A multi objective mixed integer programming model for design of a sustainable meat supply chain network

Abstract

In the recent decades, rapid population growth has led to the significant increase in food demand. Food supply chain has always been one of the most important and challenging management issues. Product with short age, especially foodstuffs, is the most problematic challenges for supply chain management. These challenges are mainly due to the diversity in the number of these goods, the special need for tracking the flow of goods in the supply chain and the short age of products. Designing an appropriate supply chain network for the organization will increase profitability as well as customer satisfaction. It also helps organizations to achieve competitive advantage in market. In this research, a multi-objective planning model is presented in order to design a sustainable supply chain network. The first objective function minimizes costs, the second objective function minimizes network environmental impacts, the third objective function optimizes the productivity of facilities and the fourth objective function optimizes network social impacts. In this research, in order to deal with uncertainty, the robust optimization approach is implemented. Multi-criteria decision-making methods are also used to solve the multi-objective model.