Environmental, social and governance issues in supply chains. A systematic review for strategic performance

Abstract

We review recent scientific production on the Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) framework applied to supply chain management research. In a world where increasing pressure from stakeholders has led to an intense level of attention towards sustainable supply chain practices, both scholars and practitioners have sparked the debate surrounding ESG scores and performance of supply chains. Given the novelty of the topic, along with its significance for both academia and industry, we performed a systematic literature review with the goal of synthesizing extant knowledge and providing a structured research agenda to further expand the field. We found a lively stream of research, notably focused on the need for transparency in supply chain management, the pivotal role of policymakers in driving the ESG agenda forward and the impact of ESG in the supply chain performance. In addition to providing a comprehensive, in-depth analysis of the current state of the art, with the aid of bibliometric data, we provide useful recommendations for future research by developing a structured research agenda and a theoretical framework, synthesizing extant knowledge and covering notable research gaps. The work has implications for both theory and practice. Theoretically, the research agenda acts as a starting point for further research in the field, while simultaneously providing scholars with a comprehensive snapshot of the current state of the art. From a practical perspective, the review highlights the role of managers and policymakers in implementing the ESG framework in supply chains, along with its challenges, benefits and potential drawbacks, thus acting as an informative point of reference for such implementation.