An optimal supplier selection method for uncertain sustainable supply chains

This paper considers a sustainable supplier selection problem with uncertainty faced by a transportation authority. The buyer tends to choose the supplier who can maximise its sustainable objectives including economic, energy, and quality aspects. We study the changes of design and quality requirements, as well as the interactions of the variables in the public transport production industry that affect the supplier selection decision making. The multi-objective particle swarm optimisation (MOPSO) solution method is employed to solve the sustainable supplier selection problem under uncertainty. Based on the computational results, the proposed model can help the managers to reduce the supply chain risk of quality uncertainty and design uncertainty. Theoretically, we provide an initial model that incorporates sustainability into supplier selection for the transportation of products, taking into account design uncertainty and environmental dimension. Practically, we measure the impact of design indicator on procurement from the perspectives of operators and users. It can be beneficial to the application and the integration of sustainable supply chain management. [Submitted: 25 October 2021; Accepted: 24 February 2022]