Towards environmentally just supply chains: from harm reduction to transformative sustainability actions

Purpose In response to the worsening environmental crisis, there have been multiple calls for sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) scholars and practitioners to adopt a “business-not-as-usual” approach based on justice, fairness, equity and sustainability. We add to this literature by proposing environmental justice (EJ) as a key concept for the theory and practice of SSCM. Design/methodology/approach This conceptual article builds SSCM theory on EJ and contributes to supply chain justice research and practice by introducing the concept of the “environmentally just supply chain” and presenting pathways for operationalizing it in practice. Findings Three pathways are proposed to leverage transformative SSCM to create environmentally just supply chains: human rights due diligence, resilience thinking and coproduction of environmentally just supply chains. Practical implications The three pathways can be used by actors within a supply chain to create environmentally just supply chains. Originality/value This article extends transformative, non-instrumental perspectives on environmental sustainability within SSCM scholarship to provide insights into how supply chains can be transformed through EJ. Not only does the article show the relevance of EJ for SSCM theory and practice, but it elaborates pathways for moving from harm reduction to transformative sustainability actions.