Integrating transparency and circular economy principles into data-driven agrifood supply chains for environmental management

Data-driven supply chain management capabilities enhance supply chain performance by providing insights, analyses, and predictions. However, the mechanisms through which data-driven supply chain management capabilities enhance the sustainability of agro-processing firms' supply chains remain insufficiently explored. This study, grounded in organizational information processing theory, investigates the relationship between datadriven supply chain management capabilities and sustainable supply chain performance. Survey data from 249 Chinese agro-process firms were analyzed using structural equation modeling, confirming that data-driven supply chain management capabilities significantly boost supply chain performance and transparency. Supply chain transparency mediates the relationship between data-driven supply chain management capabilities and sustainable supply chain performance, while circular economy thinking further amplifies this effect. This study extends organizational information processing theory by demonstrating how data-driven supply chain management capabilities can enhance sustainability in agro-processing firms through improved transparency and the integration of circular economy thinking. For practitioners, the findings highlight how strategically leveraging data-driven supply chain management capabilities and transparency, supported by circular economy thinking, can drive sustainable performance, offering a clear pathway for enhancing sustainability in agricultural supply chains.