An exploration of intervention options to enhance the management of supply chain greenhouse gas emissions in the UK

The management of greenhouse gas emissions (GHGEs) within the supply chains of large organisations is receiving increasing attention as a way to achieve climate mitigation objectives. Climate mitigation policy for direct GHGEs and organisations' role in managing environmental impacts within supply chains is well covered in the literature. However, the targeting of indirect GHGE from the supply chain, and the intervention options that exist are still underdeveloped, especially in terms of information and informal based interventions, or support and capacity building approaches. Interview data was collected on the supply chain GHGE management actions of large supply chain leading organisations in the UK such as brand companies and public sector organisations. This is used to construct framework through which an initial and exploratory assessment of the efficacy and likely impacts of a range of interventions, designed to increase levels of supply chain GHGE management by supply chain leading organisations, is conducted. It is demonstrates that the management of indirect GHGEs could form an additional strategy for climate mitigation objectives, with information based options representing a good option for policymakers. •Policy interventions on managing GHG emissions in supply chains are designed.•These are evaluated using qualitative data collected from a range of stakeholders.•It develops an ‘Emission Reduction INtervention Options’ (ERINO) supply chain approach.•Information based interventions are recommended as a ‘middle way’.