Sustainability initiatives and collaborative practices:a study of emerging economy suppliers

This paper analyses how collaborative practices influence sustainability initiatives and the relational rents of Brazilian coffee companies supplying global supply chains (GSC)s. Multi-case study data was collected via interviews and documentary analysis and examined using the relational view theoretical lens. The results indicate that collaborative practices lead to significant improvements within the supplier’s sustainability initiatives and consequently within their processes related to the exportation of goods. Thus this study suggests that collaborative practices generate important relational rents in GSCs (for example through relationship-specific assets) and are important facilitators of sustainability for emerging economy suppliers