ENVIRONMENTAL LEADERSHIP, PRACTICES AND SUSTAINABILITY

Abstract

Though ecological concerns in the logistics industry have become significant since the early 1990s, not
many logistics service providers (LSPs) conform to the environmental management standard (ISO
14001). This shows the evidence of the delay in logistics and freight transports sector in practice to
become environmentally and socially sustainable responses. Despite this, few scholars have interests in
the field of research of environmental and sustainability in the logistics sector. Consequently, the study
of the mechanism of sustainability performance improvement via environmental leadership and
practices are critical for green implementation and sustainability performance. Unlike conventional
administration, managers or LSPs with environmental leadership incorporate ecological sustainability
as a primary element of organizational missions and vision. This study holds that the intrinsic values of
environmental leadership inspire positive impacts on environmental practices. The environmental
leadership plays a significant role in preserving the natural environment by promoting biofuels or green
energy usage in the logistics industry, enforcing regulatory authorities and government policies on green
environment and supporting the green environment by developing environmental strategies. This
conceptual paper identifies significant values or factors that can nurture environmental leadership,
stimulating more positive impacts on environmental resources and sustainability performance of LSPs.