Search Results (156)

Designing sustainable farming systems in mountainous regions is particularly challenging because of complex economic, social, and environmental factors. Production models prioritizing sustainability and environmental protection require integrated assessment methodologies that can address multiple criteria and incorporate diverse stakeholders’ perspectives while ensuring accuracy and applicability. Life cycle assessment (LCA) and multi-actor multi-criteria analysis (MAMCA) are two complementary approaches that support “eco-design” strategies aimed at identifying the most sustainable options, including on-farm transformation processes. This study presents an integrated application of LCA and MAMCA to four supply chains: rye bread, barley beer, cow cheese, and goat cheese. The results show that cereal-based systems have lower environmental impacts than livestock systems do, although beer’s required packaging significantly increases its footprint. The rye bread chain emerged as the most sustainable and widely preferred option, except under high-climatic risk scenarios. In contrast, livestock-based systems were generally less favorable because of greater impacts and risks but gained preference when production security became a priority. Both approaches underline the need for a deep understanding of production performance. Future assessments in mountain contexts should integrate logistical aspects and cooperative models to enhance the resilience and sustainability of short food supply chains. Full article

Businesses are facing increasing pressure to transition to a sustainable economy, requiring the integration of environmental, social, and economic aspects into their corporate strategies. Despite the proliferation of sustainability frameworks, many companies struggle to implement them effectively due to a lack of strategic focus. This study develops a taxonomy of critical success factors (CSFs) for implementing corporate sustainability strategies in production companies, addressing a gap in current research that often focuses on strategy design rather than practical execution. A systematic literature review was conducted to identify critical success factors influencing successful implementation and categorise them, providing a comprehensive understanding of their roles. The proposed taxonomy includes five dimensions: organisational culture, organisational structure, performance management, resources (including digitalisation and technology), and stakeholder integration (including sustainable supply chain management). An explanation is provided of the role of identified CSFs in the successful implementation of corporate sustainability strategies and their interrelationships. The taxonomy serves as a tool for production companies to manage critical success factors influencing the successful implementation of sustainability. This research contributes to the growing body of knowledge on sustainability by providing practical insights for effective strategy implementation and calls for more empirical studies to explore this area further. Full article

The advancement of sustainable economic development has become a strategic imperative for enterprises aiming to combine financial development with environmental and social responsibility. In this regard, strategic enterprise management (SEM) has a critical role in incorporating the aspects of sustainability into decision making. The present paper suggests a multicriteria decision-making framework that utilizes fuzzy TOPSIS in assessing and ranking sustainability integration aspects in organizations. By considering the intrinsic vagueness of sustainability analysis, the fuzzy TOPSIS model enables the systematic analysis of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors by companies for ensuring their alignment to corporate strategic goals. A case study of a major international airport in Greece demonstrates how the proposed methodology assists strategic choice making, balancing economic viability and sustainable value creation. The results show primary trade-offs among human capital investment, environmental footprint reduction, and stakeholder communication, demonstrating how companies can enhance long-term resilience and competitiveness. This research adds to the existing literature by giving an integrated strategic enterprise management framework with the use of decision support instruments to foster sustainability-oriented corporate governance and strategic efficacy. The suggested model is flexible and can be applied in any industry, hence being a benchmark for sustainable business practice. This paper contributes to the literature by integrating fuzzy TOPSIS with balanced scorecard in the context of airport strategic sustainability management, offering both methodological advancement and empirical insights for transport and supply chain enterprises. Full article

One of the core objectives of the European Green Deal in pursuing climate neutrality and sustainable development is the decarbonization of high-impact sectors. Among the most polluting is the fast fashion industry, driven by linear business models that must urgently transition to circular economy frameworks and decarbonized supply chains. Fast fashion poses significant environmental and social challenges due to its high greenhouse gas emissions, excessive resource consumption, and substantial waste generation. To foster greater sustainability within the sector, this study examines environmental indicators defined by the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS), in accordance with the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) 2022/2464. Aligned with the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), these standards aim to harmonize sustainability disclosures and enable better decision-making across environmental, social, and governance (ESG) dimensions throughout Europe. This research focuses on five key environmental aspects—climate change, pollution, water resource management, biodiversity, and circular economy/resource use—across four leading fast fashion brands: Mango, Zara, H&M, and Shein. Using an exploratory web-based methodology, this study evaluates how these companies disclose and implement ESG strategies in their supply chains. The central aim is to assess the sustainability and resilience of their operations, with particular emphasis on communication strategies that support the transition from linear to circular business models. Ultimately, this study seeks to highlight both the progress and persistent challenges faced by the fast fashion industry in aligning with ESG and ESRS requirements. Full article

