The most prominent environmental criteria for sustainable supplier selection

Abstract

Competitiveness is widely acknowledged as a fundamental determinant of organisational success, as it reflects the essential elements required for effective operations and sustained profitability. This paper addresses the challenge of achieving competitiveness through the selection of sustainable suppliers in business procurement processes. The primary objective of the study was to identify the most prominent environmental competitiveness criteria relevant to sustainable supplier selection (SSS). Furthermore, the paper aims to provide recommendations to guide enterprises in integrating these criteria into procurement strategies. Although the literature emphasises the importance of SSS, limited attention has been given to specifying environmental sustainability criteria and developing quantifiable approaches for their evaluation. To address this gap, a quantitative study was conducted within the South African manufacturing industry. The findings reveal that “Design for Environment” emerged as the most influential environmental criterion for SSS. The study contributes to both theory and practice by offering a structured understanding of environmental competitiveness in supplier evaluation, thereby supporting organisations in developing robust, sustainability-oriented procurement frameworks aligned with long-term economic and environmental objectives.