A Conceptual Framework for Evaluating Green Logistics Practices Through Multi-Criteria Decision-Making Methods

Abstract

Background: Green logistics practices are crucial for achieving the EU’s Green Deal objectives, addressing environmental challenges, improving supply chain efficiency, and fostering business sustainability. This paper presents a conceptual framework for green logistics practices and their application for ensuring sustainable organisational development. Methods: Using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Simple Additive Weighting (SAW) methodologies, this study assesses the importance of green logistics practices in Lithuanian SMEs and their future application. The AHP method facilitates pairwise comparisons to determine the weights of green logistics criteria, while the SAW method evaluates the final sub-criteria by aggregating normalized scores according to the identified weights. Results: A survey of ten companies revealed that green transportation is the most developed green logistics practice, with the focus on infrastructure, skills and transport optimisation. Green warehousing is the second most significant practice, with SMEs considering it vital to green logistics because of its sustainable warehousing measures. Green packaging is considered third in terms of importance, due to the attention paid to the packaging materials used. Conclusions: The full potential of green logistics has yet to be realised. Adopting a more balanced approach could enhance environmental outcomes and bolster the resilience of the long-term supply chain.

1. Introduction

Recent research highlights the close linkage between climate change and logistics activities such as transportation, warehousing, packaging, and waste management. While these activities are economically beneficial, they also generate significant environmental challenges. These operations intensify global warming through harmful gas emissions and contribute to water and air pollution, waste accumulation, and high fuel consumption. In order to mitigate such negative consequences, the concept of green logistics has been introduced. This approach emphasises the use of advanced technologies and modern equipment to reduce environmental damage while simultaneously improving asset efficiency and revenue generation. Green logistics, when considered within the framework of sustainable development, offers a pathway to addressing environmental issues while maintaining organisational performance and broader economic growth [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10].

In their published scientific articles, various authors [11,12,13,14,15,16,17] observe that green logistics, as part of micro-level social processes, is subject to constant influence from social development, economic and social progress, and environmental initiatives. The transition to green logistics and its more active application could be one way to address issues such as global warming, environmental degradation, energy and resource consumption, etc. In order to create a sustainable organisation, it is necessary to take into account social attitudes, corporate philosophy, goals, and ethical arguments that are based on public activity reports. In this regard, it can be posited that an organisation seeking to be recognised as implementing the practices of green logistics should understand sustainability as the application of strategies and actions that meet the needs of the organisation and its stakeholders, while ensuring and contributing to greater conservation of natural resources. However, the integration of green logistics practices into conventional logistics operations is a complex undertaking [1,7,13,18]. The enhancement of sustainability in logistics processes encompasses a wide range of activities, including supply chain management, transportation, packaging, distribution, warehousing, manufacturing, materials, and infrastructure [1,9,13,19]. The sustainability of these logistics processes has been demonstrated to increase a company’s competitiveness in the market, improve its image, and ensure economic benefits for manufacturers and companies [12]. An analysis of the scientific literature indicates that the implementation of green logistics practices within traditional logistics operations is contingent upon the developmental level of the nation [11,12]; its social, economic, and territorial characteristics [20,21]; and the organisational size, categorised as a small, medium, or large enterprise [22,23].

A more detailed analysis of the dependence of green logistics practices on the size of the organisation shows that the organisations that are generally most prepared for green logistics are located in large cities with experience in providing knowledge-intensive services (e.g., Italy, Finland, Denmark, the Netherlands, or Germany), which consequently reap the greatest economic benefits. Conversely, in agricultural regions with lower gross domestic product (GDP) per capita in Europe, economic growth is lower due to low readiness for the structural changes accompanying the transition to green practices [12,24,25,26]. In the field of green logistics, the correlation between organisational size and environmental practices has been a subject of considerable scholarly attention. Empirical research has indicated that large corporations predominantly adopt green strategies as a means of adhering to environmental regulatory frameworks and enhancing their environmental reputation in the eyes of consumers. However, small- and medium-sized enterprises frequently lack the knowledge and financial resources to review their entire business strategy and processes [27].

Despite extensive research on the topic, green logistics practices are studied in a somewhat fragmented manner from a scientific perspective, with separate measures, factors, and viewpoints being analysed. A systematic approach to understanding this phenomenon is lacking. Firstly, the majority of studies focus on large enterprises, while the implementation and prioritisation of green logistics practices in small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) remain underexplored. Secondly, while a number of green logistics practices have been identified, there is a lack of research that systematically evaluates their relative significance and prioritises them in a practical, data-driven manner.

Furthermore, this study addresses a notable research gap by applying the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Simple Additive Weighting (SAW) multi-criteria decision-making methodology specifically to the Lithuanian business context. To our knowledge, no previous research has systematically evaluated the significance of green logistics practices in Lithuanian SMEs using this combined methodological approach. The AHP was employed to derive consistent weights for multiple criteria through structured expert pairwise comparisons, while SAW was used for its simplicity and transparency in aggregating these weights to rank practices. Although SAW exhibits a compensatory nature, where high performance on one criterion can offset low performance on another, it remains appropriate for this study as it enables SMEs to systematically prioritise practices based on their relative importance. By adapting and validating these methods within a national market setting, the study provides context-specific insights that have been largely absent from prior research.

This paper aims to present a conceptual framework of green logistics practices and their application for ensuring sustainable organisational development. By utilising multi-criteria decision-making techniques, specifically the AHP and SAW methods, the study seeks to establish a systematic basis for identifying the key green logistics practices, assessing their relative significance, and determining their prioritisation within small- and medium-sized enterprises. This approach is intended to provide organisational managers with structured insights for guiding the selection and promotion of effective green logistics initiatives.

Accordingly, to address these gaps and guide the empirical analysis, the study formulates the following research questions:

• What are the key criteria and sub-criteria for evaluating green logistics practices in SMEs using the AHP and SAW?
• What is the relative importance of green logistics practices in SMEs based on the AHP–SAW evaluation?
• How can SMEs utilise these insights to implement and promote effective green logistics initiatives for sustainable organisational development?

