Entegre et tesisinde yeşil tedarikçi seçimi için gri ilişkisel analiz ve aksiyomatik tasarım yöntemleri uygulaması = Application of gray relational analysis and axiomatic design methods for green supplier selecti̇on in integrated meat plant

Abstract

In comparison to past years, many consumers nowadays exhibit a more conscious and sensitive approach towards environmental awareness. The advancement of technology and the increasing consciousness among people have compelled businesses to produce goods in line with consumers' "green" preferences to sustain their existence. In this context, the selection of the most suitable supplier has gained significance. Green supply chain management encompasses all activities throughout the life cycle of a product, from raw material procurement to production, logistics, marketing, recycling, and rejoining the production cycle. When reviewing the literature, various reasons are observed to drive businesses towards green supply management. Factors such as the escalating environmental pollution, population growth, rapid depletion of natural resources, consumer demands, societal pressures, costs incurred by wastage, government environmental policies, among others, have almost made green supply chain management a necessity. Due to its positive effects on both businesses and the environment, green supply chain management can be implemented across various sectors, including the food industry. With the increase in population, basic consumption needs, especially in the form of food, have surged. Food safety and hygiene, directly impacting human health, are highly crucial in this regard. To meet the demand in the food sector and prevent sustainability issues and waste, companies require green supply chain management, which also contributes to national economies. This study addresses the issue of selecting green suppliers for an integrated meat facility in Sakarya within the red meat sector. In this multi-criteria decision-making problem for supplier selection, two different methods, namely grey relational analysis and axiomatic design, have been separately applied. Taking into account both the needs and demands of consumers as well as the expectations of producers, the most suitable criteria for the industry have been established based on literature research and expert opinions. There are currently five criteria and seven suppliers considered for the application. However, since the importance levels of each criterion differ, the fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process method has been utilized to calculate the weights of the criteria. The research aims to determine the relative importance of each criterion, and after evaluating both methods, it establishes the best ranking for green suppliers for the company. The study concludes that supplier firms are quite sensitive towards green policies, yet there are areas they need to improve upon.