IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/bla/bstrat/v33y2024i8p8413-8435.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Can sustainable and digital objectives synchronize? A study of ESG activities for digital supply chains using multi‐methods

Author

Listed:
  • Arpit Singh
  • Ashish Dwivedi
  • Dindayal Agrawal
  • Surajit Bag
  • Anurag Chauhan

Abstract

In both private and Government sectors, the convergence of digital technologies and environmental, social, and governance assessment addresses concerns regarding sustainable practices. This study explores crucial ESG activities for sustainable digital supply chain focusing on their promotion of sustainable businesses. Initially, a literature review and experts input identified 12 potential activities. Using the Best‐Worst Method, these activities were ranked, and their interactions were evaluated through Total Interpretive Structural Modeling and the Matrix of Cross‐Impact Multiplication Applied to Classification technique. The key activities identified include “circular economy practices and waste reduction,” “energy efficiency and reduction in carbon emissions,” and “data privacy and cybersecurity.” Understanding these activities enables organizations to mitigate environmental impact, enhance social performance, and improve governance practices in supply chains. The implications extend to fostering environmentally conscious supply chains in a rapidly evolving digital landscape, aligning with “sustainable development goals,” including justice, responsible consumption, clean energy, and climate action.

Suggested Citation

  • Arpit Singh & Ashish Dwivedi & Dindayal Agrawal & Surajit Bag & Anurag Chauhan, 2024. "Can sustainable and digital objectives synchronize? A study of ESG activities for digital supply chains using multi‐methods," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(8), pages 8413-8435, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:bstrat:v:33:y:2024:i:8:p:8413-8435
    DOI: 10.1002/bse.3925
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.3925
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1002/bse.3925?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Eleonora Santos, 2023. "From Neglect to Progress: Assessing Social Sustainability and Decent Work in the Tourism Sector," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-25, June.
    2. Satyabrata Aich & Ayusha Thakur & Deepanjan Nanda & Sushanta Tripathy & Hee-Cheol Kim, 2021. "Factors Affecting ESG towards Impact on Investment: A Structural Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(19), pages 1-14, September.
    3. Vincenzo Varriale & Antonello Cammarano & Francesca Michelino & Mauro Caputo, 2020. "The Unknown Potential of Blockchain for Sustainable Supply Chains," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(22), pages 1-16, November.
    4. Xuerou Sheng & Leping Chen & Xueliang Yuan & Yuzhou Tang & Qian Yuan & Rong Chen & Qingsong Wang & Qiao Ma & Jian Zuo & Hongwei Liu, 2023. "Green supply chain management for a more sustainable manufacturing industry in China: a critical review," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 25(2), pages 1151-1183, February.
    5. Xin Su & Shengwen Wang & Feifei Li, 2023. "The Impact of Digital Transformation on ESG Performance Based on the Mediating Effect of Dynamic Capabilities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(18), pages 1-22, September.
    6. Siqian Chen & Xin Leng & Kun Luo, 2024. "Supply chain digitalization and corporate ESG performance," American Journal of Economics and Sociology, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 83(4), pages 855-881, September.
    7. Appolloni, Andrea & Chiappetta Jabbour, Charbel Jose & D'Adamo, Idiano & Gastaldi, Massimo & Settembre-Blundo, Davide, 2022. "Green recovery in the mature manufacturing industry: The role of the green-circular premium and sustainability certification in innovative efforts," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 193(C).
