Sustainability meets service procurement: a case study in the ICT service sector
通过16场半结构化访谈，研究了一家金融服务业龙头公司及其三家ICT供应商，发现ICT服务可持续采购成熟度低，面临标准缺失、供应链不透明等挑战，同时受利益相关方压力和供应商主动性驱动。
This study investigates sustainability in Information and Communications Technology (ICT) service procurement, examining its unique challenges, key drivers, and current practices. Through an exploratory case study based on 16 semi-structured interviews with a lead firm in the financial services sector and its three main ICT service suppliers, the findings reveal that while sustainability practices have begun to be incorporated, the overall maturity of sustainable procurement in ICT services remains low. The study identifies multiple challenges, including a lack of standardised sustainability criteria and tools, limited visibility into supply chains, and conflicting priorities as major barriers. At the same time, stakeholder pressures, proactive supplier initiatives, and internal organisational capabilities act as key drivers. Based on these findings, the study proposes a theoretical framework linking challenges, drivers and practices on sustainable ICT service procurement. The research contributes to the literature on sustainable supply chain management by providing insights specific to ICT services and offers relevant practical implications for firms striving to address sustainability in this evolving field.