麻省理工学院：2026供应链可持续发展现状报告承压下的可持续发展-AI地缘政治与未来路径

ISSUENO.07

Sustainability

AI,Geopolitics,andthePathForward

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AbouttheMITCenterforTransportation&Logistics

TheMITCenterforTransportation&Logistics(MITCTL)isaleadingresearchandeducationalcenterwithintheMassachusettsInstituteofTechnologywithmorethan50yearsofsupplychainexpertise.Morethanadecadeago,supplychainsustainabilityemergedasakeyresearchareaatthecenter.Thecenterhasrespondedwithresearch,education,andoutreachtoaddressthecontinuinggrowthofsupplychainsustainabilityasabusinessimperativefueledbythedemandsandrequirementsofconsumers,governments,andinvestors.Supplychainsustainabilityresearchatthecenterisfocusedonenablingresearchandcollaborationonthesocialandenvironmentalsustainabilityofsupplychainbusinessprocesses.Learnmoreat

AnoteontheuseofAI

Thisreportandtheanalysesunderlyingitwerepreparedwiththeassistanceofartificialintelligence.AItoolswereusedtoprocessthesourcedata,computethereportedstatistics,generatethefigures,andassistindraftingtheaccompanyingtext.Allinputsandanalyses,figures,andtextwerereviewedandvalidatedbytheauthors.

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Version1

Lastupdated:September17,2026

SuggestedCitation:

Rajagopalan,S.,&Arnold,V.(2026,September).StateofSupplyChainSustainability2026.MITCenterforTransportation&

Logistics.

/sscs-report/

ISSUENO.07

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TABLEOFCONTENTS

EXECUTIVESUMMARY

INTRODUCTION

METHODOLOGY

0

6

09

12

GEOPOLITICSAND

GOVERNANCEARETESTING

CORPORATESUSTAINABILITY

WHERESUSTAINABILITYLIVESINTHESUPPLYCHAIN

SCOPE3EMISSIONS

AIANDSUSTAINABILITY

AIUSEINSUPPLYCHAINS

FREIGHTTRANSPORTATION

WAREHOUSEAUTOMATION

CONCLUSION

APPENDICES

1

4

21

26

30

35

40

4

8

56

58

StateofSupplyChainSustainability2026

IssueNo.07

EXECUTIVESUMMARY

Corporatesustainabilitycommitmenthasreacheditshighestrecordedlevel,andthechallengehasshiftedfrombuildingconvictiontobuildingthesystemscapableofdeliveringonit.

The2026StateofSupplyChainSustainabilityreport,producedbytheMITSustainableSupplyChainLabattheMITCenterforTransportationandLogistics(MITCTL),examineshoworganizationsarerespondingtoasustainabilitylandscapebeingreshapedbygeopoliticaldisruption,changingpolicy,rapidadvancesinartificialintelligence,andthecontinuingchallengeofdecarbonizingsupplychains.

WhereSustainabilityLivesintheSupplyChain

Wheresustainabilityisactuallyembeddedinsupplychaindecisions,whereitremainsweak,whatbenefitscompaniesarerealizing,andhowmeasurementandcollaborationareexpandingacrossthevaluechain.

AIandSustainability

HowIndustrialandAgenticAIarestrengtheningefficiency,emissionsmeasurement,andsustainabilityperformance,whilecreatingnewquestionsaboutnetenvironmentalimpactasAIbecomesmorewidelydeployedandautonomous

Thisyear’sstudydrawson1,810responsesfromprofessionalsacross91countries,spanningsupplychain,procurement,operations,logistics,andsustainabilityroles.

Thisyear’sstudyexploresfourmajorthemes:

TwoGaps:HowGeopoliticsandGovernanceAreTestingCorporateSustainability

Howstrongercorporatecommitmentiscollidingwithexternaldisruption,whilepublicsustainabilityambitionisoutpacingtheinternalgovernanceandaccountabilityneededtodeliverit.

FreightTransportationandWarehousing

Howtwocriticalphysicalpartsofthesupplychainareprogressingondecarbonization,whereefficiencygainsarereachingtheirlimits,andhowtechnology,economics,infrastructure,andregionaldifferencesareshapingwhatcomesnext.

