Resumo

The promotion of sustainable consumption and production in the production chain is heavily dependent on the implementation of socially responsible supply chains (Villena and Gioia, 2020). One crucial aspect of this is the adoption of socially responsible supplier selection (SRSS) (Tondolo et al., 2023). By prioritizing SRSS, companies can form business relationships with suppliers who demonstrate a strong commitment to social responsibility, as noted by (Govindan et al., 2018). Failing to do so may potentially harm a company's reputation (Chen et al., 2018).

Our maim question is: what are the effects of a company's social sustainability orientation and stakeholder pressure on the decision-making process of managers with regard to the adoption of socially responsible supplier selection as an organizational practice? Our purpose is to examine the effects of external factors, such as stakeholder pressure, and internal factors, such as a company's orientation towards social sustainability in shaping managers' intentions with regard to implementing socially responsible supplier selection.

Our research is dedicated to studying the social aspect of sustainability within the supply chain, which is commonly referred to as socially responsible supply chain management (SRSCM) (Hoejmose et al., 2013). SRSCM entails incorporating social considerations into the supply chain, encompassing internal company practices as well as external initiatives such as philanthropy and community actions (Thomas et al., 2021).

This study employed a 2 x 2 full-factorial (combining between and within-subjects), scenario-based, role-playing experiment. Subjects in the study were UK, US, and Brazilian managers familiar with purchasing/supply chain topics. The hypotheses were tested using linear regression models.

The results of our study indicate that a company's focus on social sustainability has a notable and beneficial impact on managers' inclination to adopt socially responsible supplier selection. Furthermore, our findings demonstrate that when a company faces external pressure to prioritize social responsibility, the influence of a socially sustainable orientation on managers' intentions to implement socially responsible supplier selection becomes even stronger.

The results of this study can be valuable for managers as they develop plans for incorporating socially responsible supplier selection. Further research can expand on these findings by investigating how effectively social sustainability can be integrated into company strategies, ensuring social compliance throughout the supply chain and meeting stakeholder expectations for social responsibility. It should be noted, however, that the sample size in this study is limited to three countries that are under legislative pressure to adopt sustainable supply chain practices.

Tondolo, R. da R. P., Santos, J. B., Tondolo, V. A. G., & Paiva, E. (2023). Information Transparency, Location, and Stakeholder Pressure on the Socially Responsible Partner Selection. Journal of Contemporary Administration, 27(2), e21029. https://doi.org/10.1590/1982-7849rac2023210290.en Villena, V. H., & Gioia, D. A. (2020). A more sustainable supply chain. Harvard Business