Sustainable supply chains in the world of industry 4.0

Abstract

Purpose:Industry 4.0 introduces a series of changes for the supply chain, in particular in terms of technology, structure, connectivity and communication. This presents companies with new opportunities but also new challenges. These emerging trends are affecting the supply chain at a social, economical and environmental level. The sustainable aspect in Industry 4.0 is highly correlated with digitization at a process, product and organizational level (Reichel, 2017). This paper presents a framework for the implementation of Industry 4.0 technologies in new and current bussiness processes while alinging with holistic sustainability goals