Sustainable supply chain management as a societal challenge: a social network analysis perspective on italian value chains

The accelerating urgency of climate change necessitates innovative strategies to integrate sustainability into supply chain management (SCM). This thesis bridges network theory and sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) to examine how network structures and firm-level sustainability performance interact to shape sustainable practices across complex supply chain networks. Employing a multi-scalar approach, the research spans macro-level analysis of a directed supplier-buyer network on a macro-level on the Italian territory, meso-level insights from industry-specific sectors, and micro-level investigations of central firms. The study utilizes Social Network Analysis (SNA), Exponential Random Graph Models (ERGMs), and a linear-log regression analysis to explore how sustainability metrics influence network connectivity, firm centrality, and tie formation. Key findings highlight the role of central firms as sustainability hubs and the significance of relational dynamics, such as homophily, in shaping collaborative behaviors, as well as confirm a logarithmic decay in sustainability performance with increasing network distance from central firms. The collaboration with CRIF provided access to a robust dataset which includes 1,374 Italian firms and their ESG performances scores of certified sustainability metrics, enabling the exploration of how structural and relational factors propagate sustainable practices throughout supply chain networks. This research contributes theoretically by integrating network theory into SSCM, offering new insights into the structural and relational dynamics critical to advancing sustainable supply chains. Practically, it provides actionable guidance for managers and policymakers, advocating for interventions such as digital traceability systems, targeted support for central firms, and collaborative platforms to foster resilience and sustainability. The findings underscore the importance of leveraging network configurations and central actors to drive systemic change, paving the way for resilient, adaptive, and sustainable supply chains aligned with global climate goals.