This paper is organised as follows: Section 2 presents a comprehensive literature review. Section 3 outlines the methodology employed in the study. Section 4 provides the evaluation of green logistics practices using the AHP–SAW multi-criteria decision-making approach. Section 5 provides a discussion of the findings, conclusions, study limitations, and directions for future research.

2. Literature Review

2.1. Green Logistics: Concept and the Importance of Implementation

Logistics can be defined as the strategic management of processes involved in purchasing, transporting, and storing raw materials, semi-finished products, and finished products, along with the related information flows within the company and throughout the distribution network. Logistics is about optimising an enterprise’s current and future financial returns by ensuring the efficient and cost-effective fulfilment of orders. This process includes forecasting, organisation, coordination, and control. In the academic literature, I. Cil et al. [28] and B. Erkan [29] present a compelling argument that logistics depends on the effective use of natural, human, financial, and information resources. It is recognised within the scientific community that logistics activities can provide economic benefits; however, these activities can also harm the environment. Logistics activities such as transportation, warehousing, packaging, and waste management require equipment that directly contributes to global warming by emitting harmful gases that cause the greenhouse effect.

Furthermore, associated logistics activities have been shown to cause significant water and air pollution, as well as waste production and increased fuel costs. To reduce the severity of these issues, the scientific literature highlights the importance of green logistics. Green logistics is defined as the use of advanced equipment and technologies to minimise environmental harm while boosting income and asset utilisation [30]. Green logistics is regarded as a concept of sustainable development with the potential to address environmental concerns while ensuring the continuity of organisational and national activities and economic systems in the context of the exchange of goods and services [2,3,4,7,24,31].

The concept of green logistics has been defined in multiple ways, reflecting distinct emphases across studies [2,3,7,8,16,17,32]. Seroka-Stolka and Ociepa-Kubicka [33] frame it as a set of supply chain management practices and strategies aimed at reducing the ecological and energy footprint in goods distribution, highlighting material flow management, waste handling, packaging optimisation, and transport efficiency. Atmayudha et al. [34] focus on operational energy efficiency, including the use of energy-saving transport, route and schedule optimisation, and integrated delivery processes to minimise transport volumes while leveraging environmentally friendly vehicles and facilities. Kanyepe et al. [8] adopt a broader business-oriented perspective, defining green logistics as a method to reduce the environmental impact of inventory, capital, and related information flows throughout the entire supply chain, from raw material extraction to final product delivery. Taken together, these definitions indicate that green logistics encompasses both operational efficiency measures and strategic, system-wide sustainability considerations, with varying emphasis on technological solutions, process optimisation, and supply chain integration.

The overarching aim of green logistics is to reduce the environmental impact of logistics. The implementation requires integrating advanced technological solutions, optimising energy consumption, and reducing pollution. Additionally, it entails the effective management of material flows and the incorporation of ecological solutions into logistics operations. It is essential to consider both economic and social sustainability aspects to ensure the effective implementation of this strategy. Green logistics is an approach that focuses not only on process efficiency but also on optimising the impact on the entire product life cycle. This encompasses the entire product life cycle, from raw material supply to recycling or final disposal [8,32,34,35]. As asserted by X. Wang [36], the implementation of logistics processes in accordance with green criteria has been demonstrated to exert a positive influence on all logistics processes. The author emphasised the reduction in logistics costs and the enhancement of customer satisfaction with services. Meanwhile, as posited by author P. K. Patra [5], four principal benefits render it imperative for organisations to practise green logistics.

The reduction of carbon dioxide emissions is of paramount importance. It is imperative to consider the long-term financial implications of any investment in eco-friendly solutions, as these solutions require substantial initial capital expenditure. The primary objective is to regulate air, noise, and environmental pollution. The diversification of business activities and the management of additional domains, such as reverse logistics, are pivotal aspects of contemporary business strategy. To achieve these benefits, P. K. Patra [5] illustrated the flow of green logistics processes (Figure 1).

In the 2018 publication by author P. K. Patra [5], the green logistics process flow is described, with emphasis placed on the streamlining of such logistics processes. The author puts forward the proposition of incorporating additional intermediate goods distribution centres (following the supplier and manufacturer stages) into the green logistics process flow. This, the author contends, would serve to mitigate the probability of goods being damaged or defective upon their release for sale. This assertion is underpinned by the notion that packaging assumes greater significance within the context of green logistics, a consequence of its environmental friendliness. The employment of this approach has the potential to enhance the efficiency of green logistics, while simultaneously promoting sustainability. N. D. K. Pham et al. [37], I. V. Larina et al. [38], and A.V. Vasiliauskas et al. [39] provided a comprehensive account of the implementation of green logistics in a particular company (Figure 2). The authors posit that the notion of green logistics, being inextricably linked to sustainable development, is predicated on three interwoven levels: economic, ecological, and social.

The objectives established at each level differ in their effectiveness and relative importance, resulting in varying effects on the implementation of the green logistics concept. These differences often create tensions between environmental goals (such as emission reduction), economic goals (such as cost efficiency), and social goals (such as improving community well-being and ensuring socially responsible practices). As a result, each company should develop its own strategy for implementing the concept, taking into account the internal and external factors that influence its activities. It is also important to note that the implementation of the green logistics concept is largely based on organisational initiative and voluntariness.

In this context, understanding the factors that facilitate or hinder adoption becomes essential. Drivers of green logistics are factors that encourage organisations to integrate environmental principles and adopt sustainable practices. Conversely, barriers such as high initial investment, complexity, and lack of knowledge may impede implementation. Regulatory measures and legislation are key drivers, raising awareness of environmental impacts and promoting sustainable organisational behaviour. Compliance with international standards, such as ISO 14001, further supports environmental management and cross-border collaboration. Internal policies are also crucial, with top management required to endorse green initiatives, allocate resources, and foster employee learning and technological adoption [6,40,41,42,43,44,45].

