Analyzing the critical success factors to implement green supply chain management in the apparel manufacturing industry: Implications for sustainable development goals in the emerging economies

Green supply chain management (GSCM) is an emerging concept of modern supply chain management (SCM) that integrates eco-friendly and ethical environmental concerns with the traditional supply chain by reducing the negative impacts of unsustainable manufacturing practices. Developed countries have already adopted different sustainable SCM practices. However, despite being one of the significant sources of export earnings in emerging economies like Bangladesh, the apparel manufacturing industry is still lagging in the case of GSCM implementation. This study, thereby, utilized an integrated multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) approach, including gray theory and decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) method to identify, prioritize, and examine the relations among the critical success factors (CSFs) to implement GSCM practices in the Bangladeshi apparel manufacturing industry. The study initially identified the CSFs from the literature review. After expert validation, sixteen significant CSFs were finally analyzed by the gray-DEMATEL method. The findings revealed that 'demand from buyers', 'economic and tax benefits', and 'government rules and regulations' are the three most prominent CSFs to implement GSCM practices in the apparel manufacturing industry. The cause-effect relations among the CSFs were later explored, which indicated 'Economic and tax benefits' to be the most influencing and 'Supplier training and cooperation' to be the most influenced CSF. The study insights can potentially guide apparel industry managers in successfully implementing GSCM practices toward achieving long-term sustainability and sustainable development goals (SDGs).