Assessing the Impact of Global Sustainability Standards on Compliance Strategies among Sri Lankan Apparel Manufacturers
Peramunugama, Samudra (2025)
2025
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2025052817760
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2025052817760
Tiivistelmä
The increasing demand for international supply chains to be transparent and accountable has led manufacturers of apparel, such as Sri Lankan apparel manufacturers, to adhere to international standards for sustainability such as the GRI. The purpose of this study was to research the issues faced by Sri Lankan apparel manufacturers in implementing GRI standards and to discuss strategies for overcoming them.
Appropriate analyses of GRI standards, sustainability compliance, and Sri Lankan garment industry were reviewed, and study was guided using institutional theory and the resource-based perspective to capture firm-level compliance behavior. The qualitative research was pursued, and semi-structured interviews with high-level managers in garment firms were carried out. Data were also analyzed using NVivo software for exploring major patterns and insight’s themes.
The findings revealed higher compliance with GRI guidelines by large organizations due to increased financial capital, technical expertise at their disposal, and institutional coercion by foreign buyers. Small and medium-sized firms suffered from huge costs of compliance, lack of awareness, and poor institutional context. Organized firms employed phase implementation, readjustment of resources, and participation with NGOs and industry organizations despite such challenges. Pressure from global buyers, as a pressure from external stakeholders, was central in driving compliance strategies. Overall, successful GRI implementation was found to enhance operational effectiveness, stakeholder interactions, and competitiveness in the marketplace.
Appropriate analyses of GRI standards, sustainability compliance, and Sri Lankan garment industry were reviewed, and study was guided using institutional theory and the resource-based perspective to capture firm-level compliance behavior. The qualitative research was pursued, and semi-structured interviews with high-level managers in garment firms were carried out. Data were also analyzed using NVivo software for exploring major patterns and insight’s themes.
The findings revealed higher compliance with GRI guidelines by large organizations due to increased financial capital, technical expertise at their disposal, and institutional coercion by foreign buyers. Small and medium-sized firms suffered from huge costs of compliance, lack of awareness, and poor institutional context. Organized firms employed phase implementation, readjustment of resources, and participation with NGOs and industry organizations despite such challenges. Pressure from global buyers, as a pressure from external stakeholders, was central in driving compliance strategies. Overall, successful GRI implementation was found to enhance operational effectiveness, stakeholder interactions, and competitiveness in the marketplace.