Maija Niskanen 

Supply chain responsibility reporting in the retail 
industry 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
  

Vaasa 2023 

School of Innovation and tech-
nology  

Master’s thesis in Industrial 
Management  

 



2 

UNIVERSITY OF VAASA 
School of Innovation and Technology  
Author:    Maija Niskanen 
Title of the Thesis:  Supply chain responsibility reporting in the retail industry  
Degree:    Master of Science 
Programme:   Industrial Management 
Supervisor:   Ville Tuomi 
Year:    2023 Sivumäärä: 76 

ABSTRACT: 
 
Vastuullisen liiketoiminnan ja vastuullisuusraportoinnin merkitys on kasvanut nopeasti viime 
vuosikymmeninä. Tämä korostuu erityisesti vähittäiskaupan toimialalla missä kuluttajan rooli 
osana toimitusketjua on entistä tärkeämpi ja yhä useampi kuluttaja tekee valintansa tuotteen ja 
palvelun tuottajan vastuullisuuden perusteella. Vastuullisuusraportointi on tapa jolla yritykset 
viestivät vastuullisuudestaan. 
 
Tässä tutkielmassa tarkastellaan sitä, millainen kuva vähittäiskauppayritysten toimitusketjujen 
vastuullisuudesta syntyy niiden julkaisemien vastuullisuusraporttien välityksellä. Tutkimus 
toteutettiin tarkastelemalla viiden suomalaisen ja viiden ruotsalaisen vähittäiskaupan 
toimialalla toimivan listatun yrityksen vastuullisuusraportteja vuosilta 2017 ja 2021. 
Tutkimuksessa tarkasteltiin sitä, miten tutkielman teoriaosassa rakennetun teoreettisen, 
vastuullisia toimitusketjuja kuvaavan mallin teemat ilmenevät yritysten 
vastuullisuusraporteissa.  
 
Tutkimus toteutettiin laadullisena tutkimuksena, käyttäen sisältöanalyysiä 
tutkimusmenetelmänä. Empiirinen analyysi toteutettiin hyödyntämällä Leximancer-
ohjelmistoa. Kun sisältöanalyysin tuloksia vertailtiin vastuullista toimitusketjua kuvaavaan 
teoreettiseen viitekehykseen, havaittiin että tärkeimmäksi konseptiksi nousi hankinta ja että 
tähän liittyviä keskeisimpiä teemoja olivat raaka-aineet, tuotteen alkuperä ja työvoimaa 
koskevat käytänteet. Toisaalta, tuotanto ja kiertotalous eivät nousseet merkittäviksi 
konseptekisi vähittäiskaupan yritysten vastuullisuusraporteissa, vaikka ne muuten ovat 
keskeinen osa vastuullista toimitusketjua.  
 
Kun tuloksia tarkastellaan kokonaisuutena, vaikuttaa siltä että vähittäiskaupan yritysten 
toimitusketjuja ei hallinnoida yhtenäisenä ketjuna. Sen sijaan joitain osa-alueita painotetaan 
huomattavasti enemmän kuin toisia. Tämä on vastoin yleistä kirjallisuudessa esitettyä 
näkemystä, jonka mukaan toimitusketjuja pitäisi optimoida kokonaisuutena. Tutkielman 
tulosten perusteella voisikin suositella, että vähittäiskaupan alan yritykset painottaisivat 
raporteissaan enemmän esimerkiksi kiertotalouden ja tuotannon vastuullisuuden tärkeyttä.  
 
 
 
 
 
 

KEYWORDS: sustainable supply chain management, sustainability reporting, retail industry, 
content analysis, sustainability, corporate social responsibility 

  



3 

Contents  

1 Introduction 7 

1.1 Background 8 

1.2 Research objective and structure 9 

1.3 Key concepts 9 

1.3.1 Supply chain 10 

1.3.2 Supply chain management (SCM) 10 

1.3.3 Sustainability 10 

1.3.4 Sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) 11 

1.3.5 Corporate social responsibility (CSR) 11 

1.3.6 Sustainability reporting 11 

2 Literature 12 

2.1 Retail industry 12 

2.2 Sustainable supply chain management 13 

2.2.1 SSCM framework 19 

2.3 Corporate social responsilibity reporting   29 

2.3.1 CSR requirements 32 

2.3.2 CSR framework 34 

3 Methodology 36 

3.1 Data 36 

3.2 Content analysis 42 

3.3 Research process 45 

4 Empirical Results 48 

4.1 Concept map for the whole data 48 

4.2 Concept maps for 2021 and 2017 50 

4.3 Concept maps for Sweden and Finland 54 

4.4 Concept maps through the SSCM framework 58 

5 Conclusion and discussion  62 

5.1 Conclusion 62 



4 

5.2 Generalizability of the results 65 

5.3 Future research opportunities 65 

References 67 

  



