Social Supply Chain Practices and Companies Performance: An Analysis of Portuguese Industry

This research aims at studying the internal and external social sustainable practices of eight Portuguese companies and the relationship with economic and social performance. First the author identifies the different social practices based on the literature, after the study builds on the data collected from interviews with eight Portuguese industrial companies`, through 22 semi-structured interviews with general managers, procurement and environmental/safety managers. Secondary data collection was collected from reports, websites and companies internal documentation. Sectors included glass, automotive, drink, wood based panels, furniture and cork. The results indicate that companies’ economic and social performance are affected by the implementation of social practices into the supply chain, namely the internal social practices. The paper is much helpful for the supply chain managers, policy makers to understand the internal and external social practices used by the organizations and how they influenced economic and social performance, and act as a key tool for managers seeking to implement social sustainable supply chain management practices.