Practices for environmental sustainability in the Italian textile clothing and leather sector: Preliminary results

The present study analyzed the practices adopted by Italian fashion companies to reduce their environmental impact. In particular, the aim of this work is to investigate the relationships among three areas of sustainable practices (i.e. Products and Services, Supply Chain Management, Production Process), the stakeholders involved in the sustainable strategy and the economic impacts of sustainability on the business. This paper presents the preliminary results of an empirical study on the sustainability practices adoption of Italian companies in the Clothing and Leather industries. The research has been conducted through an online survey submitted to a sample of 192 Italian companies, having respectively the 14 and 15 ATECO 2007 code in the AIDA database, with a response rate of 21,8%. A structural equation modelling (SEM) approach was employed to test the hypothesized model. Results indicate that the implementation of sustainable production process practices have a positive influence on company business. Moreover stakeholders typology involved by the company in the sustainable strategy is connected to the implemented Supply Chain Management sustainable practices. In particular, practices connected to suppliers' cooperation and the use of low environmental impact vehicles, are important if the involved stakeholders are respectively providers or competitors. This research study also highlights that the stakeholders typology involved in the sustainable strategy is connected to the economic impact on the business. In this context, the greatest economic impacts have been shown by companies that focused their sustainable strategy on suppliers.