efforts to create
circular supply chains for products. This impacts not only design processes but also
manufacturing processes—transitioning suppliers to safer alternatives protect workers and the
world we live in.
Packaging
During the design phase, Apple considers the issue of packaging waste. They have replaced the
traditional transparent protective plastic film with a paper alternative. It’s a small detail, but part
of the larger goal to eliminate all plastics in packaging by 2025. Since 2015, the company has
made great headway toward this aim, switching to fiber alternatives for large plastic trays, wraps,
and foam cushioning. These adjustments have resulted in a significant reduction in the use of
plastic, with the 16-inch MacBook Pro's plastic packaging being reduced by 80%. In the fiscal
year 2020, all newly released iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and MacBook devices shipped in
packaging made with more than 90 percent fiber.
Transportation
Apple has taken measures to reduce car usage for its employees by establishing commuter transit
programs. Through green logistics initiatives, Apple has worked to reduce the environmental
impact of staff commutes, inter-office visits, and business travel. All employees receive a transit
stipend from the employer. It also encourages its employees by offering preferred parking
spaces for rideshares. Most of the employees inside Apple’s plants are using biodiesel-powered
coaches, helping to avoid tons of CO2 emissions. Apple also provides electric vehicle charging
ports, at no cost, and is adding more to fulfill the increasing demand.
Consumption and Disposal
Apple uses a ratio of weight recycled as a percentage of past sales to formulate goals and
demonstrate an increasing development of taking back sold electronics. Apple also claims not to
ship e-waste overseas. For products sent to disposal, the company captures the emissions
associated with landfilling or incineration of each type of material. The company is switching to
reusable crates, pallets, and racks to safely ship equipment. This resulted in a reduction in a
major source of garbage at the facility, as well as lower disposal costs. Apple's Treatment,
Storage, and Disposal Facilities (TSDFs) are audited to ensure that trash is processed, recycled,
or burnt following regulating health and environmental safety requirements.

Future Perspective
Concerning the supply chain, Apple has laid down a 10-year climate roadmap that will address
the company’s carbon footprint through five pillars:
 Low-carbon design: Designing of products and manufacturing processes to be less
carbon-intensive through thoughtful material selection, increased material efficiency, and
greater product energy efficiency.
 Energy efficiency: Increasing the energy efficiency at the Apple facilities and in the
supply chain by finding opportunities, such as retrofitting, to reduce energy use.
 Renewable electricity: Company will maintain the use of 100 percent renewable
electricity for all the facilities and transition the entire supply chain to 100 percent clean,
renewable sources of electricity.
 Reducing direct emissions: Avoiding the direct greenhouse gas emissions in the
facilities and the supply chain through process innovation, emissions abatement, and the
use of non‑fossil‑based low‑carbon fuels.
 Carbon removal: Working in parallel with emissions reduction efforts, the company will
scale up investments in carbon removal projects, including nature‑based solutions that
protect and restore ecosystems around the world.

Conclusion
Apple Inc. is dedicated to safeguarding the environment, the health and safety of its employees,
customers, and the communities in which it operates. They realize this by incorporating sound
environmental, health, and safety management principles into all elements of their organization,
as well as providing technologically advanced products and services while conserving and
upgrading resources for future generations. Apple aspires to improve its environmental, health,
and safety management systems, as well as the environmental quality of all products, processes,
and services, constantly. Millions of people are involved in the company's supply chain. Because
the company's decisions affect the lives of people all over the world, it is incumbent on it to
continually be on the lookout for new methods to improve. While Apple is proud of its
achievements, they are only a stepping stone in the company's never-ending quest for 'better.'
References
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Apple Inc. (2021). Environmental Progress Report. Retrieved from
https://www.apple.com/in/environment/
Apple Inc. (2021). Supplier Responsibility Report. Retrieved from
https://www.apple.com/in/supplier-responsibility/
Singh, S., & Gupta, D. (2017, April 17). Green Supply Chain & Profitability: A Case Study of
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