6StateofSupplyChainSustainability2026

Third,AIisbecomingarealsustainabilitytool,with47%oforganizationsusingitwhilestillweighingitsenvironmentalfootprintand37%believingthatthebenefitsclearlyoutweightheenvironmentalcosts.Amongadopters,87%sayAIhashadapositiveimpactontheirsustainabilitygoals,particularlythroughoperationalefficiency,strongeremissionsmeasurement,andbetteridentificationofreductionopportunities.While63%useAItoestimateemissionswheresupplierdataaremissingandasimilarshareuseittoaggregate

IssueNo.077

Severalinsightsstandoutinthe2026findings.Thefirstsetoffindingspoints

totwogapsbetweensustainabilityambitionandtheconditionsneededtodeliverit.Thefirstgapisexternal:companiesarebecomingmorecommittedtosustainabilityevenastheoperatingenvironmentmakesdeliveringonthatcommitmentincreasinglydifficult.83%ofrespondentsnowratesustainabilityasimportantorveryimportanttolong-termbusinesssuccess.FollowingrecentU.S.climate-policyshifts,59%reportbecomingmorecommittedtosustainability,whileonlyaround13%reportbecominglesscommitted.Yet68%saytariffuncertaintyhasforcedtheirorganizationstodelay,scaleback,orcompromisesustainabilitystrategies,andmorethaneightintenrespondentsacrossNorthAmerica,Europe,andAsiaagreethatgeopoliticalconflictisreducingtheeffectivenessofclimateaction.Thewilltoactisstrengthening,buttheroomtoactisshrinking.

Thesecondgapisinternal:publicsustainabilityambitionisoutpacingthegovernanceandaccountabilityneededtodeliverit.Companieswithformalcross-functionalsustainabilityteamsarefarmorelikelytoembedsustainabilityineverydaydecisions:57%dosofrequentlyoralways,comparedwith13%whereresponsibilitysitswithinasinglefunction.Yetonly51%ofcompanieswithpublicsustainabilitygoalshaveaformalcross-functionalteam,andonly33%placeoversightatboardlevel.Manycompanieshavesetthedirection,buthavenotyetbuilttheinternalstructuresneededtoturnthosecommitmentsintoconsistentaction.

Thesecondsetoffindingsshowswheresustainabilityactuallylivesinsidethesupplychain.Itismostvisibleinthedecisionsclosesttodailyoperations,suchastransportationandlogistics,procurement,warehousing,andproductandpackagingdesign,andislessprevalentinlonger-termstructuraldecisionssuchascapitalinvestment,networkdesign,andriskplanning.Thepatternsuggeststhatsustainabilityisbecomingpartofhowcompaniesoperatetheirsupplychainsfasterthanitisbecomingpartofhowtheydesignthem.Atthesametime,thebusinessbenefitsaretangible:compliance,operationalefficiency,andsupplychainvisibilityarethemostwidelyreportedgains,whileresilienceandriskreductionalsorankaheadofdirectcostsavings.Thebusinesscaseforsustainabilityisdrivenmorebyoperationalgainsthanbydirectcostsavings.

Thepictureextendsbeyondinternaloperations:Scope3measurementandcollaborationaredeepeningacrossthevaluechain.Companiesareincreasinglyrecognizingthattheycannotmanagetheseemissionsalone.Participationinjointsupplierengagementanddecarbonizationprogramsrosefromroughly31%to58%,whilepartnershipsfocusedonsharedsuppliersmorethandoubledfrom23%to55%.Buttheinfrastructureremainsfragmented:specializedcarbon-accountingsystemshaveexpanded,yetspreadsheetsremaindeeplyembedded.Companiesaremeasuringmoreandcollaboratingmore,butthesystemsunderneaththatprogressarestillcatchingup.

8StateofSupplyChainSustainability2026

informationfrommultiplesources;only25%useitforforward-lookingscenarioanalysis.Fornow,AIisstrongestatmakingsustainabilityworkmoreefficientandmeasurable;itsstrategicroleisstillemerging.

