Enhancing resilience through strategic supplier selection and engagement for humanitarian organisations

Purpose Effective evaluation of strategic suppliers is critical to the resilience of humanitarian operations. However, this area is under-researched, and the current expertise regarding strategic supplier evaluation in humanitarian organisations tends to be inadequate. This implies hidden risks of supply disruption in humanitarian supply chains, negatively affecting operations continuity, which can hinder the delivery of humanitarian aid to beneficiaries. This project aims to understand the current state of supplier evaluation in the humanitarian sector and develop a conceptual framework to assist humanitarian organisations in improving their practices in this area and to be more resilient against potential supply disruptions. Design/methodology/approach The project uses questionnaire surveys and in-depth semi-structured interviews to collect primary data from humanitarian practitioners regarding supplier evaluation and engagement practices. Through qualitative thematic analysis and a grounded theory approach, a conceptual framework is proposed. This lack of a structured method may expose vulnerabilities in the supply chain, potentially failing to address the unique challenges of humanitarian operations. Findings The results suggest that humanitarian organisations currently do not apply a structured method in their supplier evaluation process. They may apply evaluation criteria such as those used in traditional commercial contexts, including delivery time, costs and suppliers’ previous performance records. The project proposes a conceptual framework that humanitarian organisations can apply to address the practical challenges in identifying, selecting and managing strategic suppliers to increase the resilience of humanitarian supply chains. Research limitations/implications The results suggest that humanitarian organisations currently do not apply a structured method in their supplier evaluation process. They may apply evaluation criteria such as those used in traditional commercial contexts, including delivery time, costs, and suppliers’ previous performance records. Originality/value This exploratory study sets the empirical foundation for future research in developing a practical framework for strategic supplier evaluation in the humanitarian sector. By adopting this framework, humanitarian organisations can effectively manage their supply chains, ensuring a more reliable and effective distribution of aid to those in need.