Purpose

This paper aims to investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on supply chain (SC) sustainability learning. In particular, it focuses on the learning associated with changes in the sustainability initiatives of emerging economy suppliers.

Design/methodology/approach

Through studying three scenarios (pre-outbreak, buyer-centred peak and supplier-centred peak) over a nine-month period, a multi-case study strategy was used to gain an understanding of the learning of export-oriented Brazilian coffee producers, using both exploitation and exploration capabilities. Content analysis was developed after each data collection phase to investigate how sustainability initiatives had changed.

Findings

Social sustainability was observed to be the main priority by suppliers facing this unprecedented outbreak, in ways that go beyond expected sustainability certification requirements. For instance, there was evidence of outstanding contributions to the local community. Suppliers initially developed their sustainability initiatives during the outbreak without any support from global buyers, certification bodies or government. In spite of this, stronger relationships with buyers ultimately emerged facilitating greater SC sustainability. Consequently, by using both exploitation and exploration learning capabilities, multiple levels of learning were observed (i.e. individual, organisational and SC) as related to planning, new procedures and social awareness.

Practical implications

A greater awareness of supplier learning processes will aid buyers in developing recovery plans that are appropriate for their global SC partners.

Originality/value

This paper provides an understanding of how emerging economy suppliers of global SCs are coping with this unprecedented outbreak in regard to sustainability management. Moving the spotlight from buyers to suppliers, the research demonstrates that supplier learning is central to global SC sustainability.

中文翻译：

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供应链可持续性学习：COVID-19 对新兴经济体供应商的影响

目的

本文旨在调查 COVID-19 大流行对供应链 (SC) 可持续性学习的影响。特别是，它侧重于与新兴经济体供应商可持续发展举措变化相关的学习。

设计/方法/方法

通过在九个月的时间里研究三个情景（爆发前、以买家为中心的高峰和以供应商为中心的高峰），使用多案例研究策略来了解出口导向的巴西咖啡生产商的学习情况，使用兼具开发和探索能力。在每个数据收集阶段之后进行内容分析，以调查可持续发展计划的变化情况。

发现

面临这种前所未有的爆发，社会可持续性被认为是供应商的主要优先事项，其方式超出了预期的可持续性认证要求。例如，有证据表明对当地社区做出了杰出贡献。供应商最初在疫情爆发期间制定了可持续发展计划，没有全球买家、认证机构或政府的任何支持。尽管如此，最终还是出现了与买家更牢固的关系，促进了 SC 的可持续性。因此，通过利用开发和探索学习能力，观察到与规划、新程序和社会意识相关的多层次学习（即个人、组织和 SC）。

实际影响

对供应商学习过程的更高认识将有助于采购商制定适合其全球供应链合作伙伴的恢复计划。

原创性/价值

本文旨在了解全球供应链的新兴经济体供应商如何应对这一前所未有的可持续性管理爆发。将焦点从买家转移到供应商，研究表明供应商学习是全球供应链可持续性的核心。