Eco-innovations in more sustainable supply chains for a low-carbon economy: A multiple case study of human critical success factors in Brazilian leading companies

Abstract

The success of eco-innovations in sustainable supply chains aiming a low-carbon economy is related to a broad range of human critical success factors. Thus, the goal of this research was to analyse how certain human critical success factors are related to specific low-carbon eco-innovation projects in leading companies in Brazil operating in some of the most sustainable supply chains in the country. As a consequence, this study qualitatively analysed three cases of low carbon eco-innovation discussing the necessary human critical success factors (HCSF). The results show that the companies in this study are at different stages of maturity with respect to climate change mitigation practices. It was found that the role of HCSF in the process of developing low-carbon products tends to intensify as corporations respond to advances in climate change mitigation. In organisations adopting a sustainable supply chain perspective (for example, adopting Life Cycle Assessment approach) and with a more evolved response to climate change, the product development process tended to be supported by all of the HCSF in the area of product innovation. In contrast, organisations whose practices for mitigating climate change were in the early stages tended not to show evidence of support from HCSF. This is the first study relating eco-innovation, sustainable supply chain, climate change and cases from leading Brazilian companies.