Sustainability-Related Challenges in Customer-Supplier Relationships in the Manufacturing Industry

In the literature, sustainability in customer-supplier relationships from the perspective of manufacturing companies has not been extensively studied, although there is pressure both within and outside of the companies. This paper studies how manufacturing companies view sustainability in their business and the sustainability-related challenges in customer-supplier relationships. We explore the theme by presenting findings from 12 recent interviews with five manufacturing companies. The interviewees saw sustainability as containing a future-oriented perspective of sustainable operations and a practical point of view. Sustainability-related challenges in customer-supplier relationships were mentioned as turning sustainability into customer value and financial profit, identifying customers' sustainability needs, managing data related to sustainability, and managing sustainability through the value chain. The paper presents practical perspectives on sustainability in manufacturing companies and a framework for identifying customer needs related to sustainability. Managerial and theoretical implications consist of clarifying scattered viewpoints about sustainability in customer-supplier relationships in the manufacturing industry.