Background: Research provides insights on the concept of sustainability in the field of supply chain management, by comparing the theoretical concept of SSCM and the practical understanding or focus of brand owners while representing sustainability. Research describes the value and significance of all three elements of sustainability to prevent brand reputational damage. By investigating and identifying effective ways to manage and improve supplier’s sustainability, the study contributes to the supply chain management field. Research aim: The research aims to highlight the concept of sustainability in supply chain management by consideration and integration all three elements of sustainability. More precisely, the study aims to display the importance of sustainability with supply chain partners for brand owners. Also identifying the effective ways that could support brand owners to manage and improve their supplier's sustainability. Methodology: A qualitative approach was followed, with semi-structured interviews that were conducted with five managers across four companies in Scandinavia. Findings: The research identified that product-based brands can improve their sustainability standards with suppliers by monitoring, motivating, and influencing them. Although it is not a simple process and comes with challenges such as certain factors like company size, the location of the suppliers and the relationship with suppliers.

Ämnet hållbarhet är mer aktuellt idag än någonsin och en stor uppmärksamhet riktas idag mot tillverkningsföretag i Sverige. Denna uppmärksamhet och en ökad medvetenhet om de strategiska konkurrensfördelarna som mer hållbara tillvägagångssätt kan medföra, har lett till ökade hållbarhetsinsatser hos svenska tillverkningsföretag. En hållbar logistik är avgörande för alla företag som önskar minska sin negativa påverkan på denna planet. Denna kvalitativa studie visar hur tillverkningsföretag i norra Sverige idag arbetar med hållbarhet inom sin logistik. Studiens syfte är att skapa en djupare förståelse om hållbarhetstrender inom tillverkningsföretag för att sedan identifiera och presentera gemensamma trender. Förutom detta ges även rekommendationer på alternativa lösningar som tillverkningsföretag i framtiden kan implementera för att bygga på sina redan existerande hållbarhetsåtgärder. Studiens kunskapsbidrag blir således en djupare förståelse om gemensamma hållbarhetstrender inom tillverkningsföretag i Norra Sverige. Vidare har även ett teoretiskt bidrag givits i hållbarhetsmodellen Piekarski – Zemhret Sustainability Model, modellen förklarar vad som krävs för att uppnå långsiktig hållbarhet. Intervjuguiden och den teoretiska referensramen är indelad efter fyra teman;hållbarhet, industrins behov, incitament till hållbar förändring och hållbarhetsutmaningar i framtiden. Empirin har samlats in genom fem separata semi-strukturerade intervjuer med tillverkningsföretag i norra Sverige. Den insamlade data visar hur de tillfrågade företagen arbetar med hållbarhet inom sin logistik. Den ger även en förstahandsinsyn om vilka sociala, ekologiska och ekonomiska faktorer som driver tillverkningsföretagens arbete med hållbarhet inom deras logistik. En analys av empirin identifierar totalt sex hållbarhetstrender som delas av en majoritet av företagen som intervjuats. Bland dessa trender ingår bland annat arbete med riskhantering genom logistikkedjan och intresset för en framtida implementering av returlogistik och en mer cirkulär ekonomi. Analyskapitlet refererar sedan till den teoretiska referensramen för att förklara hur och varför de gemensamma hållbarhetstrender som identifierats växt fram. Baserat på analysen har två rekommendationer med alternativa lösningar givits. Dessa rekommendationer är en ökad användning av digitala verktyg och implementeringen av cirkulär ekonomi. Båda alternativen valdes på grund av dess goda möjlighet att uppnå en långsiktig hållbarhet inom logistikkedjan för tillverkningsföretag i norra Sverige. Detta eftersom båda alternativen gynnar hållbarhetens alla tre pelare (social, ekologisk och ekonomisk) som tillsammans med incitament och behov enligt Piekarski – Zemhret Sustainability Model är avgörande för att kunna uppnå långsiktig hållbarhet.

Much of the existing literature on the social aspects of sustainability in the supply chain has focused on dyadic buyer-supplier relationships. However, supply chains are much more extensive, featuring multi-tiered systems consisting of many interconnected sequential and parallel dyadic relationships; therefore, a more expansive and holistic approach to exploring the management and integration of social sustainability standards across the extended supply chain is desirable. This research attempts to help fill this void and considers the extent to which a series of sequential upstream and downstream supply chain partners, rather than only a focal organization’s immediate suppliers and buyers, influence the formulation process of the social aspects of a sustainability strategy and the deployment of associated practices across the extended supply chain. Findings in the literature indicate that, inter alia, sustainability efforts in the supply chain are likely to be guided by stakeholders’ sustainability desires/requirements, the geographical location of buyers and suppliers and the associated sustainability enforcement regulations and cultural norms, and the volume of trade between the buyer and supplier. This paper uses the results gleaned from a review of the literature to propose a conceptual framework for selection of sustainability strategy across the multi-tiered supply chain. Finally, we introduce a conceptual approach to the process of implementing and deploying the social aspects of sustainability strategies and practices across the supply chain using an integrated social-sustainability information management system (ISIMS).