Consequently, the implementation of the concept of green logistics is a multifaceted process, necessitating close collaboration between state entities, society, and business [39]. The implementation of green logistics is grounded in four core domains of research and practical application: sustainability, logistics management, customer service, operations, and flexibility. Integrating these elements is essential for effective green logistics, a practice that has been demonstrated to conserve resources, reduce waste, and improve operational efficiency. This is largely accomplished by streamlining logistics processes to eliminate unnecessary steps.

2.2. Green Logistics Practices

The shift from traditional logistics to sustainable, environmentally friendly practices is supported through the adoption of eco-conscious strategies within core logistics operations, aimed at reducing the ecological footprint. Recent scholarly research has increasingly concentrated on environmental sustainability across various sectors, including manufacturing, reverse logistics, waste management, sustainable transportation, eco-friendly packaging and distribution, information exchange, and environmental assessment. Historically, conventional logistics has primarily focused on the physical transfer of goods from producers to consumers. In contrast, green logistics represents a paradigm shift by embedding sustainability considerations, emphasising the importance of reverse logistics and waste management as integral components. The integration of environmental principles into the routine activities of organisations is crucial for the adoption of sustainable logistics practices. This approach is grounded in the recognition that such practices contribute to mitigating the adverse environmental impacts associated with organisational operations [11,13,25]. In scholarly articles, authors such as Puška & Stojanović [20], Liou et al. [21], Govindan et al. [22], Santos et al. [23], Sharma et al. [24], and Carvalho et al. [25] examined the role of suppliers and capacity development in enhancing environmental performance through the adoption of sustainable practices or certification of supply chain activities. The focus on green logistics is primarily justified by its potential to reduce costs, improve profitability, foster an environmentally sustainable corporate image, and increase competitive advantage by aligning corporate values with environmental priorities Eco-friendly practices provide numerous significant benefits for organisations. These include minimising environmental impact, lowering operational costs, increasing efficiency, and boosting competitive advantage and environmental reputation in the marketplace. The adoption of green logistics within companies relies on various sustainable practices, implemented through targeted actions and strategic decisions [20]. A summarised overview of green logistics practices and their application activities presented in

Table 1. Green logistics practice descriptions and their application activities.

Green Logistics Practice	Description	Activities	Authors
Green procurement	This involves the formulation of purchasing rules, actions, and cooperation, all of which are based on environmental principles.	The selection of environmentally conscious purchasers; the utilisation of eco-friendly packaging; and adherence to the criteria for green product selection.	[13,43,46,47,48,49]
Green product design	The development of products by manufacturers that are recyclable or reusable and have the potential to reduce or eliminate the use of toxic and harmful substances in the manufacturing process, while also reducing energy and material consumption.	The utilisation of sustainable materials and the durability of the produced goods.	[31,50,51,52,53,54,55]
Green warehousing	This management concept integrates and implements environmentally friendly operations with the objective of reducing energy consumption, energy costs, and greenhouse gas emissions in warehousing processes.	The relationship between energy efficiency and warehouse design, with a particular focus on the utilisation of renewable energy sources in such facilities. Additionally, it considers the design and utilisation of warehouse space.	[56,57,58,59]
Green packaging	This encompasses the utilisation of eco-friendly packaging materials, collaboration with retailers to standardise packaging, reduction in time spent on packing and unpacking goods, implementation of returnable packaging methods, and promotion of recycling and reuse programmes.	The utilisation of recyclable packaging materials, the selection of green packaging solutions, and the availability of infrastructure for the recycling and disposal of packaging materials.	[11,60,61,62,63]
Green transportation	Reducing the environmental impact of transport activities involved in goods movement, including adopting sustainable practices and technologies to cut emissions, energy use, and overall environmental harm.	The selection of lower-emission vehicles, the incorporation of a fuel efficiency indicator, the optimisation of transport, and the enhancement of vehicle loading efficiency are of paramount importance.	[3,11,43,64,65,66]
Reverse logistics	The planning, implementation, and control of the efficient and cost-effective flow of raw materials, production stocks, finished goods, and related information from the consumer to the place of origin (production) is of paramount importance. The purpose of this flow is to recover the value of the product and reuse it.	This is the process of returning goods to the place from which they were originally obtained.	[44,46,67,68,69,70]
Green data management	Consolidation of processes, people, and software, which helps achieve the company’s short-term and long-term goals while conserving natural resources and helping to protect the environment. In addition, a company policy based on green logistics principles requires a standardised management system and quality management standards.	Digitised data management, improvement of data and information accessibility and transparency, and compliance of data management processes with environmental standards.	[70,71,72,73]

.

A thorough review of the existing scientific literature indicates that key green logistics practices can be classified according to specific logistics activities, including transportation, warehousing, packaging, raw material procurement, product design, reverse logistics (which encompasses product manufacturing logistics), and related processes such as procurement and manufacturing. The integration of green logistics practices throughout the supply chain, encompassing the product and delivery stages, has been demonstrated to exert a favourable environmental impact on the company [74,75,76]. Organisations’ increased reliance on suppliers, driven by a strong emphasis on green initiatives within supply chain functions, underscores the critical need for evaluating supplier performance to ensure alignment with organisational objectives. To comply with specific environmental standards, suppliers are required to implement environmentally focused procurement strategies, internal processes, or sustainable performance assessment mechanisms. [74,75,76,77,78,79]. As evidenced by K. Govindan et al. [75] and H. Mirzaee [80], suppliers, positioned at the initial stage of the logistics network, exert a significant influence on the overall efficiency of the supply chain. Approximately 70% of total product costs are attributable to raw material procurement from suppliers, underscoring the critical importance of supplier selection. The strategic selection of raw material suppliers can mitigate environmental impacts, decrease costs, and enhance the efficient utilisation of resources. Green logistics is conceptualised as the procurement of raw materials that are renewable, recyclable, and environmentally benign, thereby minimising ecological footprint [81].

