Decarbonising Industrial Supply Chains: A Strategic Framework for Managing Scope 3 Emissions in Procurement

Unofficial AI-generated summary based on the public title and abstract. Not an official translation.

🔬研究者:Useful for scholars of supply chain decarbonization as a conceptual bridge between procurement theory and Scope 3 management practice.

🏢実務担当者:Procurement and sustainability teams can use the four-stage maturity model to benchmark and advance their Scope 3 reduction readiness.

🏛政策担当者:Provides a framework for designing policies that incentivize supplier engagement and data transparency across industrial supply chains.

A considerable proportion of industrial greenhouse gas emissions are attributable to indirect Scope 3 sources present within supply chains, frequently accounting for more than two-thirds of the total emissions. As many manufacturers commit to net-zero targets by 2050, this paper investigates how firms can systematically decarbonise their supply chains by embedding emission reduction into procurement strategies. A conceptual framework has been developed to categorise internal and external levers for upstream decarbonisation, including strategic alignment, operational practices, supplier engagement, and regulatory mechanisms. The framework was validated through ten expert interviews with procurement and sustainability professionals from German OEMs and suppliers. The findings of the study indicate significant implementation gaps in data transparency, accountability, and the integration of sustainability in procurement. In order to address these issues, a four-stage maturity model is proposed with a view to guiding companies in assessing and advancing their decarbonisation readiness. The model provides actionable guidance to align procurement with climate goals and enhance supplier collaboration across complex industrial networks.

• openalex https://doi.org/10.24406/publica-9091first seen 2026-08-02 19:07:30