Table 1 Descriptions of... | Emerald Publishing

Table 1

Descriptions of sustainability-related communication and relation: Different actors’ views

Actor’s view	In dyad with	Descriptions	Illustrating quotes
Shipper	3PL	Communication: Imposes environmental sustainability requirements (e.g. regarding fuel type and CO_2e/liter of fuel) and social requirements (e.g. driving and resting times, safe vehicles, use of seat belts and driving licenses) in the contract appendix. These requirements are not motivated by consumers, as they only communicate product-related sustainability to the shipper. Requires the 3PL to ensure that all haulers uphold the contract and to report on all subcontracted haulers. Requires the 3PL to send monthly environmental reports. Audits are conducted once or twice annually by a third-party auditor. Receives more input from auditor than from the 3PL on the actions and sustainability performance	“It is clear which key performance indicators (KPIs) we require when it comes to environmental reporting. Social reporting is not yet mature and we require no KPIs due to ambiguities in legislation, but 3PLs should report” (HOS). “We [however] see that we have a large responsibility for sustainability as a leading actor in the market” (HOS)
	3PL	Relationship: The 3PL has been awarded many contracts by the shipper for different receivers and different types of goods for more than 35 years. This implies many different individuals involved in the relationship over time	“We meet this 3PL on many levels” (HOS)
	Hauler	Communication: The hauler is not large enough to transport all volumes for the shipper and the shipper wants to have just one transport supplier. Therefore, the shipper sees no need for communication with lower-tier suppliers and wants the 3PL to secure this communication, while still monitoring such suppliers via the 3PL and auditors. Auditors conduct unannounced spot-checks on operations (e.g. seat belt use and drivers’ license of haulers) to ensure the sustainable performance	“3PLs should ensure that haulers and primarily drivers have good daily conditions” (HOS)
	Hauler	Relationship: Does not seek any direct relations. The shipper cares about and is motivated to ensure its reputation as an attractive shipper. They impose high social sustainability requirements on 3PLs, which, in turn, should be imposed on haulers	“Qualified drivers are a scarce resource; we have to ensure that they want to drive for us” (HOS)
3PL	Shipper	Communication: Sustainability requirements are communicated in a contract appendix applicable to all the shipper’s suppliers, including product suppliers, and therefore contain a lot of irrelevant and redundant information. The shipper requires formal, written sustainability reporting and auditing. The shipper is not open to in-depth discussions and feedback on requirements	“This shipper was the first to impose environmental requirements five years ago. This year, they are the first to require certain social requirements” (KAM). “We estimate that 60% of the contract appendix applies to 3PLs” (QSM). “Despite our wish to communicate with the shipper about audit results, no such communication occurs” (QSM)
	Shipper	Relationship: Long-term relationship, but not on a personal level, with this highly attractive shipper. The shipper has high sustainability ambitions that are in line with the 3PL’s own ambitions. The awarding of contracts occurs in a highly competitive bidding environment, where the contract can be lost or in which a competitor 3PL can turn into a sub-contracting 4PL. The shipper respects the 3PL’s knowledge and does not micro-manage vis-à-vis how social sustainability is operationalized, how work routines and tools are developed or how the demands for fossil-free fuel are reached	“A good shipper – able, educated and updated” (KAM). “A competitor was awarded a contract with this shipper, despite lacking the required capacity and they subcontracted us as a solution” (CEO)
	Hauler	Communication: The shipper’s contract is passed on to the hauler unedited. The shipper outsources the operationalization of social sustainability to 3PL and hauler. This necessitates frequent and in-person meetings to discuss their responses to the shipper’s requirements and their adjustments in operations to meet the sometimes-vague requirements for follow-up. The shipper’s demands for follow-up action require the hauler to be monitored by the 3PL. The 3PL constantly seeks more information about the hauler’s operations in terms of drivers and vehicles. Monitors legislation, which motivates and drives the development of requirements and, in turn, follow-up action. The 3PL requires all newly employed drivers to sign contracts in which they promise to adhere to the requirements and outsources the follow-up through spot-checks to a third party	“We email the contract appendix even if it contains redundant information” (KAM). “Maybe we should edit the appendix to include only information relevant to each hauler, but such action has not been prioritized” (QSM). “Important messages might get lost in the fine print” (KAM). “Some required information is available from an independent company’s app, ensuring that each vehicle is inspected for safety every morning. Take the terror attack in Stockholm; when a truck was stolen and driven through pedestrian zones, it meant that we had demands quickly put upon us to guarantee to lock and bring the keys as soon as a driver leaves the vehicle” (QSM)
	Hauler	Relationship: The hauler has been one of the largest partners of the 3PL for decades. Mutual trust and close collaboration are described as key to making the operational changes needed to reach the shipper’s high demands related to sustainability performance	“We have aligned our ambitions and forged a mutual understanding about sustainability” (CEO)
