What is required for greener supplier selection? A literature review and conceptual model development

•This article is a systematic review of the literature on green supplier selection (GSS) between 1991 and 2011.•Analytical research which relies on mathematical decision models for the final selection stage is most dominant.•A conceptual model, based on the literature review, indicates key dimensions of GSS: strategic alignment, decision-making tools, supplier selection process, and supply chain context.•We argue that future research on green supplier selection requires addressing the interrelationship between the four dimensions.

This paper examines the existing literature on green supplier selection. In total, 60 articles are reviewed, all published in peer-reviewed journals between 1991 and 2011. The articles are analyzed in terms of several general variables such as type of research and theoretical viewpoint, as well as more specific variables such as the supply chain position considered, stages of the supplier selection process studied, and the perspective taken on environmental criteria. The main findings are threefold. First, analytical research, focusing on developing normative decision models for the final stage in green supplier selection is clearly most dominant, employing a wide range of techniques. Second, empirical research is less prominent and generally lacks a clear theoretical background. Third, very little conceptual research has been done linking green supplier selection to an organization's strategy. Research on green supplier selection is highly fragmented and in danger of overemphasizing the technical aspects of supplier selection. Based on this review of the articles, a conceptual model of green supplier selection is presented, aimed at integrating the different dimensions of green supplier selection and identifying directions for future research.