    8. Jitendra Narayan Biswal & Kamalakanta Muduli & Suchismita Satapathy & Devendra K. Yadav, 2019. "A TISM based study of SSCM enablers: an Indian coal- fired thermal power plant perspective," International Journal of System Assurance Engineering and Management, Springer;The Society for Reliability, Engineering Quality and Operations Management (SREQOM),India, and Division of Operation and Maintenance, Lulea University of Technology, Sweden, vol. 10(1), pages 126-141, February.
    9. Sumit Kumar Rana & Hee-Cheol Kim & Subhendu Kumar Pani & Sanjeev Kumar Rana & Moon-Il Joo & Arun Kumar Rana & Satyabrata Aich, 2021. "Blockchain-Based Model to Improve the Performance of the Next-Generation Digital Supply Chain," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(18), pages 1-16, September.
    10. So Ra Park & Sung Tae Kim & Hong-Hee Lee, 2022. "Green Supply Chain Management Efforts of First-Tier Suppliers on Economic and Business Performances in the Electronics Industry," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(3), pages 1-23, February.
    11. Kamar Zekhnini & Anass Cherrafi & Imane Bouhaddou & Abla Chaouni Benabdellah & Surajit Bag, 2022. "A model integrating lean and green practices for viable, sustainable, and digital supply chain performance," International Journal of Production Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 60(21), pages 6529-6555, November.
    12. Zulkaif Ahmed Saqib & Luo Qin, 2024. "Investigating Effects of Digital Innovations on Sustainable Operations of Logistics: An Empirical Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(13), pages 1-20, June.
    13. Zhou, Xiaoyong & Zhou, Dequn & Wang, Qunwei & Su, Bin, 2019. "How information and communication technology drives carbon emissions: A sector-level analysis for China," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 81(C), pages 380-392.
    14. Yang, Shubo & Jahanger, Atif & Hossain, Mohammad Razib, 2023. "Does China's low-carbon city pilot intervention limit electricity consumption? An analysis of industrial energy efficiency using time-varying DID model," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 121(C).
    15. Tarit Mitra & Rohit Kapoor & Narain Gupta, 2022. "Studying key antecedents of disruptive technology adoption in the digital supply chain: an Indian perspective," International Journal of Emerging Markets, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 18(10), pages 4669-4689, February.
    16. Syed Haider Ali Shah & Basheer M. Al-Ghazali & Sabeen Bhatti & Nida Aman & Mochammed Fahlevi & Mohammed Aljuaid & Fakhrul Hasan, 2023. "The Impact of Perceived CSR on Employees’ Pro-Environmental Behaviors: The Mediating Effects of Environmental Consciousness and Environmental Commitment," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(5), pages 1-25, February.
    17. Jafar Rezaei, 2020. "A Concentration Ratio for Nonlinear Best Worst Method," International Journal of Information Technology & Decision Making (IJITDM), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 19(03), pages 891-907, May.
    18. Zhu, Yan & Zhang, Zhuyun, 2024. "Supply chain digitalization and corporate ESG performance: Evidence from supply chain innovation and application pilot policy," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 67(PA).
    19. Zongwei Luo & Rameshwar Dubey & Thanos Papadopoulos & Benjamin Hazen & David Roubaud, 2018. "Explaining Environmental Sustainability in Supply Chains Using Graph Theory," Computational Economics, Springer;Society for Computational Economics, vol. 52(4), pages 1257-1275, December.
    20. Oscar Rodríguez-Espíndola & Soumyadeb Chowdhury & Ahmad Beltagui & Pavel Albores, 2020. "The potential of emergent disruptive technologies for humanitarian supply chains: the integration of blockchain, Artificial Intelligence and 3D printing," International Journal of Production Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 58(15), pages 4610-4630, July.
    21. Nudurupati, Sai Sudhakar & Budhwar, Pawan & Pappu, Raja Phani & Chowdhury, Soumyadeb & Kondala, Mukesh & Chakraborty, Ayon & Ghosh, Sadhan Kumar, 2022. "Transforming sustainability of Indian small and medium-sized enterprises through circular economy adoption," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 149(C), pages 250-269.
