Green procurement in practice: how buyer-supplier interaction differs across product categories

Abstract

This study investigates how various buyer-supplier interaction practices support the pursuit of green procurement outcomes and why approaches vary across product categories. The research reports on a single case study of a multinational manufacturing company in the energy sector to explore how environmental objectives are integrated into the procurement of different products. The analysis identifies three distinct interaction practices: collaborative-development exchange, specification-translation exchange, and compliance-based exchange, through which environmental goals were achieved. These practices reflect varying levels of interdependence and resource adaptation, demonstrating that green procurement depends on both what is procured and how buyer-supplier relationships are managed. The study contributes by developing a typology of green procurement interaction practices that links product categories with relational dynamics of exchange, offering theoretical and practical insights into how organisations can align supplier relationships with environmental objectives across their procurement portfolio.