Green Supplier Selection Criteria: From a Literature Review to a Flexible Framework for Determination of Suitable Criteria

Abstract

Green supplier selection (GSS) criteria arise from an organization inclination to respond to any existing trends in environmental issues related to business management and processes, so GSS is integrating environmental thinking into conventional supplier selection. This research is designed to determine prevalent general and environmental supplier selection criteria and develop a framework which can help decision makers to determine and prioritize suitable green supplier selection criteria (general and environmental). In this research we considered several parameters (evaluation objectives) to establish suitable criteria for GSS such as their production type, requirements, policy and objectives instead of applying common criteria. At first a comprehensive and deep review on prevalent and green supplier selection literatures performed. Then several evaluation objectives defined to assess the green supplier selection criteria include: frequency, compatibility, quantifiable, easy to understand and assessment. By developed framework suitable criteria can be selected using multi attribute decision making methods. The main contribution of this research is developing a framework to help managers for creating their green supplier criteria list.

Appendices

Appendix 1: Frequency of general supplier selection criteria based on review chapters

No.	Criterion	Dickson (1966)	Weber et al. (1991) (1966–1990)	Cheraghi et al. (2004) (1966–2001)	Ho et al. (2010) (2000–2008)	Thiruchelvam and Tookey (2011) (1966–2010)
		Mean rating	Number of articles	Number of articles	Number of articles	Number of articles
1	Quality	3.508	40	71	68	108
2	Delivery	3.417	44	75	64	111
3	Performance history	2.998	7	11	NA	21
4	Warranties and claim policies	2.849	0	1	NA	6
5	Production facilities and capacity	2.775	23	35	NA	55
6	Price	2.758	61	81	63	118
7	Technical capability	2.545	15	30	25	54
8	Financial position	2.514	7	15	23	32
9	Procedural compliance	2.488	2	4	NA	4
10	Communication system	2.426	2	7	NA	14
11	Reputation and its position in industry	2.412	8	10	3	18
12	Desire for business	2.256	1	2	NA	4
13	Management and organization	2.216	10	17	25	39
14	Operating controls	2.211	3	5	NA	5
15	Repair service	2.187	7	18	NA	29
16	Attitude	2.120	6	14	NA	20
17	Impression	2.054	2	6	NA	10
18	Packaging ability	2.009	3	5	NA	9
19	Labor relation record	2.003	2	4	NA	10
20	Geographical location	1.872	16	17	NA	29
21	Amount of past business	1.597	1	1	NA	3
22	Training aids	1.537	2	3	NA	3
23	Reciprocal arrangements	0.610	2	5	NA	5
24	Manufacturing capability	NA	NA	NA	39	NA
25	Service	NA	NA	NA	35	NA
26	Research and development	NA	NA	NA	24	NA
27	Flexibility	NA	NA	NA	18	19
28	Risk	NA	NA	NA	3	NA
29	Safety and environment	NA	NA	NA	3	NA
30	Reliability	NA	NA	NA	NA	11
31	Process improvement	NA	NA	NA	NA	12
32	Product development	NA	NA	NA	NA	19
33	Environmental and social responsibility	NA	NA	NA	NA	9
34	Occupational safety and health	NA	NA	NA	NA	4
35	Integrity	NA	NA	NA	NA	5
36	Professionalism	NA	NA	NA	NA	4
37	JIT	NA	NA	NA	NA	5
38	Commitment	NA	NA	NA	NA	9
39	Economy situation	NA	NA	NA	NA	1
40	Long-term relationship	NA	NA	NA	NA	4
41	Political situation	NA	NA	NA	NA	2