The selection of suppliers is intrinsically linked to the procurement of environmentally sustainable raw materials. According to research conducted by De Souza et al. [13], Hashmi [46], Jazairy [47], and Tseng et al. [43], there has been an extensive analysis of green procurement within the logistics chain. Green procurement is defined as the establishment of procurement policies, actions, and collaborations grounded in environmental principles. This includes the acquisition of raw materials, specifically supplier selection, evaluation, development, activities related to suppliers, internal transportation, packaging, recycling, reuse processes, resource conservation, and waste management. Furthermore, green procurement encompasses the regulation of material inflows into an organisation to promote stakeholder engagement across internal and external parties, thereby augmenting organisational value. The capacity of an organisation to achieve sustainable operations aligned with environmental principles hinges on its suppliers’ environmental performance, their capabilities, and the level of control the organisation has over these activities [48]. The analysis of green logistics processes and their outcomes have garnered significant scholarly attention. As indicated by the referenced sources, the concept of green product design is conceived as a comprehensive approach that aims to incorporate environmental considerations across all phases of product development, with the primary goal of minimising environmental impact throughout the product life cycle [51,54,55,82]. This process is fundamentally driven by the objective to integrate innovation with principles of sustainability, considering factors such as raw material selection, manufacturing techniques, utilisation efficiency, product longevity, and end-of-life options including recycling or disposal [83,84]. The effectiveness of reverse logistics, production processes, and green procurement is fundamentally dependent on product design. As advocated by L. Kong et al. [50], I. Ballouki et al. [52], and S. Ahmad et al. [53], product design holds the potential to mitigate issues related to resource overuse, energy consumption, and environmental impact in manufacturing settings. Therefore, incorporating environmental considerations into product design and development at early stages can significantly influence environmental sustainability.

Green manufacturing practices are characterised by the integration of sustainable solutions within the supply chain, aiming to optimise manufacturing processes to enhance environmental consciousness and mitigate adverse ecological impacts. This approach necessitates the adoption of green initiatives by manufacturers and the efficient utilisation of raw materials. Key components of green manufacturing include the selection of environmentally certified raw material suppliers, green procurement strategies, and designing environmentally conscious products. These elements are essential for the advancement of sustainable manufacturing [6,54,85,86,87,88]. Product storage constitutes an essential component within supply chain operations across various industries. Green warehousing is conceptualised as an environmentally conscious management approach that integrates sustainable practices aimed at minimising energy consumption, reducing energy costs, and lowering greenhouse gas emissions during warehousing activities [57,58,59]. The primary objectives of green warehousing can be categorised as follows: optimisation of storage space, reduction in costs and energy consumption, and minimisation of negative environmental impacts [89]. Y. Agyabeng-Mensah et al. [11,90] argue that warehouse sustainability can be characterised by various practices, including the adoption of green packaging. This encompasses the utilisation of recyclable and biodegradable materials and collaboration with vendors to ensure packaging standardisation and compliance with environmental standards, as well as efforts to reduce the time allocated to packing and unpacking processes. Moreover, the implementation of returnable packaging methods and the promotion of recycling and reuse programmes are integral components. The strategic implementation of recyclable materials in repackaging, alongside the optimisation of warehouse space, plays a crucial role in enhancing storage efficiency and supporting sustainability goals. Furthermore, the integration of an appropriate warehouse management system is vital for improving economic performance. Green packaging in logistics refers to a comprehensive approach involving the design, execution, and management of packaging, products, and supply chain systems to ensure the safe and efficient transportation, storage, retail, wholesale, consumption, recycling, and reuse of goods. The adoption of green packaging strategies has been shown to improve social and consumer value, increase sales, and generate higher profits [60,61,62].

In the scientific literature concerning green logistics, transportation is the most frequently analysed logistics activity. This is due to the fact that it is one of the largest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions, accounting for approximately 23% of the total CO₂ emissions of the global logistics sector [91]. Consequently, reducing CO₂ emissions from transportation is a critical strategy for companies aiming to adhere to green logistics principles. Incorporating environmentally friendly transportation methods into organisational operations yields several significant advantages. Firstly, it ensures compliance with governmental regulations. Secondly, it can improve an organisation’s competitive positioning within the marketplace [92]. The concept of green transportation within logistics pertains to minimising the environmental impact associated with the movement of goods. This involves adopting sustainable practices and technologies aimed at reducing emissions, energy use, and overall ecological footprint [3,11,43,64]. The aim of green transportation is to reduce the environmental impact associated with the movement of goods by enhancing the sustainability of supply chain activities. To accomplish this, stakeholders in logistics are adopting various strategies such as optimising routes, modernising fleets, and utilising alternative fuels. These approaches are designed to lower carbon dioxide emissions and energy consumption, thereby supporting the development of an environmentally sustainable transportation system. Additionally, the implementation of these strategies seeks to ensure that freight services are both efficient and cost-effective [65,66].

In the context of green logistics, the integration of green information technologies within business operations is of critical importance. Green information technologies and information systems (green IT) are defined as a cohesive combination of processes, personnel, and software designed to support the achievement of a company’s short- and long-term objectives while promoting the conservation of natural resources and environmental protection [70,93]. From an academic perspective, information technology is considered a critical component for any organisation aiming to operate effectively within the market and successfully execute its activities. As a result, organisations heavily depend on investments in acquiring and maintaining technological resources, which not only enhances competitive advantage but also raises environmental concerns—such as high energy consumption, the utilisation of non-renewable resources in production, and the disposal of obsolete equipment [70,71]. The concept of green data management in organisations is based on the adoption of advanced technological innovations and emphasises integrating sustainability principles into data practices to mitigate environmental impacts while ensuring operational efficiency.