5 

 
 

Figures 
 
Figure 1. An example of a supply chain 14 

Figure 2. The three aspects of sustainability, the Triple Bottom Line 16 

Figure 3. Modified framework 28 

Figure 4. Timeline of GRI guidelines and standards 34 

Figure 5. Research process 46 

Figure 6. Leximancer process map 47 

Figure 7. Concept map for all companies and both years 49 

Figure 8. Themes for all companies and both years 50 

Figure 9. Concept map for 2021 51 

Figure 10. Themes from 2021 concept map 52 

Figure 11. Concept map for 2017 53 

Figure 12. Themes from 2017 concept map 54 

Figure 13. Concept map for Swedish companies 55 

Figure 14. Themes from concept map for Swedish companies 56 

Figure 15. Concept map for Finnish companies 57 

Figure 16. Themes from concept map for Finnish companies 58 

 
 

Tables 
 
Table 1. SSCM models 27 

Table 2. ESG ratings 39 

Table 3. Company descriptions 41 

Table 4. Analysis of concept maps trough the SSCM framework 60 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 



6 

Abbreviations 
 
CDP                              Carbon disclosure project 
CSR                               Corporate social responsibility 
CSRD                            Corporate sustainability reporting directive 
EOL                               End-of-life 
ESG                               Environmental, social and governance 
GRI                               Global reporting initiative 
GSCM                           Global supply chain management 
ISO                                International organisation for standardization 
NFRD                            Non-financial reporting directive 
OECD                            Organization for economic cooperation and development 
SCM                              Supply chain management  
SSCM                            Sustainable supply chain management 
TBL                                Triple bottom line 
WEF                              World economic forum 
 
 
 
 
  



7 

1 Introduction 

From a consumer point of view, sustainability is an increasingly important requirement 

for any organisation. It could even be argued that the scrutiny corporations are currently 

under concerning sustainability is higher than ever.  In addition to being highly valued 

among consumers, for the better part of the last two decades this topic has grown a 

steady position both in corporate world and in academia. Sustainability and corporate 

social responsibility are both highly researched topics with articles and research papers 

from every field of business imaginable. How a company reacts to and handles the grow-

ing demand for sustainable operations directly affects the attitude of investors and the 

general demand for their product, and as Lawrence et al. (2010) note, corporations have 

obligations towards the society and the environment. Though it is clear that sustainabil-

ity is not the main deciding factor for investors, it does seem that an increasingly large 

portion of investors and other sponsors understand the importance of it in terms of gen-

erating profit (Hartzmark & Sussman, 2019).  

 

Corporate sustainability is a broad concept. In general, it covers all aspects of a com-

pany’s operations from human resources to manufacturing and waste disposal. This 

study focuses on the supply chain part of a company’s operations. A supply chain is a 

series of activities concerned with planning, coordinating and controlling material, parts 

and finished goods from suppliers to customers. It consists of not only the flow of mate-

rials and products but also the flow of information between a consumer and a supplier. 

(Stevens, G. C., 1989). Supply chain management can be defined as managing the total 

flow of goods inventory from the supplier to the consumer (Mentzer et al., 2001).  

 

A modern consumer increasingly values transparency and traceability in corporate ac-

tions. Therefore, it is important that companies deliver reassurance for customers and 

stakeholders concerning their steps towards sustainability in all aspects.  

 

 

 



8 

The retail sector could be described as peak consumerism. Retail companies often sell 

goods designed by other companies and produced by multiple different manufacturers. 

For just a single retail company this creates an enormously complex web of supply chains. 

Reuter et al. (2010) note that globalization has had a major influence in the complexity 

of supply chains as one company can sell products all over the world while holding ware-

housing and manufacturing plants on multiple continents.  

 

 

1.1 Background 

In the past two decades, there has been a countless amount of research on the topic of 

both sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) and corporate social responsibility 

(CSR). After a glance over the research and literature on the topic, it was clear that the 

combination of the two, especially in the retail industry, is quite uncommon. The signifi-

cance of sustainable actions in corporate world keeps increasing as the environmental 

problems are becoming more acute causing consumer behaviour to shift towards more 

sustainable behavioural patterns (Wiese et al., 2012).   

