The infusion of circular economy (CE) principles into supply chain management has garnered significant attention from both scholars and industry professionals. Quality management and Industry 4.0 (SCQM 4.0) have emerged as central themes due to their potential to elevate supply chain efficiency and sustainability. In pursuit of this goal, a thorough literature review is conducted, with a specific focus on quality management within circular supply chains, placing a significant emphasis on Industry 4.0 (I4.0) technologies. By analyzing 126 papers spanning from 1998 to 2023, this systematic review discerns prevailing trends, identifies research gaps, and charts future avenues for investigation. These results highlight the growing academic interest in utilizing I4.0 technology to improve quality control in circular supply chains. SCQM 4.0 is thus proposed to aid in a better comprehension of Supply Chain Quality Management 4.0, which incorporates infrastructure practices rooted in various disruptive technologies and supply chain operations that link with sustainable performance with three key metrics of input management, waste handling, and preservation concentrating solely on the environmental aspect. Based on this research, we offer a four-tiered SCQM 4.0 practice path to achieve a CE.

Purpose: The manufacturing investment shift from developed countries to emerging and developing regions creates further needs for identifying appropriate green certification strategies. This study proposes that alignments between green certification practices (GCRs) and process innovation (PIN) could help identify appropriate strategies that national economic development can influence. Design/methodology/approach: Drawing on the diffusion of innovation theories, this study proposed a taxonomy to examine whether sustainable performance differs depending on the levels of alignment and the role of national economic development. The study uses an empirical survey approach to highlight alignments between GCRs and PIN among developed, developing and emerging economic nations, addressing resource allocation for the world's sustainable development goals (SDGs). Findings: Manufacturers need to align PIN practices with the level of green certification to achieve sustainable performance. Manufacturers experiencing higher payoffs from various improvements successfully align in GCR and PIN. The alignment between these two concepts can derive different taxonomies, which highlight performance and managerial implications for manufacturers. The manufacturers followed three distinct typologies: minimalist, process active and proactive. Besides, building on the theory of performance frontiers, the findings indicated that manufacturers in developing and emerging economies placed the most substantial GCR effort compared to their counterparts in developed nations. Manufacturers in developed countries are increasingly reaching the “diminishing points” and investing limited resources in GCR just enough to keep their competitive positioning as order qualifiers rather than order winners. Developing economies are catching up very quickly in attaining GCRs and business performance. Research limitations/implications: This insight is essential for managers to adapt to nations' economic development conditions and appropriately and effectively align resources. Practical implications: The findings offer a decision-making process and provide straightforward guidelines for supply chain managers' green certification adoption. Originality/value: In including both PIN and green certification, this paper adds greater comprehensiveness and richness to the supply chain literature.

Purpose: This study pioneers an investigation into how Supply Chain Quality Management 4.0 (SCQM4.0), defined as the novel integration of cutting-edge Industry 4.0 technologies with established supply chain and quality management principles, can holistically enhance sustainable performance across crucial economic, carbon neutrality and social dimensions. Focusing on Vietnam’s vibrant and strategically significant garment industry, this research aims to provide unprecedented empirical insights into how enterprises in a developing economy can effectively leverage this advanced digital transformation for both carbon neutrality and broader socioeconomic sustainability, addressing a significant void in current literature on this integrated approach. Design/methodology/approach: Grounded in the technology-organization-environment framework, this study adopts a quantitative approach using structural equation modelling based on data from 195 garment enterprises in Vietnam. The analysis examines the influence of internal (e.g. top management support, workforce skills and IT infrastructure) and external (e.g. supply chain integration) SCQM4.0 enablers on sustainable performance. Findings: The study demonstrates that top management support, human resource competencies, IT infrastructure and supply chain integration are critical enablers of sustainable performance within the context of SCQM4.0. Conversely, both technological awareness and vertical information sharing exhibit only limited direct influence on sustainability outcomes. These results highlight the importance of a systemic and integrated enterprise information management approach to effectively drive carbon neutrality and socioeconomic sustainability. The proposed model accounts for 56% of the variance in sustainable performance, underscoring its explanatory power and practical relevance. Originality/value: This research stands out as one of the initial empirical assessments to explore the multi-dimensional impacts of SCQM4.0 on sustainability within a developing economy context, specifically Vietnam's garment industry. It significantly extends existing literature by rigorously examining how established relationships between various SCQM4.0 enablers and sustainable performance outcomes manifest within this novel, integrated framework and specific industrial context. By offering a comprehensive view of SCQM4.0 and its real-world application through integrated enterprise information systems, the study’s findings yield actionable strategies for decision-makers to design highly effective, sustainability-driven digital transformation initiatives that align with both business objectives and critical societal goals.