Butthatpositivestorycomeswithanimportanttension.AIusersreportclearreductionsinmaterialwasteandenergyorfueluse,yetamongmorematureAgenticAIusers,totalgreenhousegasemissionsdonotmoveuniformly:morethanhalfperceiveareduction,whilenearlyoneinthreeperceiveanincrease.ThisdoesnotmeanthatAIiscausingthoseincreases.ItshowsthatimprovementsinindividualprocessesandthenetenvironmentaloutcomeofAIarenotthesamething.AsAIbecomesmoredeeplyembeddedinsupplychains,companieswillneedtomeasureitsnetenvironmentalimpact,weighingtheoperationalandsustainabilitybenefitsitenablesagainsttheadditionalenergy,computingdemand,andsystemeffectsthatcanaccompanyitsuse.

Finally,freighttransportationandwarehousingshowhowdifficultthenextstageofdecarbonizationwillbe.Infreight,themostaccessibleefficiencymeasures,suchasrouteoptimization,loadconsolidation,anddriverprograms,arealreadywidelydeployed.Yet43%offleetsstilloperatemostlyorentirelyondiesel.Movingbeyondthesegainsrequiresmorecapital-intensivetechnologies,supportinginfrastructure,andclearerpolicysignals.EuropeandNorthAmericaaremovingondifferenttrajectories:Europeisbeingpulledforwardbystrongerregulation,infrastructure,andpolicysupport,whileNorthAmericanoperatorsfacegreaterpolicyuncertaintyandrelymoreheavilyoncustomerrequirementsandtechnologyreadinesstoguideinvestmentdecisions.Thefirststageoffreightdecarbonizationwasaboutusingexistingassetsbetter.Thenextisaboutchangingtheassetsthemselves.

Warehousingpresentsadifferentversionofthesamechallenge.AutomationandAIareadvancingrapidly,andrespondentsreportthestrongesteconomicreturnsfromspaceoptimizationandautomationandrobotics.Butsustainabilitygainsdonotautomaticallyaccompanythoseinvestments:energyuseandwastehaveincreasedformanyAIadopters,whileonly24%ofwarehousesusereal-timeAI-drivensustainabilitymonitoring.Thewarehouseofthefuturemaybemoreintelligentandmoreproductive,butitwillnotnecessarilybemoresustainableunlesssustainabilityisdeliberatelydesignedintoit.

Insum,the2026findingsrevealasustainabilityagendathathasnotlostmomentum,buthasreachedamoredifficultstage.Commitmentisstrong.Measurementisexpanding.AIisaccelerating.Efficiencygainsarereal.Whatcomesnextisharder:convertingcommitmentintoaccountability,operationalintegrationintostrategicdecisionmaking,measurementintomanagement,AIefficiencyintonetenvironmentalbenefit,andincrementaldecarbonizationintogenuinetransition.

In2026,sustainabilitystillmatters.Thequestionisnolongerwhethercompanieswanttoact.Itiswhethertheycanbuildthegovernancesystems,technologies,andoperatingmodelsneededtodeliver.

Inthisreport,weusethetermsIndustrialAIandAgenticAIasfollows:

IndustrialAI:AIsystemsusedtosupportprediction,optimizationanddecisionmakinginoperationalororganizationalprocesses.

AgenticAI:AIsystemsthatcanautonomouslyorsemi-autonomouslymake,adapt,andexecutedecisionstoachievegoalswithlimitedhumanintervention.

IssueNo.079

INTRODUCTION

Supplychainsustainabilityisenteringadifferentphase.

Formuchofthepastdecade,thecentralquestionswerewhethercompanieswouldprioritizesustainability,settargets,measureemissions,andbeginintegratingenvironmentalconsiderationsintobusinessdecisions.Thosequestionshavenotdisappeared,butthecontextaroundthemhaschangedsubstantially.

Companiesarenowpursuingsustainabilityinaworldofgreatergeopoliticaluncertainty,shiftingpolicysignals,tradetensions,andrapidlyevolvingtechnologies.Atthesametime,artificialintelligenceischanginghowsupplychainsareplannedandmanaged,emissionsmeasurementisextendingdeeperintothevaluechain,andthephysicalsystemsoffreighttransportationandwarehousingareundergoingtheirowntechnologicaltransitions.

