Analysis of sustainability drivers among suppliers of Iranian Gas Engineering and Development Company

Abstract

This research aims to investigate the factors that drive suppliers to implement sustainable practices in the supply chain of Iranian Gas Engineering and Development Company (IGEDC) in Iran. This study reviews the sustainability literature and sustainable supply chain (SSC) and the role of suppliers in an SSC. Literature review identified the main categories of internal and external drivers of sustainable supply chain management practices, including organisational factors, regulation, customers, competitors and society, but there are few studies about their analysis according to the role of suppliers. The purpose of this study was to identify the drivers and analysis of interactions among the identified drivers which leads to IGEDC suppliers’ sustainability efforts. Interpretive structural modelling (ISM) has been used for analysing the interdependence among these drivers. The results indicated that external drivers as ‘governmental regulations’ and ‘pressures from stakeholders’ are the most influencing factors currently driving sustainability efforts.