Implementing Sustainable Transport Practices in Supply Chains: a systematic literature review

This systematic literature review examines the implementation of sustainable transport practices in supply chains, addressing two primary research questions: (1) What allows companies to implement sustainable transport practices in their daily operations? (2) What prevents companies from achieving expected emission reductions in sustainable transport? Drawing on 48 peer-reviewed articles published between 2000 and 2025, this review synthesizes evidence on core sustainable transport practices. Findings reveal that implementation is heavily weighted toward strategic and tactical decision levels, with operational compliance and outcome verification remaining underexplored. The review identifies internal and external factors influencing adoption. Key enablers include digital technologies and advanced analytics, primary barriers include capital constraints, infrastructure limitations, data standardization gaps and performance measurement inconsistencies. The study reveals a critical implementation gap: while theoretical emission reductions are substantial, verified outcomes often fall short of projections. This review provides an integrated framework for researchers and practitioners to understand sustainable transport implementation dynamics and identifies priority areas for future investigation.