Study
SustainabilityRecentModerate effect

Social Sustainability is Missing from Humanitarian Supply Chains

Current models for sustainable humanitarian supply chains often neglect social sustainability factors, despite their critical importance in disaster relief and development aid contexts.

Production Planning & Control · 2023

01

Key Findings

  • 01Sustainability in humanitarian supply chains covers supply network configuration, coordination, and partnership.
  • 02Theoretical studies often fail to integrate all dimensions of sustainability.
  • 03Social sustainability factors are largely absent from current models of SHSCM.
02

Application

Design takeaway

When designing humanitarian aid systems, explicitly integrate social impact assessments and community well-being into the supply chain's operational and strategic planning.

How to apply

When designing a product or system for a humanitarian context, conduct thorough user research that specifically probes social needs, cultural sensitivities, and the long-term well-being of the affected population.

Project actions

  • 01If your project involves a humanitarian context, ensure you research and address the social impact on the end-users.
  • 02Consider how your design can empower communities rather than just provide aid.
03

Method & Evidence

AimTo synthesize existing research on sustainable humanitarian supply chains and identify gaps in theoretical development, particularly concerning social sustainability.
MethodSystematic Literature Review
ProcedureThe researchers conducted a systematic review of academic articles related to sustainable humanitarian supply chains, categorizing themes and analyzing theoretical frameworks. They focused on identifying aspects of sustainability that are integrated and those that are overlooked.
ContextHumanitarian logistics, disaster relief, development aid, supply chain management

Variables

IVInclusion/Exclusion of Social Sustainability Factors in SHSCM Models
DVEffectiveness and ethicality of Humanitarian Supply Chains
CVType of humanitarian crisis (e.g., natural disaster, conflict), geographical location, scale of operation
04

Strengths & Limitations

Strengths

  • +Provides a comprehensive synthesis of existing literature.
  • +Identifies a specific and critical gap in research and practice (social sustainability).

Limitations

The availability of data on social sustainability in humanitarian contexts might be limited, making it challenging to quantify its impact.

Reliability & validity

The systematic review methodology enhances reliability by providing a structured approach to literature selection and analysis. Validity is supported by the comprehensive search strategy and the focus on synthesizing existing knowledge to draw conclusions about theoretical gaps.

Think critically

To what extent can a supply chain be considered 'sustainable' if it prioritizes efficiency and environmental impact over the social well-being and empowerment of the communities it serves?

05

Design Principles

"Holistic sustainability in humanitarian design requires the integration of environmental, economic, and social dimensions, with a particular emphasis on the human impact."

This highlights a significant gap in how we design and manage systems that aim to help vulnerable populations. Designers must consider the human element beyond mere efficiency to create truly effective and ethical solutions.

06

What This Means for Your Design

The way we plan to deliver aid after a disaster or for development often forgets to properly consider the people it's supposed to help – their social needs and well-being are often left out of the planning.

How to use in your project

  • 1.Use this insight to justify the inclusion of social impact assessments or community engagement strategies in your design process, especially if your project has a humanitarian or social welfare component.
  • 2.It can inform your user research, highlighting the need to go beyond basic anthropometrics to understand social and cultural factors.
07

Add to My Project

08

Quick Cite

(2023). Sustainable humanitarian supply chains: a systematic literature review and research propositions. Production Planning & Control. https://doi.org/10.1080/09537287.2023.2273451 Retrieved from https://designdex.org/study/68ea0a54-5305-4b7c-bf73-62ab96eb500a/social-sustainability-is-missing-from-humanitarian-supply-chains

Paragraph starter

This research highlights a critical gap in current humanitarian supply chain management: the underrepresentation of social sustainability. When designing systems for disaster relief or development, it is imperative to move beyond logistical efficiency and environmental concerns to actively incorporate social factors, such as community well-being, cultural appropriateness, and long-term social impact, ensuring that the design truly serves the needs of the people it aims to assist.

09

Source

Production Planning & Control

Sustainable humanitarian supply chains: a systematic literature review and research propositions

journal · 2023

View source

Questions about this research

What does the research say about social sustainability is missing from humanitarian supply chains?
When designing humanitarian aid systems, explicitly integrate social impact assessments and community well-being into the supply chain's operational and strategic planning. Evidence: Production Planning & Control (2023).
Why does "Social Sustainability is Missing from Humanitarian Supply Chains" matter for design?
This highlights a significant gap in how we design and manage systems that aim to help vulnerable populations. Designers must consider the human element beyond mere efficiency to create truly effective and ethical solutions.
How can designers apply this research?
When designing humanitarian aid systems, explicitly integrate social impact assessments and community well-being into the supply chain's operational and strategic planning.
What were the main findings?
Sustainability in humanitarian supply chains covers supply network configuration, coordination, and partnership.. Theoretical studies often fail to integrate all dimensions of sustainability.. Social sustainability factors are largely absent from current models of SHSCM.
What research method was used?
Systematic Literature Review.
How strong is the evidence?
Evidence strength is rated Moderate effect, based on a 2023 journal from Production Planning & Control.
What should I do differently in my next project?
When designing a product or system for a humanitarian context, conduct thorough user research that specifically probes social needs, cultural sensitivities, and the long-term well-being of the affected population.
What are the limitations?
The review is based on existing literature, and the absence of social sustainability in the literature may reflect a broader research gap rather than a complete absence in practice.
Is there evidence that humanitarian supply affects design outcomes?
While humanitarian supply chains consider aspects like network design and partnerships for sustainability, they frequently overlook the crucial element of social sustainability, which is vital for the communities they serve. This highlights a significant gap in how we design and manage systems that aim to help vulnerab Source: Production Planning & Control (2023).
Where does this supply chains research apply?
Humanitarian logistics, disaster relief, development aid, supply chain management It sits within sustainability research on designdex.org.

Related research topics

humanitarian supply design research · evidence on humanitarian supply · does humanitarian supply improve design outcomes · supply chains studies for designers · humanitarian supply and supply chains findings · sustainability research evidence