MIT Sustainable Supply Chain Lab
Supply chains are key in connecting people and products, offering a platform for industries and stakeholders to work together toward the Sustainable Development Goals. As consumers, governments, and investors grow more aware of environmental and social issues, companies are rethinking their supply chains. However, finding effective, sustainable solutions is challenging, as businesses must balance competing priorities and objectives.
The Challenge
After the COVID-19 pandemic, and even before, the increase in logistics intensity due to e-commerce is pushing companies to offer faster and more frequent deliveries, which increases fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. Currently, transportation is the industry that contributes the most to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the United States.
Contribution of Transportation to the total emissions of GHG in the US
Contribution of Transportation to the total emissions of GHG globally
Online shopping share in the total retail trade
Our Mission
The MIT Sustainable Supply Chain Lab aims to support organizations to improve logistics and supply chain operations by creating applied and innovative research aimed at fostering growth while considering environmental and social sustainability. We connect research outcomes to practical settings, enabling companies and stakeholders to leverage supply chains as a beneficial force to reach global sustainable development goals. We also seek to improve the visibility of supply chain impacts and develop strategies to help reduce them, so companies can better address consumer, political, and shareholder concerns.
Current Research Initiatives
Sustainable Supply Chain engages in research with industry-leading companies, institutions and fellow academics.
Electrification of the Supply Chain
Consumer-faced logistics sustainability
Carbon Footprint
Sustainable Transportation
Circular
Supply Chains
State of Supply Chain Sustainability
Sustainable Supply Chain Management Online Course
Transform your organization’s climate pledges into actionable strategies through better supply chain management. Modeled on our for-credit MIT course, SCM.290x provides the foundation for you to meet stakeholders’ demands for supply chain sustainability.
Our Research Partners
Interested in getting involved?
Are you wanting to collaborate with us or join our Scope 3 emissions consortium?