Sustainability strategies in industrial supply networks: an innovation approach concerning environmental and social aspects in the clothing industry

Many different theories are found to explain how industrial companies implement sustainability strategies in their supply networks. However, the question why companies in a similar position choose different strategies remains under discussed. It is this question the research of this study seeks to answer using the clothing industry as an example. The results of a survey performed for this study show that specific innovation characteristics of focal companies are significantly related to the strategies found for improving the social aspects but not for the environmental aspects. These innovation characteristics represent the capability to act. The differences found between the strategies for the improvement of social versus the environmental aspects were analysed using in depth case-studies. The results of this research show that the decision making processes follow different routes and that different actors and factors are involved. This insight should be used for speeding up the implementation process.