    22. Kamalakanta Muduli & Simonov Kusi-Sarpong & Devendra K. Yadav & Himanshu Gupta & Charbel Jose Chiappetta Jabbour, 2021. "An original assessment of the influence of soft dimensions on implementation of sustainability practices: implications for the thermal energy sector in fast growing economies," Operations Management Research, Springer, vol. 14(3), pages 337-358, December.
    23. Alexandre Dolgui & Dmitry Ivanov, 2022. "5G in digital supply chain and operations management: fostering flexibility, end-to-end connectivity and real-time visibility through internet-of-everything," International Journal of Production Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 60(2), pages 442-451, January.
    24. Niloofar Etemadi & Pieter Van Gelder & Fernanda Strozzi, 2021. "An ISM Modeling of Barriers for Blockchain/Distributed Ledger Technology Adoption in Supply Chains towards Cybersecurity," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-28, April.
    25. Mohammadreza Akbari & John L. Hopkins, 2022. "Digital technologies as enablers of supply chain sustainability in an emerging economy," Operations Management Research, Springer, vol. 15(3), pages 689-710, December.
    26. Arim Park & Huan Li, 2021. "The Effect of Blockchain Technology on Supply Chain Sustainability Performances," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-18, February.
    27. Ravi Kalaiarasan & Tarun Kumar Agrawal & Jan Olhager & Magnus Wiktorsson & Jannicke Baalsrud Hauge, 2023. "Supply chain visibility for improving inbound logistics: a design science approach," International Journal of Production Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 61(15), pages 5228-5243, August.
    28. Samuel Fosso Wamba & Maciel M. Queiroz & Ashley Braganza, 2022. "Preface: artificial intelligence in operations management," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 308(1), pages 1-6, January.
    29. Beatriz Acero & Maria Jesus Saenz & Davide Luzzini, 2022. "Introducing synchromodality: One missing link between transportation and supply chain management," Journal of Supply Chain Management, Institute for Supply Management, vol. 58(1), pages 51-64, January.
    30. Yingjia Zhong & Hongyan Zhao & Tianbao Yin, 2023. "Resource Bundling: How Does Enterprise Digital Transformation Affect Enterprise ESG Development?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(2), pages 1-18, January.
    31. Serena Mastria & Alessandro Vezzil & Andrea De Cesarei, 2024. "Switching to Reuse: The Impact of Information on Consumers’ Choices for Reusable Food Packaging," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(14), pages 1-14, July.
    32. Linghui Kong & Muhammad Safdar Sial & Naveed Ahmad & Mariana Sehleanu & Zhihui Li & Malik Zia-Ud-Din & Daniel Badulescu, 2021. "CSR as a Potential Motivator to Shape Employees’ View towards Nature for a Sustainable Workplace Environment," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-13, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Quanpeng Chen & Xiaogang Chen, 2023. "Blockchain-Enabled Supply Chain Internal and External Finance Model," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(15), pages 1-33, July.
    2. Sumit Kumar Rana & Hee-Cheol Kim & Subhendu Kumar Pani & Sanjeev Kumar Rana & Moon-Il Joo & Arun Kumar Rana & Satyabrata Aich, 2021. "Blockchain-Based Model to Improve the Performance of the Next-Generation Digital Supply Chain," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(18), pages 1-16, September.
    3. Simon Wong & John-Kun-Woon Yeung & Yui-Yip Lau & Joseph So, 2021. "Technical Sustainability of Cloud-Based Blockchain Integrated with Machine Learning for Supply Chain Management," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(15), pages 1-20, July.
    4. Ulpan Tokkozhina & Ana Lucia Martins & Joao C. Ferreira, 2023. "Uncovering dimensions of the impact of blockchain technology in supply chain management," Operations Management Research, Springer, vol. 16(1), pages 99-125, March.
    5. Jacob Lohmer & Elias Ribeiro da Silva & Rainer Lasch, 2022. "Blockchain Technology in Operations & Supply Chain Management: A Content Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(10), pages 1-88, May.
