The publication of Irshadullah Asim Mohammed’s “Sustainable Supply Chain Management: Practices for a Greener Future” in 2019 marked a pivotal moment in the literature surrounding corporate responsibility and operational logistics. Unlike many of its predecessors, which often treated sustainability as a niche concern or a public relations annexe, Mohammed’s work presents it as the central nervous system of modern, resilient enterprise. The book’s profound strength lies not merely in its exhaustive content, but in its foundational philosophy: it re-architects the very purpose of a supply chain from a linear conduit of cost efficiency to a dynamic, value-creating ecosystem. This review will examine the book’s intellectual framework, its practical application for strategic decision-makers, and its distinctive place in the contemporary business canon.
Even today, the book is very much up to the mark and relevant in modern business and commerce conversations. Here is a review of the book that I hope will be helpful if you are the target audience for this genre.
From the outset, the book establishes a compelling intellectual framework that is both expansive and meticulously detailed. Mohammed avoids the common trap of reducing sustainability to a series of environmental checklists. Instead, he constructs a robust, three-dimensional model in which environmental, social, and economic imperatives are presented as inextricably linked and mutually reinforcing. The early chapters are dedicated to carefully unpacking this triad, arguing with persuasive clarity that a supply chain cannot be truly “green” if it relies on exploitative labour, and it cannot be economically sustainable if it is vulnerable to climate disruptions or resource scarcity. This holistic integration is the book’s first significant contribution. It provides a coherent language and a conceptual map for discussing sustainability that transcends departmental silos, speaking with equal relevance to the CFO concerned with long-term profitability, the COO focused on operational resilience, and the CSR manager advocating for ethical standards. The chapter on risk management and resilience, for instance, is a masterclass in connecting abstract environmental threats, such as climate change, to tangible operational vulnerabilities, thereby repositioning sustainability investments from discretionary expenses to essential risk mitigation strategies.
What truly distinguishes this volume is its masterful translation of principle into practice. The book functions as a comprehensive toolkit, and its value is most acutely felt in its middle sections, which delve into the core practices and technologies. Here, Mohammed demonstrates a remarkable ability to demystify complex concepts without sacrificing their complexity. The discussion on circular supply chains, for example, moves beyond the simplistic notion of recycling to explore the more profound principles of designing for disassembly and reusability. He explains how product design dictates end-of-life outcomes, thereby pushing the responsibility for sustainability back to the very beginning of the product lifecycle. Similarly, the treatment of digitalisation is particularly astute. The book does not simply list technologies like AI, IoT, and blockchain as buzzwords; it explicates their specific functional applications. It describes how IoT sensors can provide real-time data on energy consumption and waste streams, how AI can optimise logistics networks to minimise empty miles and fuel use, and how blockchain can create an unforgeable ledger for verifying ethical sourcing claims from mine to store shelf. This specificity is invaluable for managers who need to justify technology investments with clear use cases and measurable returns.
Furthermore, the book’s pedagogical design is engineered for maximum impact. The 24-chapter structure is a carefully sequenced curriculum. It begins by establishing a “why” rooted in global drivers and regulatory frameworks, then builds the “what” of core practices, such as sustainable procurement and green logistics, and culminates in the “how” of implementation through metrics, reporting, and strategic roadmaps. This logical progression ensures that a reader is never left wondering how a specific tactic connects to the overarching goal. The inclusion of detailed case studies of companies like Patagonia, IKEA, and Unilever serves a critical function beyond mere illustration. These cases are analytical anchors. They provide proof of concept, showing that the theories espoused in the book are not speculative ideals but are being operationalised by some of the world’s most successful corporations. They allow the reader to see the variations in strategy, the challenges encountered, and the tangible business benefits reaped, from enhanced brand loyalty to new revenue streams from product-as-a-service models.
In the crowded landscape of business and sustainability texts, Mohammed’s book carves out a unique and authoritative space. It differs from highly technical manuals on life cycle assessment or green chemistry by maintaining a strategic, managerial focus. It is more comprehensive and structured than compilations of anecdotal case studies. Compared to other leading academic texts, which can sometimes feel abstract or dated in the face of rapid technological change, “Sustainable Supply Chain Management” is strikingly current and actionable. Its direct competitor might be a text like “Green to Gold.” Still, where that work focuses broadly on corporate strategy, Mohammed’s book drills down with surgical precision into the supply chain function, making it an essential operational companion. Its publication date of 2019 also places it at a sweet spot, emerging after the initial wave of sustainability literature had crested but before the post-pandemic re-evaluation of global supply chains, allowing it to feel both established and prescient.
In the final analysis, “Sustainable Supply Chain Management: Practices for a Greener Future” is more than a book; it is a strategic blueprint and an urgent manifesto. Irshadullah Asim Mohammed has succeeded in creating a work that is simultaneously intellectually rigorous and eminently practical. It empowers its readers not just to understand the imperative for sustainable supply chains, but actually to build them. For the academic, it provides a structured, citable framework that can shape an entire course curriculum. For business leaders, it provides the frameworks, metrics, and real-world examples necessary to craft a compelling business case and a viable implementation plan. In an era defined by volatility, transparency demands, and ecological crisis, this book provides the necessary intellectual tools to transform a company’s supply chain from a liability into a source of competitive advantage, resilience, and positive global impact. It is, without reservation, an indispensable resource for anyone serious about the future of business and the health of the planet.
If you want to get a copy of this book, you can pick it up from Amazon India – click here to get one.
Review by Prashant Jha for Literature News