A multi-dimensional assessment framework for sustainable supply chains

Abstract

Many organizations are realizing the growing importance of sustainability in today’s business environment and the need to incorporate a supply chain approach, since the implementation of sustainability extends beyond organizational boundaries and involves multiple parties and various considerations. Based on a review of the literature of sustainable supply chain management and the integration of concepts from four organizational theories (using the resource based, institutional, stakeholder and social network perspectives), we illustrate the key drivers and enablers that influence sustainability initiatives at the supply chain level and thereafter propose a multi-dimensional assessment framework, which incorporates economic, environmental and social performance measures that can be used as a tool for the development and management of sustainable supply chains. This paper provides significant theoretical contribution and implications for supply chain management.