International Investment Agreements and the Escalation of Private Power in the Global Agri-Food System

Journal of Business Ethics - Using food regime analysis, this paper critically analyzes how corporate actors amass, secure and apply power in the global agrifood system through International...     

Aligning the sustainable supply chain to green marketing needs: A case study

The research explores the challenges facing organisations in aligning sustainable procurement requirements and marketing needs and the attendant shifts in supply chain management practices. Whilst external influences are readily understood (e.g. regulation and customer demand), less is understood about the implications for suppliers trying to meet sustainable procurement requirements and the organisational challenges of aligning marketing with sustainable supply chain management. An exploratory case study of a UK University catering department has been undertaken, to explore the strategies, processes and relationships associated with synthesising sustainable supply chain and green marketing needs. The empirical findings illustrate the divergence between organisational perspectives on sustainability and procuring sustainable products with marketing demands. Thus, the findings extend the theoretical discussion on sustainable supply chains by providing empirical data based on real-life implementation and from this an emergent aligned supply chain model is proposed, which confirms two drivers for alignment, ‘lean and resource efficient’ and ‘local and seasonal’ — contingent on market demand. The findings emphasise the benefits of a reverse information flow, the importance of intermediaries, and relationships in its fulfilment, while indicating the resurgence of a supply ‘push’ of sustainable products into core markets. Future research directions are also posited.     

Process safety evaluation applying DIERS methodology to existing plant operations

The DIERS methodology can be used to quickly assess the relief capacity envelope for a collection of existing process vessels accounting for both vapor and gassy systems. Easy-to-use vent sizing nomograms and PRESS sheets are proposed that can be completed by the process engineering, the process chemistry and the process safety departments. A vessel volume-vent size diameter relationship is also developed using the source term based on fire exposure to cover a reasonable range of credible upset scenarios. In this way the adequacy of existing relief systems can be quickly surveyed for potential trouble sources—“outliers”—warranting further evaluation and corrective action.