Sustainable Supply Chain Management Practices: A Theoretical Review and Research Agenda

Sustainable Supply Chain Management (SSCM) has expanded significantly in the literature over the past two decades in response to environmental, social, and economic pressures, regulatory demands, stakeholder expectations, and global supply chain complexity. Despite this growth, the field suffers from inconsistencies in classifying practices, limited integration of the three Triple Bottom Line (TBL) dimensions (especially the social dimension), and insufficient explanatory mechanisms linking practices to sustainability outcomes. Digital transformation technologies (e.g., big data analytics, IoT, blockchain) are reshaping traceability, transparency, governance, and risk management, yet their comprehensive role in enabling balanced sustainability remains debated. This theoretical-analytical review synthesizes ~89 peer-reviewed studies (2008–2025) from major databases. It proposes a strategic classification of SSCM practices into five interconnected packages (compliance & impact reduction, efficiency & resource optimization, transparency & governance, circularity & value recovery, and social justice & labor rights), transcending traditional functional divisions (procurement, manufacturing, logistics, reverse logistics). Drawing on Triple Bottom Line, stakeholder theory, resource-based view, and dynamic capabilities perspectives, the paper elucidates mechanisms (transparency, governance, risk management, collaborative learning) through which practices achieve TBL outcomes. It highlights persistent gaps in dimension integration, theoretical depth, methodological diversity, contextual focus (especially developing economies like Iraq), and digital integration. A targeted research agenda is proposed to guide future studies toward more integrated, context-sensitive, and mechanism-oriented approaches in complex global supply chains.