Which of the following is a typical sustainability metric in SCM?

• A. Carbon footprint
• B. Delivery lead time
• C. Order fill rate
• D. Backorder rate

Answer: (B)

Sustainability metrics in supply chain management focus on environmental impact along the entire value chain. A typical metric used to quantify that impact is carbon footprint, which captures the total greenhouse gas emissions associated with sourcing, production, transportation, warehousing, and distribution. This provides a direct measure of environmental performance and a basis for setting reduction targets and comparing suppliers or processes. Delivery lead time, while important for reliability and speed, measures operational performance rather than environmental outcomes. Similarly, order fill rate and backorder rate assess service level and inventory effectiveness, not sustainability. So, carbon footprint best represents sustainability in SCM among these options.