Sustainable Supply Chain Management in a Global Context

Dear Colleagues,

Welcome to the Special Issue of Systems entitled "Sustainable Supply Chain Management in a Global Context." This Special Issue explores the challenges and opportunities associated with achieving sustainability in supply chain management within a global context. We invite researchers, practitioners, and policymakers to submit their original and innovative work that addresses various aspects of sustainable supply chain management. In today's interconnected and dynamic world, supply chains play crucial roles in shaping economic, social, and environmental outcomes. However, they also pose significant challenges in terms of sustainability.

This Special Issue aims to shed light on sustainable practices, strategies, and technologies that can improve supply chains' performance in terms of the environment, society, and economy across various organisational and geographic contexts. We welcome articles that, among other things, look at how different supply chain participants are connected to one another, how ‘circular economy’ principles are being implemented, how renewable energy sources are being integrated, how carbon footprints are being reduced, how fair trade is being promoted, how ethical sourcing and labour legislation are being put into practise, etc. There are several subthemes that can be taken into consideration under the theme of "Sustainable Supply Chain Management in a Global Context." These subthemes might offer a lens for performing more in-depth and focused analysis of particular elements relating to sustainable supply chains. Potential topics include:

1. Circular Economy and Closed-Loop Supply Chains:

• Designing and managing closed-loop supply chains to minimize waste and maximize resource efficiency.
• Techniques for integrating circular economy principles into international supply networks
• Reverse logistics and the effective management of product returns and end-of-life processes.

2. Green Logistics and Transportation:

• Sustainable transportation strategies, including the use of alternative fuels, electric vehicles, and hybrid systems.
• Optimizing logistics networks to reduce carbon emissions and improve fuel efficiency.
• Collaboration and coordination among stakeholders to promote green transportation practices.

3. Ethical Sourcing and Social Responsibility:

• Ensuring fair labor practices and ethical sourcing across global supply chains.
• Promoting transparency and accountability in supplier relationships.
• Addressing social issues, such as child labor, worker safety, and human rights violations.

4. Sustainable Supplier Selection and Management:

• Evaluating and selecting suppliers based on sustainability criteria.
• Developing supplier codes of conduct and monitoring supplier performance.
• Collaborative approaches to building sustainable partnerships with suppliers.

5. Sustainable Demand and Inventory Management:

• Sustainable demand forecasting and inventory optimization techniques.
• Reducing waste and improving resource efficiency in inventory management.
• Promoting sustainable consumption patterns and responsible purchasing behaviors.

6. Technology and Innovation for Sustainability:

• The role of emerging technologies, such as blockchain, IoT, and AI, in enabling sustainable supply chains.
• Innovative solutions for monitoring and tracking environmental impacts along the supply chain.
• Integration of renewable energy sources and smart energy management in supply chain operations.

7. Governance, Regulations, and Standards:

• The role of government policies and regulations in promoting sustainable supply chain practices.
• Compliance with international standards and certifications for sustainable supply chains.
• Multi-stakeholder collaborations and initiatives for advancing sustainability in global supply chains.

These subthemes provide starting points via which potential contributors can explore and address various dimensions of sustainable supply chain management in a global context. However, we welcome other related subthemes that align with the overarching theme and contribute to the knowledge and practice of sustainable supply chains.

Dr. Sudhanshu Joshi
Dr. Manu Sharma
Dr. Rajeev Rathi
Dr. Michael Sony
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. Systems is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly 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.