From Compliance to Collaboration: Towards a Strategic Framework for Social Sustainability in Fashion Supply Chains—Insights From a Two‐Phase Literature Review

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study is to provide a comprehensive longitudinal analysis of the evolution of social sustainability within the global textile and fashion industry across two distinct regulatory eras: post‐Multifibre Agreement (2005–2018) and post‐Modern Slavery Act (2019–2023). Using a PRISMA‐based systematic literature review of 140 Scopus‐indexed studies, it integrates bibliometric co‐word analysis through VOSviewer and thematic content analysis via NVivo. The findings reveal a notable transition from compliance‐oriented corporate social responsibility to collaborative, technology‐enabled approaches to social governance. Paradoxically, while emerging technologies such as blockchain, RFID, and AI‐driven traceability systems enhance transparency, they can also reproduce existing power asymmetries by deepening supplier dependence and buyer control. This dual‐edged impact underscores that innovation without inclusion may reinforce inequity rather than resolve it. The study identifies a parallel evolution in governance, from voluntary codes and audits to multi‐stakeholder, legislated accountability frameworks, that collectively redefine social responsibility in fashion supply chains. Anchored in Institutional and Stakeholder Theories, the study develops a two‐by‐two conceptual framework capturing the strategic shift from compliance to collaboration. It advances CSR and ESG scholarship by offering testable propositions linking institutional pressures, stakeholder engagement, and technological innovation. The paper provides actionable insights for policymakers and fashion enterprises pursuing socially sustainable transformation within global supply chains.