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Sustainability
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Sustainable Management and Digital Economy for Green Global Value Chains
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Sustainable Management and Digital Economy for Green Global Value Chains

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Economic and Business Aspects of Sustainability".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 1 October 2026 | Viewed by 1623

Special Issue Editors

Dr. António Miguel Rosado da Cruz

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Applied Digital Transformation Laboratory (Adit-LAB), Polytechnic Institute of Viana do Castelo, 4900-347 Viana do Castelo, Portugal
Interests: software engineering; traceability systems; sustainability; circular economy; industry 5.0; IoT systems
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Estrela Ferreira Cruz

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Applied Digital Transformation Laboratory (Adit-LAB), Polytechnic Institute of Viana do Castelo, 4900-347 Viana do Castelo, Portugal
Interests: business process modeling; software engineering; data engineering; sustainability; traceability; circular economy
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Climate change, global warming, biodiversity loss, and the depletion of natural resources are exerting unprecedented pressures on global societies and economies. Global value chains, which through international trade have fostered economic growth, and brought better living conditions worldwide, also contribute significantly to greenhouse gas emissions and environmental degradation. At the same time, Industries 4.0 and 5.0, and the growth of the digital economy, present a transformative opportunity to reconfigure these value chains into more transparent, economically resilient, and environmentally and socially sustainable systems.

The special issue on “Sustainable Management and Digital Economy for Green Global Value Chains” aims to address this urgent need for transition. It seeks to explore how sustainability principles, responsible management practices, and digital innovations can collectively drive greener value chains, enable decarbonization, and support the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). By integrating environmental, social, and economic considerations, this issue aspires to highlight pathways toward a more sustainable global economy.

This special issue welcomes interdisciplinary contributions from scholars, practitioners, and policymakers that address the intersection of sustainability, management, and digital transformation. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

  • Sustainable supply chain and value chain management for climate mitigation.
  • Digital technologies (AI, blockchain, IoT, big data, digital twins) for carbon reduction, traceability, and resource efficiency.
  • Circular economy models, eco-innovation, and green product design.
  • Policy, regulation, and governance supporting sustainable digital economies.
  • Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) practices, green finance, and investment for sustainable value chains.
  • Cross-border collaboration and multi-stakeholder approaches to sustainability.
  • Case studies on digitalization, decarbonization, and sustainable management in global industries.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. António Miguel Rosado da Cruz
Dr. Estrela Ferreira Cruz
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 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

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.

Keywords

  • sustainable management
  • climate change
  • green value chain
  • circular economy
  • decarbonization and Carbon Market
  • traceability and Supply chain transparency
  • industry 4.0 and 5.0
  • digital transformation and digital economy
  • environmental, social, and governance (ESG)
  • sustainable development goals (SDGs)