Thesedevelopmentsmakesustainabilityincreasinglydifficulttoexamineasastand-alonecorporateinitiative.Whatmattersisnotsimplywhetheranorganizationhasasustainabilitystrategy,butwheresustainabilitysitsinsidetheorganization,whereitenterssupplychaindecisions,whattechnologiesareshapingthosedecisions,andwhethertheunderlyingoperatingsystemsareevolvingwiththeambition.

The2026StateofSupplyChainSustainabilitystudyapproachesthequestionfromthatperspective.

10StateofSupplyChainSustainability2026

Thefirstpartofthereportexaminestwoforcestestingcorporatesustainabilityfromdifferentdirections.

Geopoliticsandpolicyshapetheenvironmentinwhichcompaniesoperate;governancedetermineshowwellorganizationsrespondwithinit.Lookingatthesetogetherallowsustodistinguishbetweenconstraintscomingfromoutsidetheorganizationandthosecreatedbythewaysustainabilityisstructuredandgovernedinternally.Thegovernancesectionexplicitlyframestheseasthereport’s“twogaps”:theexternalgapcreatedbydisruptionandtheinternalgapbetweenambitionandaccountability.

Thereportthenasksamorepracticalquestion:wheredoessustainabilityactuallyliveinthesupplychain?Ratherthantreatingsustainabilityasasingleorganizationalpractice,weexaminewhereitentersdecisions,whereitremainslessembedded,whatpreventsfurtherprogress,andwhatorganizationsgainwhensustainabilitybecomespartofsupplychainmanagement.ThisperspectivealsoextendsintoScope3emissions,wheremeasurementincreasinglydependsonvisibility,supplierengagement,datainfrastructure,andcollaborationacrossorganizationalboundaries.

AthirdfocusisAIandsustainability.TherapidadoptionofIndustrialandAgenticAIraisesquestionsthatdidnotexistatthesamescaleinearliereditionsofthisstudy.AIcanimprovemeasurement,analysis,prediction,andoperationaldecision-making,butitalsochangeswheredecisionsaremadeandhowmuchautonomyorganizationsdelegatetotechnology.ThereportthereforeexaminesAInotsimplyasanothersustainabilitytool,butasacapabilitywhoseenvironmentalimpactdependsonthedecisionsitsupports,theautonomyitisgiven,andtheobjectivesitisusedtopursue.

Finally,thestudyturnstofreighttransportationandwarehousing,twoareaswheresustainabilitygoalsencountertherealitiesofphysicalassets,infrastructure,energyuse,technologyadoption,andoperatingeconomics.Freightillustratesthechallengeofmovingfromimprovementswithinexistingsystemstowarddeepertechnologicaltransition.Warehousingprovidesanespeciallyusefulsettingforexaminingtheinteractionbetweenautomation,AI,operationalperformance,andenvironmentaloutcomes.

Overall,thesefourperspectivesallowthe2026studytomovebeyondaskingwhethersustainabilityremainsimportant.Instead,thereportexamineshowsustainabilityis

beinggoverned,whereitisbecomingembedded,howtechnologyischangingits

execution,andwhathappenswhenambitionmeetstheconstraintsofrealsupplychainsystems.

Nowinitsseventhyear,theStateofSupplyChainSustainabilitystudycontinuestotracktheevolutionofcorporatesustainabilitywhileexpandingitsfocustoreflecttheissuesincreasinglyshapingimplementationinpractice.

Thecentralquestionfor2026isthereforenolongersimplyoneofprogress,butwhetherorganizationscansustainanddeepenit.

Theremainderofthereportisstructuredasfollows.

TheMethodologyoutlinestheresearchapproachandcharacteristicsofthe2026surveysample.ThesectiontitledTwoGaps:HowGeopoliticsandGovernanceAreTestingCorporateSustainabilityexamineshoworganizationalstructuresandaccountabilitymechanismsshapethedepthandconsistencyofsustainabilityintegrationacrossorganizations.InthesectiontitledWhereSustainabilityLivesintheSupplyChain,weexplorethemostpressingsustainabilitychallengesorganizationsfaceintheirsupplychainoperations,wheresustainabilityconsiderationsaremostembedded,andthebusinessbenefitsorganizationsreportfromintegrationefforts.Scope3:MeasurementandCollaborationAreDeepeningexamineshoworganizationsareexpandingemissionstrackingacrossvaluechaincategories,thetoolstheyrelyon,andhowsupplierengagementandindustrycollaborationareevolving.