This paper considers the problem of consistent routing with minimum service (ConVRPms). ConVRPms aims to determine the minimum cost routes for each day of a planning horizon. In particular, the goal is to satisfy all individual demands and serve every customer via a single driver, with times that do not differ by more than $L$ time units. There is a fleet of homogeneous vehicles that start from a single depot. In this paper, a heuristic algorithm for ConVRPms is proposed. The algorithm is based on classical constructive heuristics and the tabu search metaheuristic. The proposed algorithm has been tested on benchmark instances from the literature. The experimental results show that the proposed approach produces high-quality solutions within computing times considerably less than those observed with CPLEX. The proposed algorithm can optimally solve instances with 20 customers and a planning horizon of three days, producing more economical solutions in some of the larger instances and those requiring hourly consistency ($L=1 \mathrm{h}$). Full article

The core characteristic of the bullwhip effect is that upstream companies overproduce or hoard inventory due to information distortion, leading to resource waste and increased carbon emissions, which severely affects the economic, environmental, and social efficiency of sustainable supply chains. This paper investigates the impact of retailers’ cognitive bias, namely, overconfidence, on the bullwhip effect in the sustainable supply chain. It characterizes retailers’ overconfidence from two aspects: overprecision and overestimation. This study finds that retailers’ overestimation biases distort demand forecasts, causing product orders and inventory decisions to significantly deviate from the rational optimal level, exacerbating the bullwhip effect in sustainable supply chains. In contrast, retailers’ overprecision bias reduces the forecast error, which has a mitigating effect on the bullwhip effect on inventory; however, this effect weakens as the level of overestimation increases. Furthermore, order lead time and the autocorrelation coefficient of demand moderate the bullwhip effect. Finally, through numerical simulation analysis, the interactive effects of overconfidence bias and operational parameters are effectively captured, providing strong validation for the theoretical results and research propositions. The conclusions of this study offer valuable managerial insights for mitigating the bullwhip effect of sustainable supply chain caused by irrational factors. It also provides policy recommendations for promoting the theoretical research and practice of sustainable supply chains. Full article

The purpose of this study was to analyze the poultry chain in southern Italy to describe the characteristics of farms and their locations and to propose an optimized organizational model with a broader approach that considers not only economic and environmental factors, but also ethical ones, including animal welfare protection, particularly in the poultry food safety chain. To obtain these results, the geolocations of poultry facilities, identifying possible verticalizations in the supply chain, were used. Data were collected in the province of Foggia (Italy) and organized in a dataset in collaboration with the Prevention Department of the Local Health Authority. A geo-imputation procedure and centroid calculation allowed us to formulate an optimizing hypothesis regarding the geolocation of upstream and downstream facilities in the process of chicken breeding by identifying a possible verticalization in the supply chain. Our results highlight the importance of broadening the concept of industrial symbiosis in the management of poultry farming, not only from an environmental perspective, but also from a social perspective. In particular, concerning ethical aspects, protecting animal welfare today is an essential goal of the sector to ensure high quality and yield of poultry meat. The results represent the first step towards proposing an optimized organizational model that takes ethical and social aspects into consideration. The paper is intended to highlight how, in the poultry sector, an organizational scheme can also reconcile other aspects, such as safeguarding the welfare conditions of animals on farms and during transport to improve food safety. Full article

The sustainability of the meat value chain is a topic of global importance, with slaughtering close to farms emerging as a significant measure that not only enhances animal welfare, but also integrates economic, environmental, and social aspects into the meat production process. In this study, we conducted a thorough analysis of 99 academic articles focusing on the sustainability of the meat value chain, published between 1985 and 2024. Utilizing VOSviewer software version 1.6.20, we performed both bibliometric and thematic analyses to gain insights into the evolution of research in this field. Our findings reveal a substantial increase in studies on this subject since 2017, with 80% of publications emerging in the last seven years, indicating a growing interest in this area of research. Swedish universities and researchers were identified as key contributors to this body of work, demonstrating a significant commitment to exploring the sustainability of the meat value chain. Furthermore, we observed that studies related to sustainability and the circular economy are predominantly published in journals focused on environmental issues, highlighting the interconnectedness of these concepts. This review aims to provide valuable support to researchers and academics by elucidating the boundaries and potential of research on the sustainability of the meat value chain. By shedding light on current trends and areas of focus, we hope to inspire further exploration and innovation in improving the supply chain in the future. Full article

