Performance assessment of Iranian petrochemical companies using sustainable excellence model

•We develop a H3SE performance excellence model in hazardous industries.•Model was assessed in 21 Iranian petrochemical companies.•Model validity were tested by three multiple attribute decision making approaches (classical, TOPSIS and PROMETHEE).•Convergence of rankings has been evaluated.

Performance assessment of Iranian petrochemical companies based on the H3SE performance excellence model is the purpose of this paper. Reaching this goal, different aspects of the sustainable excellence model and its indices have been introduced, and through Multiple Attribute Decision-Making (MADM) approaches, Iranian petrochemical companies were assessed and ranked. Since the results of MADM are not panacea for all decision making problems and the questionnaire self-assessment approach is not rigorous enough, different techniques have been involved for compensation. In the following, the convergence of MADM rankings has been compared. The findings signify that processes management, leadership, social environmental accountability and staff results are of relative importance in H3SE performance assessment. Moreover, Ethylene Gharb, Zagros, and Bandar Imam companies have the highest rankings. Finally, ranking sensitivity was analyzed. Since the data were collected through questionnaire self-assessment approach, the reliability of this assessment may be doubted.