Sustainability in supply chain management: using drawings to understand undergraduates' perceptions of sustainability

PurposeThis paper presents an interpretation of freehand drawings produced by supply chain management undergraduates in response to the question: "What is sustainability?" Having to explain sustainability pictorially forced students to distill what the essence of sustainability meant to them and provided insights into how they perceived sustainability and their roles in achieving sustainability in the context of supply chain management.Design/methodology/approachStudents were asked to draw and answer the question "What is sustainability?" These drawings were discussed/interpreted in class. All drawings were initially examined quantitatively, before a sample of four were selected for presentation here.FindingsFreehand drawing can be used as part of a critical pedagogy to create a visual representation to bypass cognitive verbal processing routes. This allows students to produce clear, more critical and inclusive images of their understanding of a topic regardless of their vocabulary.Practical implicationsThe authors offer this as a model for educators seeking alternative methods for engaging with sustainability and for creating a learning environment where students can develop their capacity for critical self-reflection.Originality/valueThis study shows how a collaborative learning experience facilitates learners demonstrating their level of understanding of sustainability.Peer reviewThe peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/IJSE-11-2022-0718