Introducing a framework toward sustainability goals in a supply chain 4.0 ecosystem

The business and research community are called upon to take concrete actions to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). We state that Industry 4.0 technologies are the innovative capability that should be supported to move supply chains from their linear model, known for its high energy and resource consumption, to a circular model where technology replaces intermediaries and drives operations towards sustainability and efficiency. The study reflects the impact of integrating Industry 4.0 technologies on each of the processes in the Supply Chain Operations Reference Model (SCOR) to construct the supply chain 4.0 and links the resulting capabilities of this transformation to the potential achievements of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This paper draws on recent studies and secondary data sources to provide a framework that could help academics and practitioners reduce tensions related to the maturity level of Industry 4.0 technologies and foster concrete implementations to achieve sustainability goals.