Abstract
Global perishable supply chains face acute sustainability challenges such as high waste, significant environmental footprints, and a lack of transparency. This study investigates how blockchain-enabled transparency can be operationalised to embed sustainability assessment and decision-making into supply chain operations. We propose a multi-layered conceptual framework integrating perspectives from sustainability transition theory, stakeholder and agency theories, and sustainable supply chain management. Based on a qualitative study of industry stakeholders, we explore current practices, perceptions of transparency technologies, and barriers to sustainable decision-making. The findings highlight that blockchain-based traceability, by providing real-time shared data, could help reduce spoilage and carbon emissions while maintaining operational performance, thereby aligning day-to-day decisions with sustainability goals. We introduce the notion of operationalised transparency to describe this integration of transparent information into operational workflows. The study offers a novel qualitative framework that bridges information governance with practical decision processes, presenting a concrete approach to embed sustainability considerations into perishable supply chain operations.