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The food retail industry's Scope 3 GHG emissions significantly contribute to global GHG emissions. Furthermore, it is widely acknowledged that a company's leadership style and effective stakeholder communication are critical for GHG abatement. Nevertheless, research on stakeholder communicationto persuade them to become more active in a company's sustainability process beyond current regulations is scarce. Based on a qualitative study on a case company, the thesis aims to underline the importance of effective stakeholder communication and leadership in the decarbonization process, focusing on Scope 3 GHG emissions of the company’s own brands upstream supply chain in the field of animal products. It examines and identifies communication hinders and drivers that can be influencedby leadership. Furthermore, measures of how to improve stakeholder communication along the upstream supply chain for practitioners are developed. Conclusively, the thesis displays that stakeholder communication is important due to the complexity of Scope 3 GHG emission reporting and the lack of a common language among stakeholders. It is further confirmed that leadership is key to eliminating stakeholder communication barriers. Most barriers have been identified due to inconsistent communication, making communication the primary motivator for Scope 3 GHG emission reporting. Finally, measures to improve stakeholder communication and thus Scope 3 GHG emission reporting for Company X’s in the Austrian food retail sector are presented. Moreover, the necessity for joint governmental regulations to reach climate targets set by the Paris Agreement and the SBTi is highly emphasized. As a final step, theoretical contributions, as well as directions for future research, are identified.

Worldwide, around 17% of food waste produced in high income countries is constituted of dairy products. In Sweden, Dairy Company A has been dealing with food waste production throughout all their sites. Although it already practices actions such regarding food waste minimization such as biogas generation and animal food, reduction and prevention practices are still an area of opportunity. The aim of this study is to explore alternatives for food waste prevention in Company A CSE dairy supply chain and generate recommendations that help the company achieve a more sustainable supply chain.  This study furthermore proposes a 5-step research methodology to identify food waste causes and drivers, including data gathering mainly through interviews and analysis based on proposed frameworks in relevant literature. It was found that activities related to systematic root cause identification and information storage and sharing play a key role in improving existing practices that aim to reduce and minimize food waste production from a supply planning perspective.  The research identified and recommended not only to raise awareness, which is key to reducing food waste, but to put into a broader context how decisions taken by any planner could be influencing the sustainability of the supply chain. This could be done through the adoption of process-driven mechanisms to share relevant information as well as food waste root cause identification. / Över hela världen utgörs cirka 17 % av matavfallet som produceras i höginkomstländer av mejeriprodukter. I Sverige har Mejeriföretag A sysslat med produktion av matavfall på alla sina anläggningar. Även om det redan tillämpar åtgärder som när det gäller minimering av matsvinn, såsom generering av biogas och djurfoder, är metoder för reduktion och förebyggande fortfarande ett område med möjligheter. Syftet med denna studie är att utforska alternativ för att förebygga matsvinn i Company A CSE-mejeriförsörjningskedjan och generera rekommendationer som hjälper företaget att uppnå en mer hållbar försörjningskedja.  Denna studie föreslår dessutom en 5-stegs forskningsmetodik för att identifiera orsaker och drivkrafter för matsvinn, inklusive datainsamling främst genom intervjuer och analyser baserade på föreslagna ramverk i relevant litteratur. Det visade sig att aktiviteter relaterade till systematisk rotorsaksidentifiering och informationslagring och -delning spelar en nyckelroll för att förbättra befintliga metoder som syftar till att minska och minimera produktionen av matavfall ur ett utbudsplaneringsperspektiv.  Forskningen identifierade och rekommenderade inte bara att öka medvetenheten, vilket är nyckeln till att minska matsvinnet, utan för att sätta in i ett bredare sammanhang hur beslut som fattas av alla planerare kan påverka leveranskedjans hållbarhet. Detta skulle kunna göras genom antagandet av processdrivna mekanismer för att dela relevant information samt identifiering av rotorsak för matavfall.

Yes / Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore the empirical reality of environmental scanning practices in sustainable supply chain management contexts. In particular it tests and extends a conceptual framework proposed by Fabbe-Costes et al. (2011). Design and methodology: The empirical data for this research were obtained from 45 semi-structured interviews with key informants, combined with a discussion of the main results with a focus group of supply chain experts. These data are compared with the literature and brought to bear on the framework. Findings - The research finds both breadth and depth in the scope of sustainability scanning practices of the respondents and provides evidence of multi-level scanning, with all respondents describing scanning activity at the societal level. It further demonstrates the adoption of multiple and diverse scanning targets at all levels in the conceptual framework. The articulation and ranking of scanning targets for sustainable SCM at all levels informs the development of priorities for practice. The paper also makes some observations about the boundaries of the scanning process. Practical implications: The results provide managers with guidance about what to scan in sustainable supply chain contexts. The validated framework can serve as a practical tool to assist managers with the organization and prioritization of their environmental scanning activities. Originality/Value: The paper is among the first to address the role of environmental scanning in sustainable supply chain contexts. It highlights the need for a multi-level framework for such scanning activities and opens up a debate about their implementation.