The integration of reverse logistics is essential for implementing green logistics practices within an organisation. In the academic literature, reverse logistics is defined as the planning, execution, and management of an efficient and cost-effective flow of raw materials, production inventories, finished products, and related information from consumers back to the point of origin (production), aiming to recover the value of the product and facilitate reuse [44,67,69]. Reverse logistics is an essential element within sustainable supply chain management, playing a pivotal role in minimising waste generation. It involves the systematic management and disposition of returned, used, or surplus products through diverse strategies such as recycling, repair, reuse, and remanufacturing [46,68].

This passage offers an academic overview of the advantages associated with green logistics practices, as documented in the scholarly literature. It underscores that these practices contribute to enhanced product or service quality, diversification of product offerings, waste reduction, timely delivery of goods, and improved utilisation of organisational capacity. Furthermore, empirical studies [94,95] have demonstrated that such practices can lead to cost savings in materials, energy consumption, and waste management, while also minimising environmental impact.

In conclusion, the adoption of green logistics practices offers notable environmental and economic advantages, thereby enhancing organisational sustainability. This study further extends the theoretical scope of the resource-based view (RBV) and institutional theory by demonstrating that the transition to green logistics is driven by the dynamic interaction between external pressures and internal organisational capabilities. Existing research indicates that institutional forces—such as regulatory mandates and stakeholder expectations—shape firms’ strategic orientations, while internal resources and competencies determine their ability to implement green logistics initiatives. By integrating these perspectives, this paper advances current theoretical understanding and provides a more comprehensive foundation for modelling the organisational shift toward green logistics, recognising the joint influence of external and internal determinants. Moreover, this perspective aligns green logistics with the broader principles of the circular economy, emphasising resource efficiency, waste reduction, and the long-term sustainability of supply chain operations [96,97]. These conceptual insights form the basis for the subsequent empirical assessment of green logistics practices, which will be analysed in the following section using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Simple Additive Weighting (SAW) methodologies.

3. Methodology

3.1. Sampling and Research Method

A review of the existing literature indicates that the adoption of green logistics by businesses is hindered by various factors. These include limited experience, significant financial costs, a lack of emphasis on environmental concerns, and, most critically, a deficiency in knowledge about implementing green logistics practices. The empirical research aims to assess the importance of theoretically grounded green logistics practices in Lithuanian small- and medium-sized enterprises.

The research focus of this study relates to small- and medium-sized enterprises operating within the Lithuanian context. It is evident that small- and medium-sized enterprises in Lithuania hold a vital role in the country’s economy. These enterprises contribute significantly to the GDP, highlighting their important economic role. Additionally, they provide a substantial share of employment opportunities, emphasising their role in employment creation and economic growth. Small- and medium-sized enterprises form the majority of Lithuanian businesses, making up 99.7% of all enterprises. These companies generate 56.4% of the country’s GDP, estimated at around EUR 35 billion, and employ 68.9% of the population [98]. This study employed a qualitative empirical approach within small- and medium-sized organisations. It involved a multi-criteria assessment, the results of which were used to evaluate the importance of green logistics practices in these enterprises. This evaluation emphasises the significance of such practices and promotes their further integration into strategic decision-making. Despite the inherent quantitative nature of the AHP and SAW, this study incorporates a qualitative component (

Table 2. Overview of the qualitative and quantitative phases of the study.

Phase	Purpose	Sample	Method
Qualitative	Identify key green logistics practice criteria	10 experts (middle/senior management, >2 years’ experience)	Systematic literature review, expert interviews and discussions
Quantitative	Weight identified criteria and rank practices	10 SME expert representatives per firm	AHP and SAW

). This is performed in order to ensure that the evaluation criteria and their relative importance reflect real-world managerial perspectives. A series of expert interviews and discussions were conducted with middle- and senior-level managers with a view to identifying and validating the relevant green logistics practices. The qualitative insights were then systematically transformed into quantitative inputs for the AHP and SAW analyses. This combination of practical expert knowledge and rigorous multi-criteria decision-making techniques was a key element in the study’s approach. This approach intended to guarantee that the resulting rankings are both methodologically robust and grounded in the operational realities of SMEs.

Qualitative research was chosen for its capacity to bypass the limitations of exact statistical data. As asserted by S. K. Sharma et al. [14], the sample size for qualitative research is to be determined by the following factors: the research topic, objectives, characteristics of the population under study, resources allocated to the research, and the context in which the research question is revealed. This research is guided by the methodological assumptions of authors M. Hennink and B. N. Kaiser [99] and F. Y. Sebele-Mpofu [100], which show that the accuracy of assessment in empirical studies of homogeneous populations remains consistent regardless of the size of the expert group. The sample size for this empirical study is limited to 10 organisations. The study was conducted using criterion-based selection, with organisations chosen according to the following criteria: The organisations in question meet the criteria set out in the laws of the Republic of Lithuania describing small- and medium-sized organisations. Furthermore, they were required to be carrying out logistics activities, and they must have been operating for more than three years.

During the empirical research, the principles of research ethics were strictly observed: respect for personal privacy, confidentiality, and anonymity were ensured, while the principles of beneficence, non-maleficence, and justice were upheld. Participation in the study was voluntary, and all participants were informed about the purpose and procedure of the research at the outset.

3.2. Data Evaluation Methods and Measurement

The Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) is the most frequently employed multi-criteria evaluation methodology for the assessment of green logistics activities [13,101]. The implementation of a multi-criteria evaluation theory requires the use of calculation methods that involve multiple criteria and priority orderings, aiming to achieve an optimal solution to a given problem while considering numerous parameters. The Analytic Hierarchy Process is a structured framework that helps to break down complex decisions into smaller, more manageable parts, organising them into a hierarchy. The AHP involves assessing the importance of criteria and sub-criteria through expert evaluations and pairwise comparisons, with the goal of expressing their relative significance numerically [102].

This paper employed the AHP method to assess the extent of green logistics practices implemented in real business activities. The main criteria used for evaluation related to the green logistics practices that are most widely described in the scientific literature and broadly adopted in business practices: green procurement, green transportation, green warehousing, green packaging, green data management, and reverse logistics.

