Blockchain technology and socially sustainable supply chains—A valuation perspective

Blockchain technology, the distributed electronic ledger-based information technology, is disrupting business practices. Consensus capabilities and characteristics of blockchain technology include transparency-traceability of information, immutable and reliable information, smart contracts, and incentivization mechanisms. Global interest in blockchain technology continues to increase across sectors including governments, corporations and industry, civil society, and communities. This chapter explores the blockchain interrelationship with social sustainability and supply chains. It introduces the integration of these concepts to improve organizations and their supply chains. We also introduce how valuation—using economic market and non-market valuation—relates and can support to these major integrated issues. The combination of these topics can aid researchers, policymakers, and practitioners while contributing to strategic organizational and supply chain justification, performance measurement, and sustainability. This chapter will address a critical concern of sustainability valuation and blockchain technology; how they relate. Areas for future research are also described.