Appendix 2: Frequency of environmental criteria based on reviewing GSS chapters

No.	Environmental criterion	Govindan et al. (2013) (1996–2011)	Frequency (current research)	References
1	Adherence to environmental policies	1	1	Awasthi et al. (2010)
2	Air emission	NA	1	Chiou et al. (2011)
3	Air pollution treatment cost	1	1	Yeh and Chuang (2011)
4	Alternative green supply chain systems, project, practices, etc.	2	2	Buyukozkan and Cifci (2011, 2012)
5	Cleaner production	1	1	Chen et al. (2010)
6	CO2 management competencies	NA	1	Theiben and Spinler (2014)
7	Carbon risk assessment	NA	2	(Hsu and Hu 2009; Hsu et al. 2011)
8	Carbon policy	NA	2	(Hashemi et al. 2013; Hsu and Hu 2009)
9	Carbon accounting and inventory	NA	3	(Hashemi et al. 2013; Hsu and Hu 2009; Hsu et al. 2011)
10	Carbon reduction targets	NA	2	(Hsu and Hu 2009; Hsu et al. 2011)
11	Carbon governance	NA	3	(Hashemi et al. 2013; Hsu and Hu 2009; Hsu et al. 2011)
12	Carbon disclosure and report	NA	2	(Hsu and Hu 2009; Hsu et al. 2011)
13	Carbon emission verification	NA	3	(Hashemi et al. 2013; Hsu and Hu 2009; Zhang et al. 2013)
14	Carbon policy	NA	1	Hsu et al. (2011)
15	Carbon footprint	1	2	(Kumar and Jain 2010; Kumar et al. 2014)
16	Commitment of GSCM from managers	NA	1	Shen et al. (2013)
17	Current environmental efficiency	2	2	(Noci 1997; Grisi et al. 2010)
18	Design for environment	3	5	(Awasthi et al. 2010; Humphreys et al. 2006; Humphreys et al. 2003a, b; Torng and Tseng 2013)
19	Eco-design	1	2	(Hong-Jun and Bin 2010; Shen et al. 2013)
20	Environmental and legislative management	NA	1	Tuzkaya et al. (2009)
21	Environmental management system	11	20	(Amindoust et al. 2012; Azadnia et al. 2012; Chen et al. 2010; Chiou et al. 2008, 2011; Grisi et al. 2010; Hsu et al. 2013; Humphreys et al. 2006, 2003a, b; Kannan et al. 2013; Kuo et al. 2010; Lee et al. 2009; Li and Zhao 2009; Shen et al. 2013; Thangchattu and Siripokapirom 2010; Torng and Tseng 2013; Wittstruck and Teueberg 2011; Yan 2009; Zhang et al. 2003)
22	Environmental policies	1	1	Awasthi et al. (2010)
23	Environment protection	1	4	(Hsu et al. 2011; Kannan et al. 2013; Ma and Liu 2011; Yang and Wu 2008)
24	Environmental authentication	2	2	(Awasthi et al. 2010; Hong-Jun and Bin 2010)
25	Environmental commitment	1	1	Large and Thomsen (2011)
26	Environmental competences	3	6	(Amindoust et al. 2012; Grisi et al. 2010; Humphreys et al. 2006, 2003b; Kannan et al. 2014)
27	Environmental criteria	1	1	Lu et al. (2007)
28	Environmental impacts	NA	1	Boosothonsatit et al. (2012)
29	Environmental issues	1	1	Kuo et al. (2010)
30	Environmental performance	3	5	(Chiou et al. 2008, 2011; Feyziogelu and Büyüközkan 2010; Large and Thomsen 2011; Theiben and Spinler 2014)
31	Environmental Programs at the supplier’s facilities	1	1	Handfield et al. (2002)
32	Environmental friendly product design	NA	1	Azadina et al. (2012)
33	Environmental permits and reporting	NA	1	Chiou et al. (2011)
34	Environmental friendship	NA	1	Ying-tuo Yang (2011)
35	Environmental improvement costs	2	5	(Govindan et al. 2013; Humphreys et al. 2006, 2003a, b; Tuzkaya et al. 2009)
36	Greenhouse gas emissions	NA	1	Shaw et al. (2012)
37	Green product performance	1	1	Wen and Chi (2010)
38	Green collaboration with suppliers	1	1	Large and Thomsen (2011)
39	Green competencies	3	4	(Büyüközkan and Cifci 2010; Chiou et al. 2008; Lee et al. 2009; Noci 1997)
40	Green design	1	3	(Chen et al. 2010; Hsu and Hu 2008; Lee et al. 2009)
