Climate & Environment

Sustainable Supply Chain

Meaning statusEstablishedSource recordDirect document linkedWhy these are different

Definition

A sustainable supply chain is one in which environmental, social and governance standards are managed and verified across all tiers — from raw material extraction through processing, manufacturing and logistics to end use — combining supplier codes and audits, traceability, due diligence, responsible purchasing and collaborative improvement. It reframes supply chains from cost-minimising pipelines into networks of shared accountability, increasingly under legal obligation (due diligence laws, deforestation-free import rules, forced labour bans).

References

Source organisationSupporting reference

This reference provides supporting context for how “Sustainable Supply Chain” is defined and used.

www.oecd.orgBulk import source

Source imported for editorial provenance.

Overview

How it is used

The concept structures procurement strategy, Scope 3 programmes, certification and traceability investments, and regulatory compliance systems.

Why it matters

There are no sustainable products in unsustainable supply chains; the chain is where corporate promises become real or evaporate.