    6. Agnieszka A. Tubis & Katarzyna Grzybowska & Bartosz Król, 2023. "Supply Chain in the Digital Age: A Scientometric–Thematic Literature Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(14), pages 1-25, July.
    7. Vimal K.E. K & Sivakumar K & Jayakrishna Kandasamy & Vaibhav Venkat & Raghuraman Srinivasan Mani, 2023. "Barriers to the adoption of digital technologies in a functional circular economy network," Operations Management Research, Springer, vol. 16(3), pages 1541-1561, September.
    8. Vincenzo Varriale & Antonello Cammarano & Francesca Michelino & Mauro Caputo, 2021. "Sustainable Supply Chains with Blockchain, IoT and RFID: A Simulation on Order Management," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-23, June.
    9. Dongqing Han & Dayong Zhang & Peng Yue & Zhengxu Cao, 2024. "Toward Sustainable Development: Can Digital Transformation of Industrial Enterprise Drive Carbon Reduction?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(23), pages 1-18, November.
    10. Boyu Liu & Xiameng Si & Haiyan Kang, 2022. "A Literature Review of Blockchain-Based Applications in Supply Chain," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(22), pages 1-24, November.
    11. Aziz Barhmi & Omar Hajaji, 2023. "Multidisciplinary Approach to Supply Chain Resilience: Conceptualization and Scale Development," Central European Business Review, Prague University of Economics and Business, vol. 2023(5), pages 43-69.
    12. Juan F. Prados-Castillo & Miguel Ángel Solano-Sánchez & Pilar Guaita Fernández & José Manuel Guaita Martínez, 2023. "Potential of the Crypto Economy in Financial Management and Fundraising for Tourism," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-15, March.
    13. Rafael Martínez-Peláez & Alberto Ochoa-Brust & Solange Rivera & Vanessa G. Félix & Rodolfo Ostos & Héctor Brito & Ramón A. Félix & Luis J. Mena, 2023. "Role of Digital Transformation for Achieving Sustainability: Mediated Role of Stakeholders, Key Capabilities, and Technology," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(14), pages 1-27, July.
    14. Yuzhong Lu & Cheng Xu & Bingsheng Zhu & Yanqi Sun, 2024. "Digitalization transformation and ESG performance: Evidence from China," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(2), pages 352-368, February.
    15. Xiaorui Wang & Shen Hu, 2024. "How do organizations in Chinese agriculture perceive sustainability certification schemes? An exploratory analysis," Development Policy Review, Overseas Development Institute, vol. 42(3), May.
    16. Wang, Jianda & Yang, Senmiao & Dong, Kangyin & Nepal, Rabindra, 2024. "Assessing embodied carbon emission and its drivers in China's ICT sector: Multi-regional input-output and structural decomposition analysis," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 186(C).
    17. Ting Qian & Caoyuan Yang, 2023. "State-Owned Equity Participation and Corporations’ ESG Performance in China: The Mediating Role of Top Management Incentives," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(15), pages 1-21, July.
    18. Syed Imran Zaman & Sharfuddin Ahmed Khan & Sahar Qabool & Himanshu Gupta, 2023. "How digitalization in banking improve service supply chain resilience of e-commerce sector? a technological adoption model approach," Operations Management Research, Springer, vol. 16(2), pages 904-930, June.
    19. Ding, Jiantao & Yin, Yingkai & Kuang, Jinsong & Ding, Dezhi & Madsen, Dag.Øivind & Yang, Kunyu, 2024. "The impact of enterprise digital transformation on financial mismatch: Empirical evidence from listed companies in China," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 66(C).
    20. Zhu, Qingyuan & Xu, Chengzhen & Pan, Yinghao & Wu, Jie, 2024. "Identifying critical transmission sectors, paths, and carbon communities for CO2 mitigation in global supply chains," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 191(C).

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:bla:bstrat:v:33:y:2024:i:8:p:8413-8435. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1002/(ISSN)1099-0836 .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.