41	Green image	4	8	(Cheraghi et al. 2004; Grisi et al. 2010; Humphreys et al. 2006, 2003a; Kannan et al. 2013; Lee et al. 2009; Shen et al. 2013; Tuzkaya et al. 2009; Wen and Chi 2010)
42	Green knowledge transfer	1	1	Bai and Sarkis (2010)
43	Green logistics dimension	2	3	Buyukozkan and Cifci (2011, 2012, 2010)
44	Green management system	1	1	Wen and Chi (2010)
45	Green managerial innovation	1	2	(Awasthi et al. 2010; Chiou et al. 2011)
46	Green process management	NA	1	Tuzkaya et al. (2009)
47	Green market share	1	1	Awasthi et al. (2010)
48	Green process innovation	NA	1	Chiou et al. (2011)
49	Green organizational activities dimension	2	3	Buyukozkan and Cifci (2011, 2012, 2010)
50	Green product	1	2	(Kannan et al. 2013; Lee et al. 2009)
51	Green innovation	NA	1	Kannan et al. (2013)
52	Green product innovation	1	1	Chiou et al. (2011)
53	Green projects partnership	1	1	Vachon and Klassen (2006)
54	Green purchasing	1	1	Chen et al. ( 2010)
55	Green R&D projects	1	1	Awasthi et al. (2010)
56	Green supplier assessment	1	1	Large and Thomsen (2011)
57	Greening the supplier	1	1	Chiou et al. (2011)
58	Hazardous substance management	NA	4	(Chiou et al. 2011; Kannan et al. 2013; Torng and Tseng 2013; Zhang et al. 2013)
59	Internal green production plan	1	1	Chen et al. (2010)
60	Involvement in initiatives for carbon management	NA	2	(Hsu and Hu 2009; Hsu et al. 2011)
61	ISO 14000	1	2	(Chen et al. 2010; Thangchattu and Siripokapirom 2010)
62	Labeling/certification	1	1	Handfield et al. (2002)
63	Life cycle assessment	1	1	Chen et al. (2010)
64	Life cycle management	NA	2	(Hsu and Hu 2009; Hsu et al. 2011)
65	Management systems of carbon information	NA	1	Hsu and Hu (2009)
66	Measure of carbon management	NA	4	(Chiou et al. 2011; Hashemi et al. 2013; Hsu and Hu 2009; Hsu et al. 2011)
67	Outside environmental management	1	1	Hong-Jun and Bin (2010)
68	Packaging/reverse logistic	1	1	Handfield et al. (2002)
69	Partnership with green organization	1	1	Awasthi et al. (2010)
70	Pollution production	NA	1	(Shen et al. 2013)
71	Pollution	NA	1	Azadina et al. (2012)
72	Pollution preventation	NA	1	Chiou et al. (2011)
73	Pollution control	1	4	(Kannan et al. 2013; Lee et al. 2009; Tuzkaya et al. 2009; Yan 2009)
74	Pollution Control initiatives	1	1	Awasthi et al. (2010)
75	Purchasing’s environmental capabilities	1	1	Large and Thomsen (2011)
76	R&D green product	1	1	Chen et al. (2010)
77	Resource reduction	NA	2	(Chiou et al. 2011; Torng and Tseng 2013)
78	Resource consumption	NA	2	(Shen et al. 2013; Torng and Tseng 2013)
79	Recycle	1	2	(Bala et al. 2008; Wittstruck and Teueberg 2011)
80	Reuse	1	1	Yan (2009)
81	Social responsibility and environmental competencies	1	2	Buyukozkan and Cifci (2011, 2012)
82	Staff environmental training	1	2	(Awasthi et al. 2010; Shen et al. 2013)
83	Supplier’s green image	2	2	(Noci 1997; Wen and Chi 2010)
84	Training related to carbon management	NA	2	(Hsu and Hu 2009; Hsu et al. 2011)
85	Total product life cycle cost	NA	1	Lee et al. (2009)
86	Distance	NA	1	Kumar et al. (2014)
87	Transportation time	NA	1	Yeh and Chuang (2011)
88	Use of environmental friendly material	NA	2	(Awasthi et al. 2010; Shen et al. 2013)
89	Use environment friendly technology	NA	2	(Awasthi et al. 2010; Shen et al. 2013)
90	Waste management	NA	1	Handfield et al. (2002)
91	Waste water and solid waste	NA	1	Chiou et al. (2011)
92	Waste recovery disposal	NA	1	Yan (2009)