Sustainable practices in the coffee supply chain in the cerrado mineiro region, Brazil

Abstract

The incorporation of sustainable practices in the supply chain management (SCM) has become recurrent in the business environment, resulting from a social reflection on the need to seek new development alternatives. In this context, the objective of this paper is to verify the existence of sustainable practices throughout the supply chain of coffee in the Cerrado Mineiro Region (CMR) and to understand the effects of this adoption regarding Green SCM. This paper focus on the relationship between producers and collective organizations, such as cooperatives and development foundations. To this end, a case study was carried out with the representatives of the supply chain members in CMR, which included coffee producers, cooperatives and a development foundation. It was verified the predominance of practices focused on environmental issues, followed by social and, finally, economic ones. It is also highlighted that the data identified allow us to understand that the development of sustainable strategies can bring positive effects to the agents studied. Considering that these aspects, evidently, improve the relationship of supply chain members, making it more collaborative. The results contribute to the systemic understanding of the way in which sustainability has been incorporated and operationalized in coffe supply chains in CMR.