This study explores visitor perceptions and behaviors regarding sustainable tourism in Brighton, focusing on the economic, environmental, and social dimensions of sustainability across key tourism sectors, including Destination Management Organizations (DMOs), Tour Operators (TOs) and Travel Agencies (TAs), and accommodation and transportation sectors. Using the Statistical Framework for Measuring the Sustainability of Tourism this study identifies critical areas for improvement and proposes a comprehensive model to enhance the sustainability and resilience of the city’s tourism supply chain. The findings reveal that certain stakeholders in the tourism supply chain are highly regarded for their community engagement and sustainability efforts, while others are seen as needing more focus on social responsibility and community engagement. Some areas show significant gaps in environmental sustainability, while others excel in economic performance but lack integration of environmental and social considerations. The final model integrates targeted approaches to address sustainability gaps across Statistical Framework for Measuring Sustainability of Tourism (SF-MST) scales. It emphasizes the need for community-focused initiatives and effective visitor management to enhance social and environmental sustainability. Economic aspects are addressed through partnerships aimed at promoting sustainable transport and implementing green certification practices. Additionally, the model highlights the importance of inclusive economic programs and transparency to strengthen the social and economic dimensions of sustainability. The integrated model advocates for a holistic, optimized tourism supply chain management approach, ensuring sustainable practices across all sectors. This research contributes actionable insights for policy and destination management, promoting a balanced approach to economic growth, environmental preservation, and community well-being in Brighton’s tourism landscape Full article

Finding optimal locations for wind farms requires a delicate balance between maximizing energy generation potential and addressing the socio-economic implications for local communities, particularly in regions facing socio-economic challenges. While existing research often focuses on technical and economic aspects of wind farm siting, this study addresses a crucial research gap by integrating sustainable supply-chain-management principles into a comprehensive site-selection framework. We present a novel approach that combines Geographic-Information-System-based spatial analysis, the Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process, and multi-criteria decision-making techniques to identify and prioritize optimal wind farm locations in Tunisia. Our framework considers not only traditional factors, like wind speed, terrain slope, and road and grid infrastructure, but also crucial socio-economic indicators, such as unemployment rates, population density, skilled workforce availability, and land cost. Based on the spatial analysis, it was revealed that 33,138 km² was appropriate for deploying large-scale wind systems, of which 6912 km² (4.39% of the total available area) was categorized as “most suitable”. Considering the SSCM evaluation criteria, despite the minor variations, the ARAS, COPRAS, EDAS, MOORA, VIKOR, and WASPAS techniques showcased that Kasserine, Kebili, and Bizerte stood as ideal locations for hosting large-scale wind systems. These rankings were further validated by the Averaging, Borda, and Copeland methods. By incorporating this framework, the study identifies locations where wind energy development can be a catalyst for economic growth, social upliftment, and improved livelihoods. This holistic approach facilitates informed decision making for policymakers and investors, thus ensuring that wind energy projects contribute to a more sustainable and equitable future for all stakeholders. Full article

As vast amounts of data are generated from various sources such as social media, sensors and online transactions, the analysis of Big Data offers organizations the ability to derive insights and make informed decisions. Simultaneously, IoT connects physical devices, enabling real-time data collection and exchange that transforms interactions within smart homes, cities and industries. The intersection of these fields is essential, leading to innovations such as predictive maintenance, real-time traffic management and personalized solutions. Utilizing a dataset of 8159 publications sourced from the Web of Science database, our research employs Natural Language Processing (NLP) techniques and selective human validation to analyze abstracts, titles, keywords and other useful information, uncovering key themes and trends in both Big Data and IoT research. Six topics are extracted using Latent Dirichlet Allocation. In Topic 1, words like “system” and “energy” are among the most frequent, signaling that Topic 1 revolves around data systems and IoT technologies, likely in the context of smart systems and energy-related applications. Topic 2 focuses on the application of technologies, as indicated by terms such as “technologies”, “industry” and “research”. It deals with how IoT and related technologies are transforming various industries. Topic 3 emphasizes terms like learning and research, indicating a focus on machine learning and IoT applications. It is oriented toward research involving new methods and models in the IoT domain related to learning algorithms. Topic 4 highlights terms such as smart, suggesting a focus on smart technologies and systems. Topic 5 touches upon the role of digital chains and supply systems, suggesting an industrial focus on digital transformation. Topic 6 focuses on technical aspects such as modeling, system performance and prediction algorithms. It delves into the efficiency of IoT networks with terms like “accuracy”, “power” and “performance” standing out. Full article

Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) aspects have a growing relevance in the corporate world where the objective for sustainability becomes an essential point. The supply chain (SC) is a buyer’s responsibility and accounts for a large part of their ESG footprint. Since ESG performance extends to SC, poor ESG practices in the SC can negatively affect the sustainability of the Anchor Company (AC). Therefore, AC, the buyer, needs to go through a complex, expensive, and time-consuming process to assess their SC. The objective of this work is to develop an ESG assessment model for companies to receive a quantitative score of their footprint by considering both their operations and the SC. The model is verified by considering different scenarios that are designed by testing two different cases with different interactions between two ACs and two SCs with different ESG maturity levels. Results show that the SC has a significant impact on the final ESG score of the AC, highlighting the need for considering the SC to evolve in ESG aspects. In all tested cases, the SC accounted for more than 50% of the final consolidated ESG score. Despite differing ESG maturity levels, two ACs received the same consolidated score due to the influence of their SC scores. Results emphasize that achieving a strong consolidated ESG score is important, and advanced corporate sustainability is not possible without integrating the SC into the strategy. The novel methodology proposed contributes to sustainability, expanding the scope of ESG assessments to include SC and developing a standardized and adaptable model with practical applications. Full article

Environmental sustainability and fairness in auction systems are becoming increasingly important as systems evolve with the integration of digital technologies. This paper introduces a novel demand-supply matchmaking (DSM) framework designed to improve fairness and sustainability in auction environments, aligning with the principles of the circular economy. The framework addresses key challenges in supply chain management, such as equitable resource distribution and the reduction of environmental footprints. The framework integrates key aspects of environmental impact assessments, fairness assessments, and behavioral analytics. This enables the simulation of bidder behavior and assessment of auction scenarios. Our simulation results demonstrate that the platform can promote sustainable, fair, and informed auction practices. By comparing our approach with existing tools, we highlight the advantages of using the DSM framework to improve sustainability and fairness in digital marketplaces. This work supports the development of platforms that integrate economic efficiency with environmental responsibility and social equity. Full article

While there has been significant research and progress in the field of sustainable supply chain management, there are still some areas that require further attention and exploration. In this paper, we particularly focus on the social aspect of sustainability and present an examination of sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) within the context of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Regarding the methodology, we adopted a three-step approach involving digital literature aggregation, in-depth filtering, and comprehensive data analysis that identifies and analyzes the social dimensions of the SDGs, such as inequality, health, education, and community development. This paper makes a novel contribution by aligning SCM with the social pillars of the SDGs, underscoring their importance in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, which makes this study unique. This study is pertinent for supply chain practitioners, managers, policymakers, researchers in sustainable development and SCM, businesses focused on corporate social responsibility, and NGOs advocating for social sustainability. Full article

Emerging social, economic, and environmental concerns bring operational challenges and the worldwide economy has seen magnifying pressure to incorporate environmental performance (EP) as a part of strategic decision. Studies in the field of environmental management and, particularly, in the areas of green practices, zero waste, and green innovation have suggested that, if executed properly, these organizations are able to promote EP. Under these conditions, organizations’ practices and mechanisms that ensure the enhancement of the EP of these business organizations have gained the wider attention of researchers and management. Focused on the environment and social responsibility, this study explores the complex relationships within sustainable green supply chain management (GSCM) and explores whether GSCM practices significantly impact both zero waste management and green innovation. The analysis also studies whether there are possible beneficial links between zero waste management, green innovation and environmental performance (EP). Additionally, through assessing the level to which these items come together in sustainable strategic actions, the paper shows the correlation among four important topics: GSCM practices, green innovation (GI), zero waste management, and EP. This study explores the relations between zero waste management and EP as well as green innovation and EP, examining whether these aspects of green practices have a positive relationship with effective waste management techniques in the presence of GSCM practices. The paper analyses interactions between GSCM practices and EP, and the mediation role of zero waste management and GI. Moreover, the moderating role of green knowledge sharing (GKS) also been tested. A total of 389 managers in the manufacturing sector completed the survey and the results were analyzed applying SPSS 25.0 and partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The findings confirmed a significant association among GSCM practices, GI, zero waste management, GKS, and EP. Furthermore, findings also revealed that zero waste management GI has a positive intervention role between GSCM practices and EP. GSCM practices facilitate the promotion of EP by incorporating eco-design, green purchasing, new techniques for production or processes, and green marketing that ensures waste reduction and recycling practices. Full article