Abstract
This study aimed to determine the degree to which supplier development initiatives create a favourable environment for promoting sustainable procurement. Sustainable procurement was modelled as a three-factor construct comprising economic, environmental, and social pillars, following the Triple Bottom Line (TBL) framework. Suppliers were evaluated based on three metrics of sustainable performance. A total of 398 suppliers were evaluated in the Bindura district, which is a key tobacco-farming region in Zimbabwe. A positivist research philosophy was adopted with its attendant quantitative research design. The three constructs comprising the TBL were operationalised using measurement scales distilled from the extant literature to ensure content and construct validity. An Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) conducted in SPSS (v26) and a Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) and a Multi-Group Confirmatory Factor Analysis (MG-CFA) run on Analysis of Moment Structures (AMOS) data analysis software were used to validate the measurement scales. A Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) and related post hoc Analysis of Variance (AVOVA) run on SPSS data analysis software was used for hypothesis testing. The results reveal that supplier development has a statistically significant effect on all three constructs constituting the TBL framework. The study concluded that developed suppliers (contract farmers) performed better than independent farmers in terms of sustainable performance, thereby enabling tobacco merchants to practice sustainable procurement effectively. It is therefore recommended that supplier development initiatives (contract farming) be expanded to enhance sustainable procurement.