Theory Building Surrounding Sustainable Supply Chain Management: Assessing What We Know, Exploring Where to Go

This special topic forum (STF) features four articles that focus on sustainability, which is generally defined as the ability to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Our own research of the 500 most cited studies on sustainability shows that scholars and managers often struggle with the concept and applications of sustainability. To some, sustainability is about environmental preservation, to others, it is about addressing societal needs, and yet for those who use a financial lens, sustainability is primarily about the economic bottom line. Then, there are scholars and managers for whom sustainability is synonymous with corporate social responsibility, ethical issues, shared value creation, and/or legal compliance. Naturally, all of the above are critical, and efforts in these areas should continue. But as we explain, none of these are sustainability per se, and to date, no firm is truly or fully sustainable. Also, most research and practice in sustainability follows a preservation view. We advance a new paradigm and evince that sustainable practices—whether in supply chain management or any other business activity—are a function of two inseparable principles: (1) they must enhance ecological health, follow ethical standards to further social justice, and improve economic vitality; and (2) they must prioritize the environment first, society second, and economics third. Our introduction to this STF elaborates on what sustainability is and is not, and it also summarizes the four articles in the STF.