Critical success factors and green supply chain management proactivity: shedding light on the human aspects of this relationship based on cases from the Brazilian industry

By applying the resources-based view (RBV) theory to green management, this study aims to analyse the relationship between critical success factors (CSFs) and the adoption of green supply chain management (GSCM) practices for some Brazil-based manufacturers of automotive batteries considered focal in their
supply chains, in the context of the Brazilian New Policy on Solid Waste. It also analyses how human issues, known as green human resource management (GHRM) aspects, can help to increase the effectiveness of CSFs for GSCM strategies that are still not fully managed, justifying a RBV perspective. This research assumes that firms tend to be in different stages of GSCM development (more strategic and less strategic) and tests four research propositions to determine whether more proactive GSCM is related to higher levels of effectively managed CSFs and support from GHRM. Three focal companies that operate in the Brazilian automotive battery industry were studied. The research results found the four research prepositions to be valid. Consequently, the study concluded that more proactive GSCM practices correlate to more effectively managed CSFs and greater support from GHRM regarding both well-managed CSFs and others that deserve managerial attention (information management, measurement, competence for greener products and processes, training and total involvement of employees). Considering that human aspects can contribute to better management of these CSFs, we argue that managers with a clear GHRM strategy will have more success in GSCM adoption, using more green training, green recruitment and selection, green performance evaluation and employee rewards.