Cluster E – Sustainability Assessment

Sustainability assessment of global supply and value chains

Background

The contribution of global supply and value chains (GSVCs) to climate change, newly introduced regulations for more transparency and due diligence (e.g. CSRD, CSDDD) as well as increasing demands from various interest groups require a solid understanding of sustainability risks along GSVCs in order to manage them accordingly.

Description of the cluster

The project aims to develop a manageable set of relevant, feasible and effective criteria and indicators for the sustainability assessment of selected GSVCs. With the help of a participatory research approach, supply chain stakeholders are continuously involved in the research process. The project is divided into six work packages (WP):

Team

• Prof. Dr. Silke Bustamante
• Prof. Dr. Andrea Pelzeter
• Martina Martinovic
• Roxana Zimmermann

Work packages

WP 1: Project design

Participatory development of the project design, taking into account practical requirements.

WP 2: Integrative Framework

Existing criteria and indicators for the sustainability assessment of GSVC are analyzed, reviewed, supplemented and brought together in an integrated framework. This is done with a view to the new legal situation and taking into account social, ecological, economic and political dimensions. Attention is also paid to currently relevant transformation trends such as the circular economy . In addition to generally applicable criteria, a distinction is made between general and industry specific criteria.

WP 3: Case studies

The feasibility, relevance and effectiveness of the set of criteria will be examined using qualitative and quantitative research methods and with the involvement of various stakeholders. Case studies are also used to test the practical feasibility in companies.

WP 4: Implications

The practical implications of the assessment set are analyzed using qualitative and quantitative research methods. In particular, interdependencies between different sustainability criteria (complementarities, trade-offs, cause-effect) are to be identified and corresponding win-win or coping strategies derived. Benchmarking and the development of practical guidelines are intended to promote the implementation of ambitious sustainability strategies in companies.

WP 5 and 6: Recommendations

Finally, recommendations for politicians and companies are formulated and the results disseminated.