 

Sustainability reporting is a relatively new concept, and the guidelines and standards are 

constantly developing. Currently there are only a handful of globally accepted standards 

for sustainability reporting, such as the GRI Standards and the AccountAbility standards, 

which will be covered later on in this thesis. Although some of these reporting standards 

have been existing since the beginning of the 21st century and many organizations have 

been publishing some form of sustainability reports even prior to them being published, 

the legislative rules on non-financial reports in the EU have only existed since 2014. That 

being said, the first time EU legislation took a stand on sustainability reporting issues 

was in 2003 in the Modernization Directive (2003/51/EC). In addition to the EU law con-

cerning sustainability reporting, most countries have their own legislations.  

 

The globalization of consumerism and the retail industry has created a web of complex 

and widespread supply chains. In the modern world, where a consumer increasingly 



9 

looks for traceability and transparency throughout the product lifecycle, the pressure for 

corporations to deliver socially responsible goods and services increases with it.  

 

1.2 Research objective and structure 

The aim of this study is to investigate how supply chain sustainability is represented in 

corporate sustainability reports in retail industry. The study is conducted by content anal-

ysis of sustainability reports from listed companies in the retail industry in Sweden and 

Finland. The availability of such companies is limited and therefore the analysis is done 

with a selected number of both Finnish and Swedish retail companies. For the analysis, 

the process was started by collecting the sustainability reports from the annual reports 

of each company. The collection of data was conducted in early 2022 and therefore the 

main data set for this study consists of sustainability reports from 2021. Furthermore, to 

get a wider perspective for the study, it was decided to add the sustainability reports 

from 2015. This gives the opportunity to also study the changes in reporting for a five-

year period.  This paper is structured as follows: first, a literature review on existing re-

search concerning this study is conducted, focusing on sustainable supply chain manage-

ment and corporate social responsibility reporting. Chapter two also includes the devel-

opment of a modified sustainability reporting framework for the purposes of this study. 

Next, in chapter three, the data is presented, and the methodology is explained with the 

help of literature sources.  

 

Next, the empirical data will be applied to a content analysis tool, Leximancer and finally, 

the results are written out and discussed. The discussion is based on the three research 

questions 1) How is sustainability covered in sustainability reporting?, 2) How has supply 

chain sustainability reporting changed during a five-year period? and 3) Are there visible 

differences in reporting between the two sample countries?.  

 

1.3 Key concepts 

Here I will briefly go through the key concepts involved in the thesis.  



10 

 

1.3.1 Supply chain 

Supply chain can be defined as the set of activities involved in the product lifecycle. Tra-

ditionally the product lifecycle entails the stages of planning, sourcing and producing of 

the product and the warehousing and transportation of the product to its end-user. Ste-

vens (1989) made the notion that a supply chain does not only consist of the flow of 

material but also the flow of information. Seuring & Müller (2008) ties these theories 

together and suggested that a supply chain is the flow and transformation of material 

from raw material to finished goods delivered to its end-user, including the flow of infor-

mation both upstream and downstream of the supply chain.  

 

1.3.2 Supply chain management (SCM) 

Supply chain management (SCM) refers to all business processes and activities in the 

supply chain in order to deliver superior customer value while minimizing the cost of the 

whole supply chain and simultaneously satisfying the requirements of all stakeholders 

of the company (van der Vorst, 2004). Similarly, Seüring & Muller (2008) define supply 

chain management as the integration of all supply chain activities through improved re-

lationships in order to gain competitive advantages.  

 

1.3.3 Sustainability 

A challenge with sustainability is that there is no standard definition for the term. Bateh 

et al. (2013) formulate a definition based on that of the Brundtland commission and 

characterizes sustainability as the process of development that satisfies the needs of the 

current generation, without hampering the needs of future generations. The concept of 

sustainability can also be connected to the Triple Bottom Line (TBL) concept. TBL is, ac-

cording to Slaper & Hall (2011), an accounting framework focusing on three main aspects: 

society, economy and environment.  

 



11 

1.3.4 Sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) 

A key element in defining sustainable supply chain management is combining the differ-

ent elements of corporate sustainability into the supply chain management process. For 

the most part, the triple bottom line plays a major role in building a sustainable supply 

chain management process. For example, Ahi & Searcy (2013) define it as the creation 

of coordinated supply chains in a manner that integrates the economic, environmental 

and social aspects with vital business processes.  

