Due to their low importance in terms of value and because C-parts are predominantly standard items, C-parts have little strategic relevance. Therefore, economic efficiency is the overriding premise in their entire supply chain, whereby little consideration is given to ecological sustainability aspects. However, sustainable business requires a holistic approach. This makes a structured consideration of ecological sustainability aspects as implemented in several sustainability maturity models particularly important for C-parts management (CPM). However, existing research lacks maturity models geared towards CPM. Therefore, this study aims to close this gap by developing a maturity model for the evaluation of the ecological sustainability in CPM. Based on a systematic literature review, we conceptually develop a fundamental maturity model that is subsequently validated at a CPM solution provider. We identified six ecological drivers and developed a five-level evaluation matrix consisting of 30 defined maturity levels. From an academic point of view, the model serves as a valid starting point for scientific in-depth studies in sustainable CPM. Moreover, it provides managers with the opportunity to, first, assess the status quo of their sustainability in CPM, then, second to identify improvement potential, and lastly, third, allows for cross-company benchmarking.
