Paving the way for social sustainability in arctic supply chain operations : a novel research agenda

Abstract

The extant corpus of research on supply chain sustainability in the Arctic exhibits a conspicuous neglect of the social dimension, rendering it the most underprivileged among the three pillars of sustainability (Ahi and Searcy, 2015; Mani et al., 2016; Govidan et al., 2021). Notwithstanding the mounting attention riveted on the environmental dimension of Arctic supply chain operations, with a clear-cut emphasis on reducing their carbon footprint, the social implications of these operations have largely been shunted aside (Tsvetkova, 2020a). This is particularly worrisome, especially considering that such operations frequently entail indigenous communities and other local stakeholders who may be impacted by them in myriad ways (Brooks and Frost, 2012). Thus far, there is a critical need for research into social sustainability in Arctic supply chain operations, in order to ramp up our comprehension of, and to address, the social issues and opportunities elicited by these activities. As the title of this introductory chapter eloquently implies, it seeks to fill this opulent lacuna by outlining a much-needed and novel research agenda that paves the way toward social sustainability in Arctic supply chain operations. Drawing on the existing scholarship, this chapter illuminates the current status of research within the realm of supply chain operations, with an explicit emphasis on the social sustainability aspect. It commences by examining supply chain operations as a captivating research phenomenon, followed by a nuanced discussion of the neglected and unjustly forsaken concept of social sustainability in the supply chain management landscape. The intricate and multifaceted nature of the concept at hand is underscored in this discussion, making it challenging to develop a one-size-fits-all framework that can effectively address the multifarious social dynamics inherent in context-specific supply chains. The Arctic is then portrayed as a distinctive research terrain that demands special attention, due to its crucial role in advancing sustainability efforts. Finally, the outline of the anthology is unveiled, affording a concise and lucid overview of the research to come.