Hauler	Shipper	Communication: All communication goes through the 3PL. The hauler wants more communication so as to clarify the shipper’s future requirements and motivators for sustainability, particularly, as requirements often fail to consider practical operational realities and can be impossible to meet. The contract lacks non-compliance clauses for sustainability requirements despite including it for delivery requirements; if the two conflict, delivery requirements take priority, with operations and performance adjusted toward delivery requirements. The shipper offered web education once, something which the hauler would want every year – a requirement they have asked the 3PL to forward to the shipper. The hauler wishes to share transport-related data (i.e. fuel usage), as they are proud of their measurement system and performance, but the shipper shows no interest in this data	“Conventional requirements for on-time delivery can be stressful, requiring both prompt delivery and respecting speed limits and this counteracts rest times in unforeseen situations such as in queues” (HRM-SSM). “[If] the shipper expects us to carry their flag, then we have to be updated about their demands” (HRM-SSM). “We want the shipper to have the possibility to log on to our measurement system at any time” (CEO-ESM)
	Shipper	Relationship: The hauler has had a long-term indirect relationship with the shipper involving diverse types of transports for different receivers in various locations. The hauler desires to advance its position in the TSC and thereby have a direct relationship with the shipper	“We have driven for this shipper for many years; however, the challenge is that the shipper has to perceive us as one supplier – the 3PL – not 7–8 haulers” (CEO-SSM)
	3PL	Communication: The received contract information is not carefully reviewed; instead, the hauler relies on many personal meetings with the 3PL. The 3PL asks (albeit seldom) for detailed measurement data on sustainability performance from the hauler. The hauler communicates requirements for changed operations with drivers (among other things) using apps, tracking tools and online messages that are visible when the drivers record their hours worked. The drivers must confirm that they have received the message	“Personal meetings are the best information channel, so we hope to get all necessary information there” (CEO-ESM). “I cannot know for sure that they [the drivers] have read, understood and accepted the information provided” (HRM-SSM)
	3PL	Relationship: Longstanding and seen as based in partnership because of cooperative ownership and a high level of joint dependency. Perceives that the 3PL could advocate for more realistic social requirements and for their time-related non-compliance clauses	“We have been a large partner of the 3PL for many years” (CEO-SSM)

Actor’s view	In dyad with	Descriptions	Illustrating quotes
Shipper	3PL	Communication: Imposes environmental sustainability requirements (e.g. regarding fuel type and CO_2e/liter of fuel) and social requirements (e.g. driving and resting times, safe vehicles, use of seat belts and driving licenses) in the contract appendix. These requirements are not motivated by consumers, as they only communicate product-related sustainability to the shipper. Requires the 3PL to ensure that all haulers uphold the contract and to report on all subcontracted haulers. Requires the 3PL to send monthly environmental reports. Audits are conducted once or twice annually by a third-party auditor. Receives more input from auditor than from the 3PL on the actions and sustainability performance	“It is clear which key performance indicators (KPIs) we require when it comes to environmental reporting. Social reporting is not yet mature and we require no KPIs due to ambiguities in legislation, but 3PLs should report” (HOS). “We [however] see that we have a large responsibility for sustainability as a leading actor in the market” (HOS)
	3PL	Relationship: The 3PL has been awarded many contracts by the shipper for different receivers and different types of goods for more than 35 years. This implies many different individuals involved in the relationship over time	“We meet this 3PL on many levels” (HOS)
	Hauler	Communication: The hauler is not large enough to transport all volumes for the shipper and the shipper wants to have just one transport supplier. Therefore, the shipper sees no need for communication with lower-tier suppliers and wants the 3PL to secure this communication, while still monitoring such suppliers via the 3PL and auditors. Auditors conduct unannounced spot-checks on operations (e.g. seat belt use and drivers’ license of haulers) to ensure the sustainable performance	“3PLs should ensure that haulers and primarily drivers have good daily conditions” (HOS)
	Hauler	Relationship: Does not seek any direct relations. The shipper cares about and is motivated to ensure its reputation as an attractive shipper. They impose high social sustainability requirements on 3PLs, which, in turn, should be imposed on haulers	“Qualified drivers are a scarce resource; we have to ensure that they want to drive for us” (HOS)
3PL	Shipper	Communication: Sustainability requirements are communicated in a contract appendix applicable to all the shipper’s suppliers, including product suppliers, and therefore contain a lot of irrelevant and redundant information. The shipper requires formal, written sustainability reporting and auditing. The shipper is not open to in-depth discussions and feedback on requirements	“This shipper was the first to impose environmental requirements five years ago. This year, they are the first to require certain social requirements” (KAM). “We estimate that 60% of the contract appendix applies to 3PLs” (QSM). “Despite our wish to communicate with the shipper about audit results, no such communication occurs” (QSM)
