Purchasing Practices of Environmentally Preferable Transport Services : Guidance to increased shipper considerations

Abstract: The logistical activity of transport is one of the largest contributors to several environmental problems. One efficient and effective way to decrease the environmental impact from transports is to implement changes in the logistically related strategies and activities applied, such as the selection of transport suppliers. Consideration of the environmental aspect when purchasing transport services is still quite an unexplored area, and the need for guidance is large and desired by many firms. The objective of this study is to provide guidance about how shippers can increase their environmental concern when purchasing transport services. Theory regarding purchasing of environmentally preferable transport services is very limited. As a result, an elaborated frame of reference has been built on the basis of related areas, such as transport, purchasing and environmental practices. A survey study of 50 shippers operating within either the food or forestry sectors in Sweden showed that most respondents take the environmental aspects into consideration to a greater extent than required by law when purchasing transport services. Furthermore, most respondents had increased their environmental consideration when purchasing transport services during the last five years. There exist many practices that can be applied when purchasing environmentally preferable transport services. One common denominator of these practices is that they can be seen as parts of an environmentally preferable purchasing process developed in the present study. An analysis based on the survey study findings and the theoretical frame of reference shows that all survey study respondents can increase the environmental ambition of the practices applied. A further analysis of these potentials to improve the environmental ambition resulted in eight guiding principles. A tool was also developed which can provide guidance as to how shippers in a structural, efficient and effective way can address the first four of these principles. The eight guiding principles that my study suggests are important for shippers to look into are: -To see the environmentally preferable purchasing process for transport services as a whole. -To strive to apply a more uniform level of environmental ambition in the practices. ?To know the strengths and weaknesses of the environmentally preferable purchasing practices applied. ? To strive to apply similar practices within the company. -To initiate change, if needed and possible, in the internal conditions. -To continuously improve the practices applied. -To be as clear as possible in all communication. -To increase the information exchange with internal and external actors.