Multi-tier sustainable supply chains management for global sustainability

Abstract

The growing concerns around sustainability along the supply chains are global. The complexity of supply chain sustainability becomes even more pronounced across the multiple tiers of organisations and networks and has imposed heavy pressures on organisations. Dealing with these pressures on society and the environment requires supply chains to lessen their socio-environmental impact. Multi-tier sustainable supply chains are a vehicle to aid in this important global goal. However, addressing these issues and concerns in the production processes and consumption of businesses and organisations is still in its early stages. In light of this, this Special Issue published in the International Journal of Production Research advances this important research agenda. Seventeen articles which were accepted for this Special Issue employed various methodologies/methods, theories, and contexts to respond to the need for research and provided valuable insights that address some of the pressing multi-tier supply chain sustainability problems. This Editorial provides an overview of these works, highlighting opportunities for future search directions.