Following the validation of the relative importance data obtained using the AHP multi-criteria method, the study results can be interpreted, ensuring their validity and logical consistency. To improve the reliability and objectivity of the decision-making process, the Simple Additive Weighting (SAW) method was used. The AHP allows the determination of criteria weights through pairwise comparison; however, other methods were employed to derive the final sub-criteria evaluation. SAW is a basic multi-criteria decision-making method. It sums the normalised sub-criteria scores based on the established weights for each criterion, ensuring the outcome is clear and easy to interpret [103].

A more detailed analysis of the SAW methodology indicates that it is one of the most widely used multi-criteria evaluation methods in the scientific literature. The evaluation process is based on a weighted sum approach, in which the performance of each sub-criterion is assessed by calculating a weighted total score. The alternative with the highest total score is considered the optimal solution [97,98]. To support this process, pairwise comparisons obtained from experts are analysed to determine the relative importance of each criterion. A numerical scale is applied to indicate how many times one criterion is considered more important or dominant than another with respect to the characteristic being evaluated. In this study, the 1–9 fundamental scale developed by T. L. Saaty [103], commonly used in AHP-based expert assessments, was employed for consistency and comparability.

The AHP method, integrated with SAW, is characterised by a well-defined sequence of structural steps, as shown in Figure 3.

Stage 1. In this study, the AHP method was employed to determine the weights of the criteria based on pairwise comparisons. The following steps were followed according to the AHP method:

• Establishing a hierarchical framework for evaluation involves assessing green logistics practices and their components, with the aim of ranking them according to implementation priorities. This approach facilitates a structured analysis to identify the most critical elements for effective deployment.
• Calculating the element weights for various hierarchies involves deriving weight coefficients from the pairwise comparison matrix data to assess the relative importance of criteria and sub-criteria, ranking them accordingly. The weight coefficient for each criterion is obtained by normalising the pairwise comparison matrix.
• Calculating eigenvalues: the purpose of this indicator is twofold: firstly, it helps assess how accurately the pairwise comparison matrix reflects expert decision logic, and secondly, it aims to determine whether the data supplied by experts is sufficiently consistent:

$${\mathsf{\lambda }}_{\mathrm{m}\mathrm{a}\mathrm{x}}={\sum }_{\mathrm{j}=1}^{\mathrm{n}}{\mathrm{C}}_{\mathrm{i}\mathrm{j}}{\mathrm{W}}_{\mathrm{j}}$$

(1)

where C_ij is the relative value of the i-th criterion selected by the expert on the Saaty importance scale, W_ij is the weight of the i-th criterion, n is the number of criteria, and ${\sum }_{\mathrm{j}=1}^{\mathrm{n}}$ is the sum of values in the i-th row of the matrix.

• Calculation of the consistency index (CI) and consistency ratio (CR): these data are an important part of the AHP multi-criteria evaluation methodology, as they ensure the logic and reliability of expert assessment:

$$\mathrm{C}\mathrm{I}={\displaystyle \frac{{\mathsf{\lambda }}_{\mathrm{m}\mathrm{a}\mathrm{x}}-\mathrm{n}}{\mathrm{n}-1}}$$

(2)

The consistency ratio coefficient CR is calculated to determine whether the values of the pairwise comparison correspond to the relative importance of the criteria. The formula for calculating the consistency ratio is as follows:

$$\mathrm{C}\mathrm{R}={\displaystyle \frac{\mathrm{C}\mathrm{I}}{\mathrm{R}\mathrm{I}}}$$

(3)

where RI indicates the random index, and fixed values regarding RI are given in

Table 3. RI based on the dimensions of the pairwise matrix.

n	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
RI	0	0	0.58	0.9	1.12	1.24	1.34	1.41	1.45	1.49

[104]. When CR $\le$ 0.1, the result is consistent, or its degree of inconsistency is acceptable.

Stage 2. After validating the relative importance data obtained using the AHP multi-criteria method, the results of the study can be interpreted, ensuring their validity and logical consistency. In order to increase the reliability and objectivity of the decision-making process, the Simple Additive Weighting (SAW) method was applied.

The SAW method is based on the concept of a weighted sum, where the performance of each sub-criterion is assessed by calculating a weighted sum. The alternative with the highest score is then deemed the best and recommended as the optimal solution [105,106]. The criterion Sj in the SAW method is defined as the sum of the weighted indicator values.

$${\mathrm{S}}_{\mathrm{j}}={\sum }_{\mathrm{i}=1}^{\mathrm{m}}{\mathrm{w}}_{\mathrm{i}}{\tilde{\mathrm{r}}}_{\mathrm{i}\mathrm{j}}$$

(4)

where w_i—weight of the i-th indicator, ${\tilde{\mathrm{r}}}_{\mathrm{i}\mathrm{j}}$—normalised value of the i-th indicator, and j—object.

The best S_j criterion is the largest.

The SAW method is based on the expert evaluation matrix R = $\Vert {\mathrm{R}}_{\mathrm{i}\mathrm{j}}\Vert$ and the significance values of indicators wi; i = 1,…, m; and j = 1,…, n, where m is the number of indicators and n is the number of objects being compared [107].

The application of the SAW method requires the normalisation of indicator values. This was performed according to the formula [107]:

$${\tilde{\mathrm{r}}}_{\mathrm{i}\mathrm{j}}={\displaystyle \frac{{\mathrm{r}}_{\mathrm{i}\mathrm{j}}}{\sum _{\mathrm{j}=1}^{\mathrm{n}}{\mathrm{r}}_{\mathrm{i}\mathrm{j}}}}, \mathrm{when} {\sum }_{\mathrm{j}=1}^{\mathrm{n}}{\tilde{\mathrm{r}}}_{\mathrm{i}\mathrm{j}}=1$$

(5)

where ${\tilde{\mathrm{r}}}_{\mathrm{i}\mathrm{j}}$—value of the i-th indicator.

