Modern businesses have, as they evolved to meet a global demand for timely goods and services, expanded their production to include other organizations. This network of other businesses, often referred to as a supply chain, contributes to a flow of products, services, finances, and information that ultimately arrives to the consumer. Originally, this supply chain began as a way to cut costs, increase time-to-market speed, and gain an innovative edge among competing businesses. The management of this flow, from point of origin to point of consumption, is referred to as supply chain management.

As businesses respond to expanding government regulations and increased demand by stakeholders for transparency, the need to demonstrate sustainability throughout the supply chain has become an important issue. A business’s commitment to care ...