	Shipper	Relationship: Long-term relationship, but not on a personal level, with this highly attractive shipper. The shipper has high sustainability ambitions that are in line with the 3PL’s own ambitions. The awarding of contracts occurs in a highly competitive bidding environment, where the contract can be lost or in which a competitor 3PL can turn into a sub-contracting 4PL. The shipper respects the 3PL’s knowledge and does not micro-manage vis-à-vis how social sustainability is operationalized, how work routines and tools are developed or how the demands for fossil-free fuel are reached	“A good shipper – able, educated and updated” (KAM). “A competitor was awarded a contract with this shipper, despite lacking the required capacity and they subcontracted us as a solution” (CEO)
	Hauler	Communication: The shipper’s contract is passed on to the hauler unedited. The shipper outsources the operationalization of social sustainability to 3PL and hauler. This necessitates frequent and in-person meetings to discuss their responses to the shipper’s requirements and their adjustments in operations to meet the sometimes-vague requirements for follow-up. The shipper’s demands for follow-up action require the hauler to be monitored by the 3PL. The 3PL constantly seeks more information about the hauler’s operations in terms of drivers and vehicles. Monitors legislation, which motivates and drives the development of requirements and, in turn, follow-up action. The 3PL requires all newly employed drivers to sign contracts in which they promise to adhere to the requirements and outsources the follow-up through spot-checks to a third party	“We email the contract appendix even if it contains redundant information” (KAM). “Maybe we should edit the appendix to include only information relevant to each hauler, but such action has not been prioritized” (QSM). “Important messages might get lost in the fine print” (KAM). “Some required information is available from an independent company’s app, ensuring that each vehicle is inspected for safety every morning. Take the terror attack in Stockholm; when a truck was stolen and driven through pedestrian zones, it meant that we had demands quickly put upon us to guarantee to lock and bring the keys as soon as a driver leaves the vehicle” (QSM)
	Hauler	Relationship: The hauler has been one of the largest partners of the 3PL for decades. Mutual trust and close collaboration are described as key to making the operational changes needed to reach the shipper’s high demands related to sustainability performance	“We have aligned our ambitions and forged a mutual understanding about sustainability” (CEO)
Hauler	Shipper	Communication: All communication goes through the 3PL. The hauler wants more communication so as to clarify the shipper’s future requirements and motivators for sustainability, particularly, as requirements often fail to consider practical operational realities and can be impossible to meet. The contract lacks non-compliance clauses for sustainability requirements despite including it for delivery requirements; if the two conflict, delivery requirements take priority, with operations and performance adjusted toward delivery requirements. The shipper offered web education once, something which the hauler would want every year – a requirement they have asked the 3PL to forward to the shipper. The hauler wishes to share transport-related data (i.e. fuel usage), as they are proud of their measurement system and performance, but the shipper shows no interest in this data	“Conventional requirements for on-time delivery can be stressful, requiring both prompt delivery and respecting speed limits and this counteracts rest times in unforeseen situations such as in queues” (HRM-SSM). “[If] the shipper expects us to carry their flag, then we have to be updated about their demands” (HRM-SSM). “We want the shipper to have the possibility to log on to our measurement system at any time” (CEO-ESM)
	Shipper	Relationship: The hauler has had a long-term indirect relationship with the shipper involving diverse types of transports for different receivers in various locations. The hauler desires to advance its position in the TSC and thereby have a direct relationship with the shipper	“We have driven for this shipper for many years; however, the challenge is that the shipper has to perceive us as one supplier – the 3PL – not 7–8 haulers” (CEO-SSM)
	3PL	Communication: The received contract information is not carefully reviewed; instead, the hauler relies on many personal meetings with the 3PL. The 3PL asks (albeit seldom) for detailed measurement data on sustainability performance from the hauler. The hauler communicates requirements for changed operations with drivers (among other things) using apps, tracking tools and online messages that are visible when the drivers record their hours worked. The drivers must confirm that they have received the message	“Personal meetings are the best information channel, so we hope to get all necessary information there” (CEO-ESM). “I cannot know for sure that they [the drivers] have read, understood and accepted the information provided” (HRM-SSM)
	3PL	Relationship: Longstanding and seen as based in partnership because of cooperative ownership and a high level of joint dependency. Perceives that the 3PL could advocate for more realistic social requirements and for their time-related non-compliance clauses	“We have been a large partner of the 3PL for many years” (CEO-SSM)