AIandSustainabilityassesseshoworganizationsareapproachingAIadoptioninthecontextoftheirsustainabilitygoalsandwhatadoptersreportintermsofimpact.AIUseinSupplyChains:OperationalandEmissionsImpactsexaminesthecurrentstateofAIautonomyacrosssupplychainfunctionsandwhatorganizationsreportintermsofoperationalperformanceandnetemissionsoutcomes.FreightTransportation:BroadEffort,NarrowProgressanalyzesthecurrentstateoffreightdecarbonization,includingregionaldivergence,theroleofpolicy,andwherenear-terminvestmentisheaded.Warehousing:Automated,Intelligent,andUsingMoreEnergyexaminestherelationshipbetweenwarehouseautomation,AIautonomy,andenergyandwasteoutcomes.ThereportcloseswithaConclusionsectionpresentingthekeyfindingsandtheirimplications.

Sevenyearsintothisresearch,commitment

tosustainabilityisnolongerwhatseparatesleadingorganizationsfromtherest—executionis.

IssueNo.0711

12StateofSupplyChainSustainability2026

METHODOLOGY

Thestudymapsthecurrentstateofcorporatesustainabilityacrosssectors,withparticularattentiontohowgeopoliticaltensionsandgovernanceshapesustainabilityintegration,howAIisbeingusedinsustainabilityandsupplychaindecisionmaking,andwhatthoseapplicationsmeanforoperationalandemissionsoutcomes.Italsoexaminesfreighttransportationandwarehousing,includingtheadoptionoflowemissionstechnologies,alternativefuels,automation,andAI.

WeconductedthesurveyfromFebruarytoApril2026asthelatestwaveofourmulti-yearStateofSupplyChainSustainabilitystudy.Thesurveycapturedstandardizedquantitativedatafromabroadpoolofprofessionalsinsupplychain,sustainability,operations,procurement,andlogistics,enablingcomparabilitywithpriorwaves.Usingpurposiveandsnowballsamplingthroughprofessionalassociations,theMITGlobalSCALENetwork,MITCTLpartnerlists,Qualtrics,andsocialmedia,wegathered1,810validresponsesfrom91countries.Eligibilityrequiredcurrentemploymentandexperiencewithsupplychainorsustainabilityactivities.Participationwasvoluntary,anonymous,andlimitedtooneresponseperindividual.Thesurvey,averaging45questions,wasofferedinEnglish,Spanish,French,SimplifiedChinese,andPortuguese.Itusedrole-basedquestionpathways,withrespondentsreceivingdifferentsetsofquestionsdependingontheirprofessionalfunction,includingsupplychain,logisticsandtransportation,sustainability,operations,andprocurement.Questionswerepresentedusingmultiplechoice,matrix,andLikertscaleformats(1–5).Inadditiontocapturingtherespondents’businessfunction,theextentoftheirinvolvementinsustainabilityinitiatives,andthegeographicallocationsoftheircompanies,thesurveyquestionsrevolvedaroundthefollowingfourmajorthemes:

FreightTransportation

andWarehouse

Automation

Sustainabilityinthe

SupplyChainandScope3

GeopoliticsandGovernance

AIandSustainability

IssueNo.07Oceaniawedonotfocusonthoseareasinthereport.13

1,810RESPONSES

91COUNTRIES

5LANGUAGES

RespondentCompanyLocation

BusinessSector

*topsectors

TransportationandWarehousingTechnologyandInformationServices Manufacturing-HeavyIndustry Manufacturing-ConsumerGoodsManufacturing-FoodandBeveragesWholesaleandRetail

Manufacturing-ChemicalsConstruction

FinanceandInsurance

32%Europe

9.5%

8.6%

8.5%

7.7%

7.5%

5.5%

5.2%

28%Asia

13.3%

13.3%

27%NorthAmerica

10%Central&South

AmericaandtheCaribbean

1%Oceania

2%Africa

1-9employees

10-49employees

50-499employees

Logistics,

Transportation&

Warehousing

19%

Operations/

Manufacturing

16%

RespondentRoles

Sustainability/ESG29%

SupplyChain

Operations

20%

Procurement/

Sourcing

9%

10,000+employees

500-9,999employees

Figure1:Demographicsofthe2026StateofSupplyChainSustainabilitySurvey.

