The effect of green supply chain management practices on the sustainability performance of Turkish shipyards

Abstract The present study examined the green supply chain management (GSCM) practices applied in Turkish shipyards and their impact on three sustainability dimensions: environmental, social, and economic. The GSCM practices examined comprised green design, green purchasing, green production, green marketing, environmental management, and recycling. All these practices are applicable for the shipbuilding industry that creates tangible economic value but also causes substantial environmental and social issues. Already, sustainability implementation, environmentally related regulations, and corporate standards have initiated new design and construction practices in the shipbuilding and shipyards. A research model was created here to test the relationship between six GSCM practices and the three sustainability performance dimensions. The authors utilized an updated, altered survey from recent academic research in the Turkish chemical, electronic, automotive, or food packaging industries. The research revealed that the GSCM practices green design, green purchasing, green production, green marketing, environmental management, and recycling were indicators those selected by the experts in the shipbuilding sector. Furthermore, these selected indicators were tested by SEM-PLS for its significance and relationship within each other. The result was found positively significant for the economic and social performance. Nevertheless, there was no direct improvement in the environmental performance dimension, despite the implementation ISO 14001 certification in 95% of the shipyards. Certificate is the first step for GSCM practices but not means company achieved environmental performance positively. The certification is not enough to justify that the companies are environmentally protected, as well as approval using GSCM. Environmental uncertainty did neither have a moderating effect between GSCM practices and sustainability performances.