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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30 pages, 2635 KB  
Article
A Gamified Platform for Engaging Consumers in Circular Economy Practices Through Smart Wardrobe Management
by David S. Braga, Diogo Assunção, A. M. Rosado da Cruz, Pedro M. Faria, João Oliveira, Leopoldo O. Silva and Estrela F. Cruz
Sustainability 2026, 18(10), 4920; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18104920 - 14 May 2026
Viewed by 101
Abstract
The textile and clothing industry has historically exerted a significant negative impact on the environment. Excessive water consumption, chemical pollution, and soil degradation are just a few of the pressing environmental concerns linked to this sector. Addressing these issues has become a priority [...] Read more.
The textile and clothing industry has historically exerted a significant negative impact on the environment. Excessive water consumption, chemical pollution, and soil degradation are just a few of the pressing environmental concerns linked to this sector. Addressing these issues has become a priority not only for regulatory bodies, at the National and European levels, but also for the industry itself. More recently, growing attention has turned to reducing the huge volume of waste generated by consumers’ unbridled purchase of clothing. In this context, the Circular Economy (CE) and the Digital Product Passport (DPP) have emerged as complementary approaches for improving product circularity, transparency, and traceability. However, in the textile and clothing sector, their effective implementation also depends on consumer participation in practices such as prolonged use, repair, reuse, and responsible end-of-life management. This article presents EcoProve, a gamified platform designed to encourage consumer engagement with CE practices through smart wardrobe management. The platform allows users to register garments, track usage, record maintenance and repair actions, and document sharing, donation, remaking, and recycling activities. These functionalities aim both to promote more sustainable clothing-related behaviours and to support the structured recording of use phase data relevant to DPP-oriented lifecycle information. This study reports the development and pilot validation of the platform with end users. The results suggest positive effects on environmental awareness, perceived understanding of sustainable textile-related practices, and initial self-reported changes in habits associated with clothing use and disposal. The findings support the potential of gamified digital platforms to foster consumer participation in CE systems in the textile and clothing sector while also indicating the need for broader and longer-term evaluations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Management and Digital Economy for Green Global Value Chains)
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24 pages, 522 KB  
Article
Measurement and Empirical Research of Value Chain Upgrading Under Dual Circulation Strategy
by Liping Li, Grace Low, Fanyong Guo and Xiaohong Dong
Sustainability 2026, 18(9), 4202; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18094202 - 23 Apr 2026
Viewed by 246
Abstract
The dual circulation strategy represents China’s new-era national development paradigm aimed at achieving sustainable economic growth while promoting global value chain (GVC) upgrading. This study develops an integrated analytical framework that combines a production–demand-based theoretical model with firm-level empirical analysis to examine how [...] Read more.
The dual circulation strategy represents China’s new-era national development paradigm aimed at achieving sustainable economic growth while promoting global value chain (GVC) upgrading. This study develops an integrated analytical framework that combines a production–demand-based theoretical model with firm-level empirical analysis to examine how domestic and international circulation jointly influence value chain upgrading. Using multiple datasets, including the World Input–Output Database (WIOD), the China Industrial Enterprise Database, and the China Customs Database, the study provides empirical evidence on the mechanisms underlying GVC upgrading. The results show that within the domestic circulation framework, firms positioned further upstream in the value chain experience significantly slower upgrading, reflecting structural constraints such as limited domestic circulation depth and weaker feedback effects. The findings further indicate that dual circulation plays a critical role in overcoming these constraints. Improvements in domestic technological capabilities enhance firms’ competitiveness in global markets, facilitating their transition into higher value-added segments of GVCs. Domestic and international circulation thus operate in a mutually reinforcing manner. Overall, the study highlights the importance of strengthening domestic circulation while deepening international engagement to achieve sustainable and coordinated value chain upgrading. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Management and Digital Economy for Green Global Value Chains)
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Review

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19 pages, 432 KB  
Review
Understanding Second-Hand Clothing Consumption: A Literature Review and Proposed Conceptual Model
by Katherine Pinto and Marcelo Royo-Vela
Sustainability 2026, 18(10), 4795; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18104795 - 11 May 2026
Viewed by 875
Abstract
Second-hand clothing is increasingly promoted as a sustainable alternative to reduce the fashion industry’s environmental impact, yet evidence on why consumers purchase second-hand apparel remains fragmented across disciplines. This literature review synthesizes prior research to identify the main motivational drivers and inhibitors of [...] Read more.
Second-hand clothing is increasingly promoted as a sustainable alternative to reduce the fashion industry’s environmental impact, yet evidence on why consumers purchase second-hand apparel remains fragmented across disciplines. This literature review synthesizes prior research to identify the main motivational drivers and inhibitors of second-hand clothing purchasing and to translate them into a coherent conceptual explanation. We reviewed and conceptually integrated the academic literature on second-hand apparel consumption, focusing on how studies define, operationalize, and relate sustainability concerns, economic value, uniqueness and identity motives, and socio-cultural influences to purchase intention and behavior. The reviewed evidence indicates that pro-environmental values often coexist with utilitarian and symbolic motives, while barriers frequently involve perceived risk (e.g., quality and hygiene), effort, and access constraints. Building on this synthesis, we propose an integrative model that organizes key antecedents and mechanisms leading to purchase intention and repeat purchasing, highlighting enabling conditions and boundary factors that may strengthen or weaken these relationships. This review consolidates dispersed findings, clarifies theoretical gaps, and provides a testable framework to guide future empirical research and managerial interventions aimed at scaling circular fashion adoption. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Management and Digital Economy for Green Global Value Chains)
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