Integrating Triple Bottom Line in Sustainable Chemical Supplier Selection: A Compromise Decision-Making-Based Spherical Fuzzy Approach

Abstract

As a consequence of increased awareness of environmental preservation and the associated rigorous regulations, the adoption of sustainable practices has become a crucial element for corporate organizations in regard to their supply chains. In the chemical industry, which is characterized by high risks, high pollution, and high efficiency, these characteristics can help businesses analyze their long-term development and sustainability. The goal of this research is to analyze and choose possible suppliers based on their sustainability performance in the chemical sector. A methodology based on multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) is proposed for this evaluation, using spherical fuzzy analytical hierarchy process (SF-AHP) and combined compromise solution (CoCoSo) methods, in which the novel spherical fuzzy sets theory is employed to present the ambiguous linguistic preferences of experts. In the first stage, an evaluation criteria system is identified through literature review and experts’ opinions. The SF-AHP is used to determine the criteria weights, while the CoCoSo method is utilized to select the right sustainable supplier. A case study in the chemical industry in Vietnam is presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach. From the SF-AHP findings, “equipment system and technology capability”, “flexibility and reliability”, “logistics cost”, “green materials and technologies”, and “on-time delivery” were ranked as the five most important criteria. From the CoCoSo analysis, Vietnam National Chemical Group (CHE-05) was found to be the best supplier. A sensitivity study and a comparison analysis of methods were also conducted to verify the robustness of the proposed model, and the priority rankings of the best suppliers were very similar. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study that has proposed SF-AHP and CoCoSo to prioritize SSS evaluation criteria and determine the best alternatives. The suggested method and findings can be used to make well-informed decisions that help businesses to achieve supply chain sustainability, capture opportunities, and maintain competitiveness through reconfiguring resources. The method could be useful for case studies in other countries and for other sustainability problems.

Can suppliers be sustainable in construction supply chains? Evidence from a construction company using best worst approach

“…In a study involving uncertainty in the supplier selection process fuzzy AHP was used to calculate the criteria weights and interval VIseKriterijumska Optimizacija I Kompromisno Resenje (VIKOR) was used in the ranking of suppliers (Zandkarimkhani et al, 2022). An innovative method based on spherical fuzzy AHP and CoCoSo was employed in the supplier selection in the chemical industry (Wang et al, 2022).…”

“…, 2022). An innovative method based on spherical fuzzy AHP and CoCoSo was employed in the supplier selection in the chemical industry (Wang et al. , 2022).…”

Sustainable Supplier Selection through Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) Approach: A Bibliometric Analysis

“…Wang's work reflects a deep commitment to exploring and advancing sustainable selection methods in the context of suppliers. Through the extensive body of research authored by Wang, it is evident that they have made significant strides in understanding and implementing the MCDM approach for sustainable supplier selection [5,18,[46][47][48][49][50][51][52]. Wang et al promoted the use of a thorough fuzzy multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) method that considers both environmental and economic factors while choosing and evaluating green suppliers.…”

Green Supply Chain Optimization Based on Two-Stage Heuristic Algorithm

“…They conducted experiments using a real dataset from the Canadian meat industry to validate their approach. Aiming at the supplier selection problem of chemical enterprises, Wang et al [25] proposed a kind of spherical fuzzy analytic hierarchy process based on compromise decisions, which can help enterprises realize the sustainability of the supply chain. Tirkolaee et al [26] considered three levels of the supply chain: suppliers, central warehouses, and retailers.…”