Framing the transition towards sustainable agri-food supply chains

Abstract

The connection of the agri-food sector with the agenda of sustainable development comes naturally, as the chain from production to processing, trading, distribution and consumption is directly connected with significant issues in environmental, economic, and social realms. Today's challenge for businesses is not whether to embrace sustainability, but rather how to effectively establish sustainable supply chains. Therefore, a solid grasp of the move from "conventional"to "sustainable"supply chains is necessary. In this paper, we focus on the supply chain management of the agri-food sector, seeking to shed light on practices which may contribute to the transition of the sector towards sustainability. In this vein, we extend the conceptual framework which was proposed by Beske and Seuring (2014) so that it accommodates the contemporary particularities of agri-food supply chains.