German Institute for Global and Area Studies | Leibniz-Institut für Globale und Regionale Studien

German Institute for Global and Area Studies | Leibniz-Institut für Globale und Regionale Studien

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Research Network Sustainable Global Supply Chains

  • The aim of the research network is to contribute to the sustainability of global supply chains through research. It initiates new research, pools the expertise of leading scientists around the world and makes new findings accessible for political decision-makers and other stakeholders. The network is hosted by a consortium of the German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS) , the GIGA, the Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW) and the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP).
    BMZ, 2020-2025

    Cooperation Partners

    Head

    Prof. Dr. Jann Lay

    Lead Research Fellow / Head of Research Programme "Globalisation and Development"

    Tevin Tafese

    Doctoral Researcher

    Website of the Research Network

    Research Questions

    - How can and should global value chains be designed to achieve sustainability?
    - How can standards and due diligence be agreed upon and turned into binding commitments in a transnational framework?
    - What effects do sustainability standards have on trade and investment flows, on income levels and distribution, on the environment, on participation, on human rights, etc.?

    Contribution to International Research

    A large part of global value creation takes place in global supply chains. These are characterized by specialization of firms in multiple countries in distinct production stages and by their inter-firm relations. Global supply chains affect economies, societies and the environment in many ways. Whether they comply with labour, human rights and environmental standards and to what extent technologies and profits are shared depends on lead firms, but also government regulation and involvement of other stakeholders.

    Research Design and Methods

    Designing and governing global supply chains in a sustainable way thus requires a detailed understanding of their structures and involves actors as well as policies affecting them.

    Project Publications

    Journal of Development Economics | 2025

    From Fields to Factories: Special Economic Zones, Foreign Direct Investment, and Labour Markets in Vietnam

    Vietnam's remarkable integration into global value chains (GVCs) has been fueled by the expansion of over 300 Special Economic Zones (SEZs)—and this paper sheds light on their true and overall very positive impact on local labor markets.

    Tevin Tafese

    Prof. Dr. Jann Lay

    Van Tran

    World Development | 2025

    The Empirics of and Policies for Sustainability in Global Value Chains

    How to make supply chains more sustainable? To find answers to this question, we brought together new research on "The Empirics of and Policies for Sustainability in Global Value Chains" in this special issue in World Development, jointly edited with Stefan Pahl (UNIDO) and Rainer Thiele (Kiel Institute for the World Economy). This is the editorial.

    Prof. Dr. Jann Lay

    Dr. Stefan Pahl

    Rainer Thiele

    GIGA Focus Africa | 6/2023

    Africa’s Marginal Role in Germany’s First National Security Strategy

    Africa barely features in Germany’s first National Security Strategy even though the coup in Niger once again demonstrated the continent’s importance for German foreign and security policy. Nonetheless, the strategy document provides important topical impetus for future partnerships with Africa.

    Dr. Julia Grauvogel

    Acting Director of the GIGA Institute for African Affairs / Research Team Spokesperson

    GIGA Working Papers | 11/2023

    From Fields to Factories: Special Economic Zones, Foreign Direct Investment, and Labour Markets in Vietnam

    The local labour-market impacts of special economic zones in Vietnam are examined. SEZs have led to a rapid shift in employment from agriculture and services to manufacturing, accompanied by wage increases and more formal employment, as benefitting most women and less educated younger individuals.

    Tevin Tafese

    Prof. Dr. Jann Lay

    Van Tran

    World Development | 09/2023

    Global Value Chains and Firms’ Environmental Performance

    This paper analyzes the link global value chains (GVCs) and firms’ environmental performance. It shows that firms that enter GVCs perform better across several environmental indicators. To make sure that these improvements in production and compliance materialize, proper environmental regulation plays a crucial role.

    Samuel Siewers

    Prof. Ph.D. Inmaculada Martínez-Zarzoso

    Prof. Leila Baghdadi

    Related Content

    (De)Globalisierung und Entwicklung: Chancen und Risiken für den Globalen Süden

    Conference | 12/06/2023

    (De)Globalisierung und Entwicklung: Chancen und Risiken für den Globalen Süden

    Demokratiekrise, Migration, De-Globalisierung - Gesellschaft im Wandel, Schloss Herrhausen, Hannover Organisers: Volkswagen Foundation Prof. Dr. Jann Lay (Consultant)

    Prof. Dr. Jann Lay

    Lead Research Fellow / Head of Research Programme "Globalisation and Development"

    Sustainability in Global Value Chains

    Cooperation Event | 06/12/2021 - 07/12/2021

    Sustainability in Global Value Chains

    Sustainability in Global Value Chains Organisers: United Nations Industrial Development Organization, Kiel Institute for the World Economy, Kiel Centre for Globalization, German Institute for Global and Area Studies (GIGA), German Development Institute Prof. Dr. Jann Lay (Moderator)

    Prof. Dr. Jann Lay

    Lead Research Fellow / Head of Research Programme "Globalisation and Development"

    Sustainability in Global Value Chains

    Cooperation Event | 06/12/2021 - 07/12/2021

    Sustainability in Global Value Chains

    Sustainability in Global Value Chains Organisers: United Nations Industrial Development Organization, Kiel Institute for the World Economy, Kiel Centre for Globalization, German Institute for Global and Area Studies (GIGA), German Development Institute Prof. Dr. Jann Lay (Chair)

    Prof. Dr. Jann Lay

    Lead Research Fellow / Head of Research Programme "Globalisation and Development"

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