Abstract:

In recent years， the compounded and sustained impacts of major global events—including the COVID-19 pandemic， escalating geopolitical conflicts， and a new wave of technological advancements—have redefined global development trends. This evolving landscape is marked by increased macro-environmental uncertainties， a growing consensus on green development， and the accelerated pace of technological change. In response， the sustainable supply chain management （SSCM） of enterprises faces heightened challenges and pressures. Improving SSCM practices to navigate these complex challenges has become a focal area for both industry and academia. Amid efforts to enhance SSCM， numerous “pioneer” companies have emerged with successful practical initiatives and advanced management practices. These examples highlight the resilience and adaptability needed as businesses face supply chain disruptions and trade tensions. Today， stakeholders—including governments and consumers—demand greater environmental and social responsibility from supply chains， prompting companies to rethink and adjust their strategies and operations. Consequently， SSCM research has become increasingly important， shaping responses to the new global development patterns （Lee，. To address this need， a systematic review of recent advancements is provided in SSCM research. Employing the classic SSCM analytical framework of “drivers or pressures-practices-performance，”both quantitative and qualitative analyses of SSCM research published in major supply chain journals from 2020 to 2024 are conducted. Through this review， four major research topics are identified， including macro factors-climate change and carbon emissions， sustainable supply chain management under the impact of the new coronavirus pandemic， application of Industry 4.0 technologies and sustainable supply chain management， and sustainable governance of multilevel supply chains and supply chain networks-and the progress of their respective research is summarized. On this basis， the outlook of future research is presented from three aspects. The first is sustainable supply chain management in a dynamic environment， including three sub-research directions： sustainable supply chain management under the risk of chain breakage， sustainable supply chain management under the development of Industry 5.0 technology， and ESG responsibility of supply chains under new regulations. The second is sustainable supply chain management tools for triple-bottom-line objectives， which also includes three sub-research directions： green （low-carbon） financial tools empowering supply chain synergistic value， sustainable supply chain governance with multi-organizational participation under the perspective of value symbiosis， and industry standards for fine-tuned sustainable supply chain management. In addition， the theoretical needs and development of sustainable supply chain management are also discussed， including the expansion of theoretical frameworks in complex （dynamic） environments， interdisciplinary integration to enrich theories or explanatory mechanisms and theoretical discovery driven by new ideas or management practices. By carrying out literature review and summarizing the research progress， the understanding of the core topics of the current research on sustainable supply chain management under the new development pattern is facilitated， and a clear framework and direction for the subsequent research is also provided. Meanwhile， by summarizing the potential research directions， it provides a reference for scholars to further explore the sustainable development of supply chain.

Key words: sustainable supply chain, uncertainty, emerging technologies, supply chain network