Greening Factor Framework Integrating Sustainability, Green Supply Chain Management, and Circular Economy: The Chilean Case

Francisco J. Tapia-Ubeda, José A. Isbej Muga and Diego A. Polanco-Lahoz
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Francisco J. Tapia-Ubeda: Department of Industrial Engineering, Universidad Católica del Norte, Antofagasta 1270709, Chile
José A. Isbej Muga: School of Industrial Engineering, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Valparaíso 2362807, Chile
Diego A. Polanco-Lahoz: School of Industrial Engineering, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Valparaíso 2362807, Chile

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 24, 1-33

Abstract: This paper focuses on two main topics: presenting a novel framework for assessing the sustainability of a productive process and the application of the framework to the specific case of Chile. The proposed framework integrates green supply chain management and circular economy within the sustainability perspective as drivers for improvements in sustainable development. Within the framework, the greening factor is introduced as a new concept that measures the required effort for a productive process to become sustainable. On one hand, the framework aims at computing the greening factor based on the impacts of resources exploitation and products generation. Additionally, the greening factor computation was designed based on qualitative and quantitative analysis of economic, social, and environmental mainstays. On the other hand, this paper presents a general application of the framework on the five biggest Chilean industries, i.e., mining, wine, forest, agriculture, and aquaculture. Based on the presented generalized application, it is possible to foresee the potentiality of Chile becoming a green country in spite of its productive matrix being mainly based on primary industries.

Keywords: sustainability; framework; sustainable assessment; green supply chain management; circular economy; system theory (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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