Exploring Sustainability: Systematic Review of Models and Approaches For Implementing Sustainable Supply Chains

Objective: To identify and analyze the main models and approaches proposed in academia for the implementation of sustainable supply chains. Theoretical Framework: This study is grounded in the concepts of Supply Chain Management, Strategy, and Sustainability. Method: The principles of the Systematic Literature Review (SLR) were used for data compilation, employing the software HistCite™, Microsoft Excel, IRAMUTEQ, and VOSviewer. The analyses were based on the three classic laws of bibliometrics and content analysis was performed. Results and Discussion: A total of 1,870 articles were retrieved from the Scopus online database, with 49 articles extracted for the research corpus. Descriptive statistics and graphical analyses were conducted, revealing that 7.6% of the sample's authors (13) account for 64% of the total production. Additionally, among the 171 authors, five are responsible for 24.6% of the works. From the word similarity graph, "Supply Chain" stands out as the most frequent term, indicating a stronger connection between the nodes: "sustainability," "study," and "model." Three journals accounted for 57% of all publications (28 publications), with 171 authors and co-authors from 32 countries, primarily concentrated in Asia and Europe. Research Implications: The contributions of this study can be considered both scientific and managerial, providing a solid foundation for future research and assisting decision-making by managers in various fields. Originality/Value: This study contributes to the literature by consolidating and critically analyzing models and approaches for the implementation of sustainable supply chains, providing a comprehensive and structured view of the most effective strategies for promoting sustainability.