Decarbonisation in Supply Chains

Abstract

This thesis examines how decarbonisation contributes to firm-level supply-chain performance. Motivated by the predominance of Scope 3 emissions and fragmented evidence across operations, sustainability, and policy outlets, it consolidates and interprets current knowledge to inform managerial and policy decisions. Using a systematic literature review aligned with Denyer & Tranfield and PRISMA, the review searched Scopus and EBSCO Business Source Complete, applied pre-specified, protocolised eligibility criteria, and appraised study quality with a calibrated rubric. Searches covering 2015–2025 identified 793 records; after de- duplication and screening, the PRISMA flow was 793 → 676 → 150 → 60, yielding 60 studies for synthesis. Descriptive mapping is followed by thematic synthesis through a barriers–opportunities–benefits lens. Findings show that environmental, operational, and financial improvements align when four conditions operate together: (1) decision-grade data routines make in- formation usable at the speed of operations; (2) credible external signals (e.g., prices, rules) are contracted into supplier relationships so incentives persist; (3) collaboration density is designed—tight where interdependence is high, loose elsewhere—to keep governance costs bounded; and (4) practices are embedded in planning and control so benefits accumulate rather than stall in pilots. A pragmatic sequence emerges—establish data routines and align incentives; right-size collaboration; embed in planning and control—with a feedback loop in which realised benefits finance the upkeep of data and governance. Boundary conditions include tier distance and SME heterogeneity, asset specificity and capital cycles, and data sensitivity with assurance needs. The thesis recentres decarbonisation on network governance—treating information as infrastructure, articulating policy–contract complementarity, and formalising collaboration density as a design variable—and offers role-specific actions for lead firms, SMEs, and multinationals. Policy implications emphasise ii consistent, contractable disclosure and assurance ‘without exposure’. Limitations concern database scope, English-only coverage, sectoral skew, and single-coder synthesis; future work should validate mechanisms longitudinally and develop SME-centred enablement and collaboration-design rules.