This paper presents a literature review about the application of blockchain-based systems in transportation. The main aim was to identify, through the implementation of a multi-step methodology: current research-trends, main gaps in the literature, and possible future challenges. First, a bibliometric analysis was carried out to obtain a broad overview of the topic of interest. Subsequently, the most influential contributions were analysed in depth, with reference to the following two areas: supply chain and logistics; road traffic management and smart cities. The most important result is that the blockchain technology is still in an early stage, but appears extremely promising, given its possible applications within multiple fields, such as food track and trace, regulatory compliance, smart vehicles’ security, and supply-demand matching. Much effort is still necessary for reaching the maturation stage because several models have been theorized in recent years, but very few have been implemented within real contexts. Moreover, the link blockchain-sustainability was explored, showing that this technology could be the trigger for limiting food waste, reducing exhaust gas emissions, favouring correct urban development, and, in general, improving quality of life.

In recent years, interest in economic, environmental and social sustainability has increased significantly. Companies are gradually adopting behaviors aimed at achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, which represent a crucial aspect of the 2030 Agenda. In practice, they are currently incorporating organizational strategies that jointly consider environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG), with the aim of generating value for all stakeholders. This paper aims to review, through a recognized seven-step procedure, the current literature on the impact that ESG practices have in industry, with a focus on the reduction of carbon emissions. The results are extremely useful for both researchers and entrepreneurs. The bibliometric analysis shows that interest in the ESG paradigm has grown considerably in the last three years. Furthermore, through the analysis of 13 key documents, it emerges that (i) the European community is pushing significantly towards the adoption of ESG practices through new regulations, (ii) the link between industrial operations and carbon emissions can no longer be neglected within the factory of the future, and (iii) significant efforts are still needed to standardize, in terms of variables and KPIs, the adoption of ESG-centric strategies.