In this study, the SAW method was employed as a structured and transparent aggregation framework to consolidate normalised AHP-derived weights from multiple organisations into a single SME-level weighted criteria ranking, ensuring methodological consistency and replicability.

In summary, the research uses multi-criteria evaluation methods—the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Simple Additive Weighting (SAW)—as they offer a structured framework for prioritising criteria and ensuring a more objective and well-founded assessment of the prerequisites for the effective adoption of green logistics practices in small- and medium-sized enterprises.

4. Evaluation of Green Logistics Practices Using the AHP–SAW Multi-Criteria Decision-Making Approach

The Analytic Hierarchy Process facilitates the structuring of complex and unstructured problems by means of a hierarchical decomposition of components according to their significance. In this study AHP was utilised to evaluate the implementation of green logistics practices in real business activities. This was achieved by determining the weights of criteria through pairwise comparison. In order to obtain a final assessment of the sub-criteria and formulate recommendations, SAW method was additionally applied. The method is based on the principle of weighted sum, whereby the performance of each alternative is evaluated, and the alternative with the highest score is considered optimal. The calculated results allow for the determination of the level of implementation of green logistics practices and their practical significance and form the basis for further analysis.

During the qualitative study, the organisations were coded with the letters A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, and J to ensure their anonymity. The reliability of expert assessments depends on the competence of those performing them. Therefore, the informants for this study were selected according to the following pre-established criteria: they must have at least two years’ experience working in the same organisation, and they must be in middle or senior management positions.

The informants participating in the study did not have a professional education related to green logistics. However, they made significant decisions in the organisation regarding the improvement of the efficiency of logistics activities. The distribution of roles was as follows: 4 out of 10 were company managers, 3 out of 10 were responsible for logistics activities within the company, 1 was a commercial director, and 2 out of 10 were business development managers.

The research aimed to evaluate the significance of green logistics practices through the application of the AHP utilising pairwise comparisons. The obtained weight coefficients were normalised to enable an objective comparison of criteria rankings. This methodology ensures a comprehensive and unbiased evaluation, thereby facilitating effective prioritisation. The summarised weight coefficients are presented in

Table 4. Weight coefficients of green logistics practices in organisations using the AHP method.

	A	B	C	D	E	F	G	H	I	J
Green transportation	0.355	0.137	0.236	0.321	0.342	0.302	0.351	0.138	0.235	0.271
Green warehousing	0.171	0.137	0.195	0.323	0.328	0.340	0.311	0.117	0.224	0.213
Green packaging	0.169	0.161	0.129	0.113	0.092	0.105	0.096	0.180	0.167	0.127
Green data management	0.094	0.137	0.096	0.088	0.070	0.089	0.086	0.161	0.126	0.084
Reverse logistics	0.068	0.161	0.078	0.049	0.044	0.035	0.036	0.124	0.095	0.054
Green product design	0.056	0.161	0.133	0.047	0.037	0.042	0.036	0.157	0.077	0.038
Green procurement	0.087	0.106	0.133	0.059	0.088	0.087	0.085	0.124	0.077	0.213

.

In the context of expert assessments, a critical element requiring thorough scrutiny is the rationale underpinning experts’ judgments. This necessitates a careful examination to evaluate the robustness of the data provided and to verify their internal consistency. To this end, the AHP methodology applies specific consistency assessment indicators, namely the λ (lambda) coefficient, the consistency index (CI), and the consistency ratio (CR). The use of these indicators enables the evaluation of both the coherence of experts’ responses and the reliability of their judgments. The corresponding coefficients were calculated for each pairwise comparison, and the λ values of green logistics practitioners and the resulting consistency measures are presented in

Table 5. Results of green logistics practices: lambda and research consistency using the AHP method.

	A	B	C	D	E	F	G	H	I	J
Lambda	7.66	7.31	7.10	7.66	7.66	7.28	7.25	8.19	7.67	7.64
CI	0.11	0.05	0.02	0.11	0.11	0.05	0.04	0.20	0.11	0.11
CR	0.08	0.04	0.01	0.08	0.08	0.03	0.03	0.15	0.08	0.08

.

In this case, the consistency ratio (CR) for organisation H exceeded the threshold of 0.1, indicating that the data obtained may be inconsistent and warrant verification or recollection. In light of these considerations, it was decided to assess the significance of green logistics practices while excluding the contribution of organisation H. This approach ensured the reliability of the research findings and provided a foundation for a coherent subsequent analysis of the criteria’s significance. According to the literature, a CR value of ≤0.1 is generally regarded as indicative of an acceptable level of consistency, while values exceeding this threshold may cast doubt on the reliability of the experts’ responses. The elevated CR observed for organisation H may be related to the highly specialised nature of its operations, as the firm is primarily engaged in transportation and warehousing activities. Such operational focus may lead to strongly polarised judgments, where certain logistics practices are prioritised disproportionately over others, thereby increasing inconsistency in pairwise comparisons within the AHP framework.

The AHP method facilitates the determination of weights for criteria through the implementation of the pairwise comparison principle. However, the final evaluation of sub-criteria was undertaken using the SAW method. This method facilitates the aggregation of the normalised sub-criteria scores according to the designated criterion weights, thereby ensuring the generation of lucid and readily interpretable results. The SAW method is predicated on the concept of a weighted sum, whereby the performance of each sub-criterion is evaluated by calculating a weighted sum. The alternative with the highest score is designated as the optimal solution. As illustrated in

Table 6. Significance determined by green logistics practices using the SAW method.

Green Practice	Weighted Criteria Ranking
Green transportation	28%
Green warehousing	25%
Green packaging	13%
Green procurement	10%
Green data management	10%
Green product design	7%
Reverse logistics	7%

, the analysis demonstrates the significance of the identified green logistics practices.