DuetolowresponsecountsinCentralandSouthAmericaandtheCaribbean,Africaand

CompanySize

14StateofSupplyChainSustainability2026

TWOGAPS:

HOWGEOPOLITICSANDGOVERNANCEARE

TESTINGCORPORATESUSTAINABILITY

Corporatesustainabilitycommitmenthascontinuedtostrengthen,evenamidsignificantpolicyshiftsandeconomicuncertainty.Yetcommitmentalonedoesnotdetermineoutcomes.Thissectionexamineshoworganizationsarestructuredtogovernanddeliverontheirsustainabilitypriorities,andwheregapsbetweenstatedambitionandoperationalrealitypersist.Thefindingsmakeclearthatformalgovernancestructuresplayameaningfulroleinhowdeeplysustainabilitybecomesembeddedacrossanorganization,andthatexternalpressuresareincreasinglytestingtheresilienceofevenwell-establishedcommitments.

ResponsetoU.S.PolicyShiftsandGeopoliticalConflict

RecentshiftsinU.S.climatepolicyhavenotweakenedcorporatecommitmenttosustainability.Instead,amajorityofrespondentsreportbecomingmorecommittedfollowingPresidentTrump’sre-electionandtheU.S.withdrawalfromtheParisAgreement.AsshowninFigure2,approximately59%ofrespondentsindicatethattheirorganizationsaresomewhatorsignificantlymorecommitted,comparedwithonlyaround13%reportingreducedcommitment.

IssueNo.0715

SustainabilityIsRisinginImportance—butCorporateGovernanceHasYettoCatchUp

Thisshiftisalsovisibleacrossregions.Theshareofrespondentsreportinggreatercommitmentfrom2025to2026increasedfrom16%to64%inAsia,from13%to64%inEurope,andfrom11%to55%inNorthAmerica(Figure3).Thepatternholdsbroadlyacrosscarbon-footprintcategories,thoughhigher-footprintorganizationsreportsomewhatstrongerincreasesincommitment(Figure4).Thisisnotastoryofcompaniesquietlyholdingtheline.Itisastoryofactivereinforcement.Facedwithgreaterpolicyuncertainty,mostorganizationsconcludedthatsustainabilitywasmorecentraltolong-termresilience,notless.

40%

35%

30%

25%

20%

15%

10%

5%

0%

SignificantlylessSomewhatless

committedcommitted

Policyheadwindsaregrowing,butcorporate

commitmentisnotfading

Significantlymorecommitted

NochangeSomewhatmore

committed

Figure2.Changeincompanies’overallcommitmenttosustainabilityfollowingrecentU.S.climatepolicyshifts.

75%

NorthAmerica

11%55%

Europe

13%

Asia

16%

0%25%50%

64%

64%

20252026

Figure3.Shareofbusinessesreportinggreatersustainabilitycommitment,byregion,2025versus2026.

Figure5.Shareoforganizationsreportingthattariffuncertaintyhascompromisedsustainabilitystrategies.

16StateofSupplyChainSustainability2026

70%

60%

50%

40%

30%

20%

10%

0%

HighMediumLowOther

Carbonfootprintcategory

Figure4.Shareofbusinessesreportinggreatersustainabilitycommitment(somewhatandsignificantlymorecommittedare

combined),bycarbon-footprintcategory.

ButCommitmentIsNottheSameasCapacity

However,strongercommitmentdoesnotalwaystranslateintoimplementation.Approximately68%ofrespondentsreportthattariffsandthefrequentanduncertaintariffchangeshaveforcedtheirorganizationstodelay,scaleback,orcompromiseelementsoftheirsustainabilitystrategies(Figure5).Worse,thedisruptionisnotjustslowingprogress;insomecasesitisreversingit.

Tariffuncertaintyisforcingorganizationstocompromisesustainabilitystrategies

CARBONFOOTPRINT

HighMedium LowOther