Rethinking global value chains and sustainability

Abstract:

Global corporations, such as H&M, Nike, and Walmart, have increasingly begun to proactively embrace ‘sustainability’ in global value chains, which refers to the integration of economic, social, and environmental issues in the management of their vast networks of suppliers globally. However, just how ‘sustainable’ are these multinational companies in their sourcing practices in global value chains? This ground-breaking monograph will be the first to theorize and empirically investigate how their sourcing and sustainability policies affect local enterprises, workers, and the environment with respect to three new and under-investigated areas: their purchasing practices, transparency in brand supplier networks, and their efforts to combat climate change.