According to experts in the field, green transport is considered the most developed green logistics practice, with the main focus on infrastructure and competence development and the optimisation of transport vehicles and methods (28%). The second most significant practice is green warehousing (25%), which is regarded by small- and medium-sized businesses as a pivotal component of green logistics. This is due to the consideration of sustainable warehousing measures, energy consumption, and warehouse space utilisation and building structures. Green packaging is considered third in terms of importance (13%), due to the attention paid to the packaging materials used. It is evident that a number of green logistics practices, including but not limited to sustainable procurement, data management, product design and reverse logistics, are currently receiving less attention as organisations focus primarily on activities that require greater investment.

The results of the weighted criteria analysis reveal that even relatively small differences among green logistics practices carry practical significance for SMEs. While the percentage differences between some practices may appear minor numerically, they provide important guidance for managerial decision-making. In the context of SMEs, where resources and capacities are often limited, these differences help organisations prioritise the implementation of practices with the greatest perceived impact, ensuring that strategic efforts are focused on areas such as green transportation and green warehousing, which received the highest weights (28% and 25%, respectively). Therefore, the calculated rankings are not only a reflection of expert evaluations but also serve as a practical tool for informed resource allocation and phased implementation of green logistics initiatives.

The prioritisation of green transport, warehousing, and packaging shows that organisations focus on practices that have the most visible and immediate impact on operational efficiency and environmental performance. However, the comparatively lower emphasis placed on areas such as green procurement, data management, product design, and reverse logistics suggests that the full potential of green logistics has yet to be realised. A more balanced integration of all these practices would enhance sustainability outcomes and strengthen the long-term competitiveness and resilience of supply chains.

The findings indicate that SMEs predominantly prioritise operational green logistics practices, with green transportation (28%) and green warehousing (25%) receiving the highest weights. In contrast, strategically oriented practices—such as green packaging (13%), sustainable procurement, and green data management (10% each), as well as green product design and reverse logistics (7% each)—remain markedly underdeveloped. This imbalance suggests that sustainability efforts are largely driven by short-term operational efficiency rather than long-term circular economy objectives. To mitigate this gap, SMEs should gradually reallocate attention toward these lower-ranked practices through small-scale pilot initiatives, supported by investments in digitalisation, competence development, and enhanced collaboration with supply chain partners, thereby strengthening the overall maturity of green logistics practices within existing resource constraints.

5. Discussion and Conclusions

In today’s highly competitive and dynamic business environment, it is crucial for organisations to continuously improve their performance and enhance operational efficiency. These two factors are closely linked to changes implemented at an individual level within the organisation, with green logistics usually being associated with this. Green logistics involves planning and managing logistics practices such as transportation, warehousing, packaging, and reverse logistics in a way that reduces negative environmental impacts. It is based on applying sustainable solutions and advanced technologies to optimise resource use and balance environmental, economic, and social goals. Implementing green practices in logistics is multifaceted due to its direct impact on incentives and disincentives. Green logistics is viewed positively when it improves a company’s sustainability indicators while reducing or maintaining costs. The main factors promoting green logistics are reducing financial costs, complying with government regulations, and gaining a competitive advantage. However, implementing green logistics requires a significant initial investment, relevant knowledge and expertise, and management involvement, which often hinders the adoption of green practices. Organisations seeking to change their logistics activities must develop internal policies that support environmental principles, plan the development of technology and infrastructure, implement innovations to enable green practices, and base their activities on integration and external cooperation in the market [2,3,9,11,13,55].

The AHP method, one of the most widely used multi-criteria evaluation methods, was chosen for this research paper [13]. The AHP method enables complex and unstructured problems to be structured by breaking them down into hierarchically organised components according to their significance. In this study, AHP was applied to evaluate the extent to which green logistics practices were implemented in real business activities by determining the weights of the criteria using a pairwise comparison. To obtain a final assessment of the sub-criteria and formulate recommendations, the SAW method was also employed. Based on the principle of weighted sum, this method evaluates the performance of each alternative; the alternative with the highest score is considered optimal [84,103,106,108]. The calculated results determine the level of implementation of green logistics practices and their practical significance, forming the basis for further analysis.

The findings suggest that green transport, warehousing, and packaging continue to be the focus for organisations as they offer the most immediate efficiency and sustainability benefits. This aligns with the research works previously conducted by De Souza et al. [13] and other authors [1,2,57,64,65,90]. In contrast, practices such as green procurement, data management, product design, and reverse logistics are given less attention. This result is in line with the findings of earlier research carried out by Jazairy [47] and others [44,68,73]. This suggests that the full potential of green logistics has yet to be realised. Taking a more balanced approach could improve environmental outcomes and strengthen long-term supply chain resilience.

This research contributes to the academic understanding of green logistics and provides valuable insights for practitioners seeking to advance sustainable development. Beyond its theoretical contribution, the study offers a structured and empirically grounded foundation that enables organisations—particularly SMEs—to identify, prioritise, and expand green logistics practices in a systematic manner. By revealing the relative significance of different green logistics initiatives—most notably the leading role of green transport, followed by green warehousing and green packaging—the study equips practitioners with evidence-based guidance for allocating resources, targeting improvement areas, and developing phased implementation strategies. These insights support informed strategic decision-making, strengthen organisational sustainability performance, and facilitate a more effective transition toward greener and more circular supply chain operations.

The results of this study have several limitations. First of all, the empirical study was carried out only in SMEs in one country, Lithuania, so the data obtained cannot be directly generalised to a wider context. Secondly, the methodology of the study was based on the application of two multi-criteria decision-making methods, which may lead to a certain level of subjectivity in the assessment of the criteria values. Thirdly, the survey data was based on a small number of SME representatives and their insights, which may be influenced by their subjective preferences or limited knowledge. Finally, the study reflects the situation at a particular time, but green logistics trends and technologies are changing rapidly.

Future research could include broader comparative contexts, including analysis of different countries and company sizes. It is also appropriate to use a wider range of multi-criteria decision-making methods to ensure the robustness of the results. Future research could assess the impact of green logistics practices on the long-term competitiveness and financial performance of companies, integrate quantitative environmental data (e.g., CO₂ emissions and energy consumption), and carry out studies in specific industries or on a regional scale.