A review on blockchain technologies for corporate social responsibility and sustainable supply chain management

Abstract

The rise of Industry 4.0 and paradigms like Internet of Things (IoT) are increasingly dependent on trusted partnerships. In this scenario, blockchain technology has been recently introduced and is already revolutionizing the digital world, bringing a new perspective to business operations. It removes the need for a trusted authority, offering a reliable, secure and transparent way to exchange any kind of service, good or transaction, enabling more agile value chains. This paper reviews its potential in the field of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Sustainable Supply Chain Management (SSCM), where organizations must take responsibility for their impact on society, integrating social, environmental, and economic concerns into their business processes. Blockchain can positively impact the safety, traceability, accountability, sustainability, and transparency of the supply chain, therefore ensuring the ultimate goals of all the stakeholders involved.