Developing sustainability in the Italian meat supply chain: an empirical investigation
本研究以意大利肉类行业为对象，从整个供应链视角识别各环节在经济、环境和社会可持续性上的关键点，重点分析肉类加工企业如何通过供应链管理实践推动全链可持续发展。
Although sustainable supply chain (SC) management has been widely investigated in recent years, the focus has mainly been on the practices adopted by a single company, so missing the big picture at SC level. This study of the Italian meat industry considers the SC as a whole, identifying the critical points for each stage in terms of economic, environmental and social sustainability. To this end, a first set of case studies was conducted of companies at different stages of the SC before turning to focus on the meat processing stage, which was identified as critical and highly relevant. A second set of case studies analysed how these companies leverage SC management practices to develop sustainable SCs. In so doing, specific attention was paid to drivers and contingent variables that foster the adoption of sustainable practices. The results of the two steps were then merged to illuminate how practices adopted by the meat processors can impact on the whole chain, confirming their pivotal role in driving sustainability. These results provide a holistic view of the phenomenon, encompassing the entire chain from end to end and highlighting the interdependences across various stages of the meat SC.