 

1.3.5 Corporate social responsibility (CSR) 

While early definitions of corporate social responsibility go back to Bowen (1953), more 

recently, e.g., van Marrewijk (2003) define CSR as a combination of social and environ-

mental issues in business operations. Further, OECD defines CSR the contributions a busi-

ness makes towards sustainable development. They note that the aspect of societal and 

environmental concerns should be as significant in corporate behaviour as the financial 

concerns (OECD, 2001).    

 

1.3.6 Sustainability reporting 

Sustainability reporting is a CSR tool, used for reporting non-financial information on 

business practices and activities from the sustainability point of view. According to 

Michalczuk & Konarzewska (2020) CSR reports are thorough statements which detail the 

company’s strategy and societal policy, as well as the results that CSR strategy creates to 

different stakeholders.  

 

 

 

 

 



12 

2 Literature 

In this chapter I present a literature review on the main topics of this thesis. First, the 

concept of retail industry is presented and some literature concerning it is explored. Next 

the concept of SSCM is presented, followed with the presentation of the three sustaina-

bility frameworks which are then used to develop a modified framework to use further 

in this study. Finally, the concept of CSR reporting is presented and, as previously, some 

frameworks regarding the reporting are presented for the purpose of later stages.  

 

2.1 Retail industry  

Retail industry can be defined as selling products to consumers acting as end users, that 

is, individuals. It can be divided into grocery stores, specialty stores and car dealerships. 

It also entails physical in-store transactions, e-commerce, telephone sales, mail order 

and other channels. (Työ- ja elinkeinoministeriön julkaisuja ,Yritykset,  2021:28 Kaupan 

toimialan tilannekuva, muutos ja tulevaisuuskuva).  

 

Schramm-Klein et al. (2016) characterize a retailer as “a gatekeeper” between the pro-

ducer and the consumer. This being due to the fact that a quite unique aspect of the 

retail industry is that retail companies usually sell products designed and manufactured 

by other companies. This makes it difficult for the company to control the sustainability 

of the entire supply chain involved in the products they sell. Though goods and services 

are traded through multiple industries, the retail industry maintains a dominant position 

across all markets (Dal Mas et al. 2022). One major part of retail is the apparel industry. 

Diddi & Niehm (2016) discuss the fact that the apparel industry bares constant scrutiny 

over the unsustainable practices the industry practices and therefore makes the notion 

that sustainability is an important aspect of the retail industry business strategy.  

 

It could be argued, that because the end-user of a retail product is a consumer, the sus-

tainability aspect of the supply chain is more relevant than in other instances such as 

when the end-user is another company. Jones et al. (2016) argue that while all 



13 

companies are expected to promote a future of sustainable business models, the retail 

industry arguably plays the biggest role in it, as they hold the primary link between the 

two ends of the supply chain, which are the manufacturers and primary producers on 

the other end and consumers on the other.  

 

The retail industry in Europe generates more than three trillion euros in sales annually, 

with 5,186,304 (2022) companies operating in the industry (Statista.com).  Globally the 

industry generated nearly 24 trillion U.S. dollars in sales in 2020 and in a 2022 survey a 

forecast of more than 31 trillion U.S. dollars in 2025 was given (Statista.com). Globally, 

in 2020, the retail industry represented roughly 28% of the global gross domestic prod-

uct (GDP) and in Europe nearly 18 % of the European GDP.  With such a large portion of 

the global market, the retail industry holds fundamental economic power and environ-

mental responsibilities consisting of the complex functions of a retail company’s supply 

chain (Buallay, 2022).  

 

In 2020 the Swedish retail sector had a turnover of 824 billion SEK from a combined 31 

945 store locations (scb.se). With a GDP of 4977.4 billion SEK in 2020, the retail sector 

covers slightly less than 17% of the Swedish GDP (statista.com). The Finnish retail sector 

generated a turnover of 43.6 billion EUR in 2021 (kauppa.fi). In 2020 there were a com-

bined amount of 28 257 store locations in Finland (stat.fi). The 2020 GDP in Finland was 

238 billion EUR, and therefore the retail sector covered approximately 18% of the GDP. 

Therefore, the Finnish and Swedish retail sector are in sync with the European average 

of 18% of the GDP.  

