Green supply chain management drivers, practices and performance: A comprehensive study on the moderators

The growing level of attention toward global warming, reduction of non-renewable resources and pollution calls manufacturing firms to implement sustainable, and specifically green initiatives into their supply chains (Green Supply Chain Management, GSCM). So far, too little studies have provided clear empirical evidence on the actual impact of these initiatives on firms’ performance, especially within the European manufacturing context, and on the actual impact of possible drivers on the implementation of the above-mentioned initiative. Thus, the aim of this study is to analyse possible moderation factors that affect the relationships between drivers-practices and practices-performance through a survey carried out in 169 Italian manufacturing firms belonging to a range of different sectors. The moderation analysis shows that some drivers strongly influence the relationships between drivers-practices and practices-performance, and a few contributions from the existing literature are challenged and discussed. Our findings may be particularly interesting for managers and supply chain specialists, as well as for policymakers, who could be inspired by the role of particular drivers on the implementation of GSCM practices, and by the level of performance achievable thanks to the adoption of a set of green practices. As for the academic impact, the issue has been tackled for the first time in an attempt of a comprehensive view, which paves the way to a number of research lines to further investigate both the confirmed and unconfirmed moderations, so as to understand the related rationales in the comprehensive view proposed by the authors. •A number of possible moderators have been identified from the extant literature.•The moderators have been tested through a survey in 169 Italian manufacturing firms.•Many relationships among GSCM drivers, practices and performance are moderated.