Advanced and Sustainable Technologies in the Design of Supply Chains and Low Environmental Impact Systems

Dear Colleagues,

As sustainability becomes central to corporate strategy, firms face growing pressure to align operations with environmental, social, and governance (ESG) standards, and evidence suggests that supply chain partners increasingly favour manufacturers with stronger ESG performance (Burnaev et al., 2023). At the same time, firms must integrate environmental objectives without undermining their financial viability to sustain competitiveness (Yildiz et al., 2024). This underscores the need for advanced and sustainable technologies that enhance supply chain efficiency while minimizing environmental impact.

This Special Issue explores how advanced and sustainable technologies contribute to the design of low environmental impact systems and the transformation of conventional supply chains into resilient, responsible, and ESG-compliant networks. Studies show that digitisation within supply chains significantly enhances ESG performance (Yang & Zhang, 2025) through improved governance and resilience, as well as reduced financing constraints.

Emerging technologies—such as OpenLCA for life cycle assessment, ESG-integrated reporting tools, robotics, AI-driven laboratories, and green energy solutions—offer powerful means to reduce environmental impact while enhancing corporate transparency and innovation. These tools not only help meet regulatory expectations, such as the EU's 2050 climate neutrality goals, but also strengthen long-term business performance by reducing risk and improving resource access.

We invite original research, case studies, and theoretical contributions that explore sustainable supply chain practices, technology integration, green innovation strategies, and responsible business models. The aim is to bridge academic research and practical implementation, advancing both scholarly knowledge and actionable solutions for sustainable development.

Authors are welcome to submit original research papers, review articles, empirical studies, and case studies (business analysis, solution design, implementation, training, and contributions to teaching in the field) to the Special Issue by the prescribed submission deadline. Manuscripts or papers can be submitted on the following topics:

• AI potential for sustainable supply chains;
• Implementation of advanced and sustainable technologies to decrease environmental impact;
• ESG-integrated reporting frameworks and digital transparency;
• Robotics and automation for green logistics;
• Use of OpenLCA and LCA tools in system design;
• Integration of renewable energy sources in supply chain operations;
• Circular economy strategies and closed-loop supply chains;
• Smart manufacturing and Industry 4.0 in sustainable systems;
• Risk management through ESG-aligned supply chain transformation;
• Sustainable procurement, sourcing, and supplier collaboration;
• Teaching and training methodologies in sustainable logistics and system design.

References

Burnaev Evgeny & Mironov Evgeny & Shpilman, Aleksei & Mironenko, Maxim & Katalevsky, Dmitry. (2023). Practical AI Cases for Solving ESG Challenges. Sustainability, 15, 12731. https://doi.org/10.3390/su151712731.

Yildiz, F., Dayi, F., Yucel, M., & Cilesiz, A. (2024). The Impact of ESG Criteria on Firm Value: A Strategic Analysis of the Airline Industry. Sustainability, 16(19), 8300. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16198300.

Yang, X., Zhang, Q. (2025). Supply chain digitalization and suppliers’ ESG. Applied Economics Letters, 1–6. https://doi.org/10.1080/13504851.2025.2468365.

Prof. Dr. Eduard Shevtshenko
Dr. Ibrahim Raji
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• sustainable technologies
• ESG
• supply chain innovation
• low environmental impact
• responsible business
• green system design