Environmental sustainability practices in the transport and logistics service industry: An exploratory case study investigation

As demand for advanced logistics services grows, third-party logistics providers (3PLs) are being requested to provide more environmentally sustainable services. This development presents 3PLs with opportunities but also challenges and concerns about how to translate green efforts into practice. The purpose of this paper is to analyse environmental sustainability initiatives undertaken by 3PLs and the factors influencing them, both positively and negatively. The research methodology used in this paper is based on two-phase approach. In the first phase, a systematic literature review on the adoption of green initiatives by 3PLs has been carried out and two research questions have been identified. In the second phase, the research questions have been addressed by a case study analysis conducted on 13 Italian transport and logistics service providers. The research has distinguished three groups of companies with slightly different environmental profiles in terms of the green initiatives implemented and the main drivers and inhibitors. The surveyed companies show a differing degree of involvement in green initiatives due to variations in the breadth of service offered and the importance attributed to environmental issues. The paper concludes with a discussion of the managerial implications of the research, particularly for the development of 3PL's green strategies.