Supply chains are critical to global operations. However, they involve many risks that require consideration of trade‐offs. Furthermore, consideration of the environment is becoming critical as well. This paper views supply chain decision‐making from a system perspective, using multiple criteria decision‐making as a framework. Systems perspectives of supply chains are discussed. Criteria and factors are reviewed for green supply chain management, supply chain risk, and supply chain efficiency. Selected papers balancing criteria in supply chain decision‐making are reviewed with the purpose of demonstrating risk and environmental criteria with efficiency. The conclusions discuss how systemic features are demonstrated by these decision‐making criteria. It is contended that consideration of systemic trade‐offs will lead to sounder supply chain decision‐making. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.