Toward sustainable development: Developing a decision‐making framework for cross‐sectoral engagement in green procurement

Abstract

Green procurement plays a crucial role in mitigating emissions, promoting sustainable practices, and achieving the objectives of keeping global warming below the 2°C threshold. However, the implementation of green procurement faces significant challenges. Despite the recognized importance of sectoral collaboration, cross‐sectoral engagement (CSE) has not yet been widely acknowledged as an essential principle in green procurement implementation. This study aims to address these implementation challenges by developing a comprehensive decision‐making framework for CSE in public–private partnership projects, with a focus on advancing sustainable development goals. The research identifies and prioritizes barriers to CSE from multiple theoretical perspectives, employing an integrated approach that combines the Method Based on the Removal Effects of Criteria (MEREC) and the Combinative Distance‐Based Assessment (CODAS) method. The results reveal three primary factors hindering cross‐sectoral engagement: conflicting stakeholder interests and priorities, power imbalances, and communication gaps and language barriers. To promote effective collaboration, policymakers are urged to invest in capacity building initiatives that enhance stakeholders' understanding of green procurement principles and encourage their active participation in achieving sustainable development objectives. Theoretically, this study has, for the first time, developed a CSE framework that can be used to promote green practice implementation, integrate four theories to holistically access barriers to cross‐sectoral collaboration, and show the integration of the MEREC CODAS MCDM technique.