Title: Achieving sustainability in food manufacturing operations and their supply chains: Key insights from a systematic literature review

Abstract

Managing sustainability in the food supply chain is critical given the very large environmental and social footprint that the food industry has globally. The food industry and its associated agricultural supply chain accounts for around 29 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, 80 percent of deforestation and 70 percent of freshwater use. Food industry players have become increasingly involved in these issues due to stakeholder pressures, and this highlights the importance in understanding what sustainability practices and best practices are being utilised. A review was undertaken that identified the current state of knowledge of how food manufacturing companies implement sustainability in their operations and across their supply chains. A thematic analysis was conducted on 130 papers that were published over a 21-year time frame from 1999 to 2020 to identify eight key sustainability themes in the literature. These themes included – life cycle assessments, drivers, barriers and incentives to sustainability, waste and recycling management, food chain logistics, sustainability practices in small and medium sized enterprises, supplier management, partnerships and relationships and “other” sustainable supply chain management practices. Through examining the literature, it is clear that there remains substantial scope for research on the role of small and medium sized enterprises and food logistics. It is also clear that large multinational companies have a critical role in supporting supply chain practices through driving practices and also in providing critical resources for partners across the supply chain. The circular economy is emerging as a key research area that is experiencing increasing focus, although it is argued that future research should focus on digitisation efforts such as through Internet of Things and blockchain that has been highlighted as a major disruptive and supportive element in increasing sustainability across supply chains. This work should be of interest to academics, practitioners, and policy makers in their pursuit of sustainability objectives.