The sustainability of agri-food supply chains is particularly relevant for global sustainable development. Many existing food production systems do more harm than good. They compromise the natural rhythms of the Earth, introduce toxins, and therefore sacrifice future capability for current demands - the opposite of sustainable development norms. The existing system is also unbalanced with respect to its capacity to produce, the amount of waste it generates, the number of people who suffer from hunger, and the nutritional value it provides. Most of the current supply chains have been developed...

This book is intended as a tribute to Gianluca Spina, the influential and inspiring Professor of Business Management & Organization and Supply Chain Management at the School of Management of Politecnico di Milano, who very sadly passed away early in 2015. It brings together seven of his most important papers, published in renowned international journals, and supplements these papers with insightful commentaries from friends and colleagues who highlight key messages and values of enduring validity. The selected papers offer a clear sense of Spina s research journey over the years and cover the...