Yes / The purpose of this paper is to offer a consolidative approach in exploring the potential contribution of digital technologies in sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) for the sustainable performance of food supply chain business, through the circular economy concepts. As a single case study, this qualitative, interpretivist research was based on one of the largest food producers in the United Kingdom. The research utilises semi-structured interviews and applies thematic analysis to offer rich insights into SSCM challenges and their relationship with the business performance, through ten in-depth interviews. Findings derived from thematic analysis of the interview transcripts suggest four main critical success factors underpinning SSCM practices and businesses performance – i.e. business continuity, waste reduction, performance measurement approach, and organisational learning, which could use the help of digital technologies to improve. This led to seven propositions to be addressed in the future research. This research offers real, practical insights into SSCM challenges, within the context of food supply chain and explores the potential of digital technologies in overcoming them. Accordingly, the primary contribution of this work is grounded in the identification of critical success factors in SSCM for Food Supply Chains (FSC). Hence, this work contributes further to the literature on SSCM, as well as circular economy, by providing a study of a business in the context of the highly pertinent and valuable food industry.

Introduktion- Den miljömässiga varianten av Supply chain management, även kallad Green supply chain management, har som mål att minimera eller eliminera negativ miljöpåverkan. Onödiga transporter innebär negativ miljöpåverkan. Trots transporters påverkan på miljön, finns lite forskning om samband mellan transporter och Green supply chain management. Syftet med studien är därför att utforma en strategi för att uppnå Green supply chain management och minska på onödiga transporter med fokus på osäkerhet, variation och transparens.   Metod- För att möjliggöra ett besvarande av syfte har en fallstudie bedrivits med hjälp av litteratur och ett fallföretag.   Resultat, analys, diskussion och slutsats - Fallföretaget påverkas negativt av osäkerhet, variation och har även brist på transparens i försörjningskedjan. Onödiga transporter genom återkallningar skapas på grund av kvalitetsbristerskapar hinder för en effektiv supply chain management strategi. Ett systematiskt tillvägagångssätt genom PDCA kan hjälpa fallföretaget att skapa en stabil grund och uppnå Green supply chain management. Det är viktigt att Plan-Do-Check-Act bedrivs med god kommunikation för att skapa transparens, hindra osäkerhet och variation. Green supply chain management kan uppnås genom en kombination av ISO 9001, ISO 14001 och Lean. Dessa delar ska bedrivas med Plan-Do-Check-Act för att minska på onödiga transporter. / Introduction- The environmental variant of Supply Chain Management, also known as the Green supply chain management, aims to minimize or eliminate negative environmental impacts.  Unnecessary transports are a negative environmental aspect and means negative environmental impact. Although transports affect the environment, there is little research on the relationship between transport and Green supply chain management. The purpose of the study is therefore to design a strategy for achieving Green supply chain management and reduce unnecessary transport with a focus on uncertainty, variability and transparency. Method- To enable the answering of purpose, a case study conducted with the help of literature and a case company. Results- The case company is negatively affected by uncertainty, variety, and also by a lack of transparency in the supply chain. Unnecessary transportations through recalls are created because of quality defects. This creates obstacles for a supply chain management strategy to be more effective. A systematic approach by Plan-Do-Check-Act can help the case company to create a stable basis and achieve green supply chain management. It is necessary to conduct Plan-Do-Check-Act with good communication in order to create transparency, prevent uncertainty and variation. Green supply chain management can be achieved through a combination of ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and Lean. These parts should be conducted with PDCA, which can reduce unnecessary transportation.

It has been argued for the past years that one of today’s main important factors for gaining competitive advantage is to implement CSR activities. There have been many studies showing the many benefits CSR have, not only to the organizations but also to society and the environment. However, CSR does not only concern the organization itself but also ensuring that the social and environmental behaviour is accomplished throughout the whole supply chain. Larger firms have the ability to implement and focus on several tasks at once, while small and medium-sized enterprises are struggling with limited resources and cannot afford any mistakes. This study is focusing on how SMEs with limited resources implement CSR within the supply chain and what difficulties they experience, since CSR is often seen as a complex and resource based issue. A case study was conducted at a SME in a B2B context and the study is based on a qualitative approach, with empirical data gathered from five in-depth interviews. After the empirical data was analysed it was concluded that by decreasing the supplier base is a way of gaining stronger contact and trust, also centralizing the supplier base in order to decrease transportation and emissions. SMEs with limited resources can outsource duties such as checkups and audits to external companies in order to assure quality and environmental criteria’s. Also, being an SME with limited resources indicates that the employees have to take on multiple roles in order to adapt to all customer and supplier demands, which was shown to be a complexity since obligations such as making a profitable procurement, were often prioritized before CSR. It was also found that the internal CSR communication was a major contributor to the lack of knowledge as well as interest in the subject, CSR is not seen as an obligation if not having anyone responsible for the CSR activities. Lastly, both CSR and digitalization were found to be two crucial keystones for organizational survival on the market.