Extending sustainability to suppliers: a systematic literature review

Abstract Purpose – To make their supply chains more socially responsible, many companies are implementing supplier assessment tools and collaborative practices. The aim of this paper is to provide a systematic literature review on the governance structures used to extend sustainability to suppliers. More specifically, the authors aim to answer two questions: "What is the impact of these mechanisms or governance structures on sustainable performance?" and "What are the enablers of these mechanisms?". Design/methodology/approach – A structured literature review is carried out that analyses published studies, evaluates contributions, summarises knowledge and identifies managerial implications and lines for…