Enríquez García, H. C.
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Vol. 9, núm. 25 / enero – abril del 2024 DOI: https://doi.org/10.36791/tcg.v9i25.245
Pp. 2-17
4.5. Procurement and supply chain practices According to those surveyed, Grupo Bimbo is
partnering with one of their primary raw material suppliers, their egg providers, to release birds from cages and only buy free-range eggs. This initiative is also being undertaken by other multinational companies such as Nestlé, Bachoco, and McDonald ’s, and it is anticipated that the project will be fully implemented by 2025.
There is no doubt that these practices create CSR by providing better care, protection, and quality of life for animals, exemplifying a sustainable green supply chain. However, this initiative may have unintended consequences, such as increasing the cost of eggs in the market due to higher unit production costs resulting from decreased productivity as space for hens is used less efficiently. Prices may also rise as the supply chain shrinks. Therefore, it is crucial to strike a balance between being productive with this new practice and remaining cost competitive.
4.6. Ecological impact on operations and transportation
Grupo Bimbo has implemented several initiatives to encourage the use of green energy, including the creation of the “Bimbo Solar ” self-supply system. On Grupo Bimbo ’s website (2018), CEO Daniel Servitje stated that incorporating this technology into their operations and corporate building is crucial. He emphasized that Grupo Bimbo is taking another significant step towards sustainability and protecting the planet, and that every action and effort counts towards preserving our environment.
With the Bimbo Solar energy production network, Grupo Bimbo will integrate 33 systems, which together
will generate 3.7 MW, equivalent to avoiding the annual emission of 2,500 tons of CO2. This is in favor of a green and sustainable supply chain.
Three ecological sales centers have also been created in the cities of Guadalajara, state of Jalisco, Monterrey, state of Nuevo León and Mexico City, each city with approximately 100 electric vehicles, this units are supplied by the Piedra Larga wind farm in Oaxaca (a state located on Southeast of Mexico). This wind farm will produce 333 GW/h (gigawatts per hour) per year from 45 wind turbines of 2 megawatts each.
It is worth noting that while Bimbo has made significant efforts to invest in renewable energy, these efforts appear insufficient for the company ’s level of operation. Despite boasting of having three green sales centers, these represent only 1% of their 240 sales centers. According to information provided by interviewees, Bimbo ’s entire fleet of electric vehicles in Mexico consists of 393 units, representing only 0.01% of the total.
The number of electric vehicles owned by the organization is significantly lower compared to the total number of vehicles, which contradicts theories on green supply chains. What is the purpose of promoting sustainability or boasting about reducing CO2 emissions when only 0.01% of the company ’s vehicles are electric? Interestingly, the electric vehicles are used to deliver products to the final customer, serving as a useful advertising tool.
In the 21st century and the new era of capitalism and social inclusion, this company still lags behind in terms of CSR and creating shared value. Bimbo has been promoting itself for years on social media and its website as a socially responsible company, but there are