 

2.2 Sustainable supply chain management  

Stevens (1989) defines the supply chain as a series of activities concerned with planning, 

coordinating and controlling material, parts and finished goods from suppliers to cus-

tomers. In this definition it consists of not only the flow of materials and products but 

also the flow of information between a consumer and a supplier. A supply chain is a 

mechanism in which all firms participate, starting with raw materials and ending with 



14 

the ultimate consumer. According to Lambert & Cooper (2000) a supply chain can be 

described as a network of customers and suppliers.  Mentzer et al. (2001) provides an 

alternative definition and suggests that a supply chain is the network of organizations 

involved within the product lifecycle. In other words, a supply chain consists of multiple 

firms, both upstream and downstream of the focal firm, as well as the ultimate consumer. 

Seuring and Müller (2008) further suggest that the supply chain includes all activities 

associated with the flow and transformation of goods from raw material to the end user. 

It also includes any information flows connected with the products, both up and down 

the supply chain.  

 

 

 

Figure 1. An example of a supply chain 

 

Figure 1 presents a simplified example of a traditional supply chain. It starts with differ-

ent types of producers who process either raw material or components to be used at 

later stages of the supply chain. These are then transported to manufacturing plants who 

then in turn transform the raw material into finished products and further transport the 

goods to warehouses. From the warehouses the goods are eventually transported to ei-

ther directly to consumers or different retail outlets. Although a retail business often is 

not directly involved in the manufacturing process directly, when creating a supply chain, 



15 

they must take into account the source of the product as it is an important aspect of 

sustainability.  

 

Supply chain management (SCM) can be defined as the integration of all activities within 

the supply chain through improved supply chain relationships to achieve sustainable 

competitive advantage (Seuring & Müller, 2008). van der Vorst (2004) suggests that SCM 

is the cohesive planning and control of all business processes and activities involved in 

the supply chain in order to create maximum consumer value while simultaneously min-

imizing supply chain related costs and satisfying any stakeholder related requirements. 

Carter & Easton (2011) further developed the idea of a network of firms in supply chain 

management into a multifirm effort to manage the total flow of goods which in turn 

affects the performance of all firms involved in the supply chain as well as the perfor-

mance of the supply chain as such.  

 

The literature concerning SCM has weighed heavily on environmental issues, which 

seems to have been the focus of research during the last three decades and as Carter & 

Easton (2011) pointed out is a key component of the triple bottom line (TBL). The triple 

bottom line is defined as an accounting framework that incorporates three dimensions 

of firm performance. These are social performance, environmental performance and fi-

nancial performance (Slaper & Hall, 2011). Figure 2 presents a graphic description of TBL, 

built around the concept of sustainability.  



16 

 

Figure 2. The three aspects of sustainability, the Triple Bottom Line 

 

Slaper & Hall (2011) describe TBL as an accounting framework that is built around three 

dimensions of corporate performance: social, environmental and economic, also known 

as the three Ps: people, planet and profit. The TBL differs from traditional corporate ac-

counting in the sense that it includes the environmental and social aspects of corporate 

behaviour. These aspects can be found hard to measure using a specific framework 

(Slaper & Hall, 2011).  

 

When it comes to sustainable supply chain management (SSCM), it has been defined as 

a process that integrates the three dimensions of the TBL into the management of a 

supply chain. Therefore, where traditional supply chain management focuses on the ma-

terial, information and capital flows within the supply chain, sustainable supply chain 

management focuses on the supply chain from the TBL perspective, paying more atten-

tion to the environmental and social impact of business operations (Frostenson & 



17 

Prenkert, 2015). Ahi & Searcy (2013) provide an additional definition of SSCM, describing 

it as the creation of coordinated supply chains, while integrating economic, environmen-

tal and social consideration with key business systems. They also characterize it as effi-

cient management of the material, information, and capital flows associated with the 

procurement, production, and distribution of products or services, while simultaneously 

taking into consideration stakeholder expectations and enhancing corporate profitability 

and competitiveness, both in short-term and long-term. The most accepted definition of 

SSCM is that of managing SCM with profound consideration for environmental, eco-

nomic and social issues, while also taking into consideration the long-term economic 

goals of the firm and its supply chains (Al-Odeh & Smallwood, 2012). Broadly speaking it 

encompasses the strategic and transparent integration of an organizations social, envi-

ronmental and economic goals in the systemic coordination of key business processes in 

order to improve the long-term economic performance of a company and its supply 

chain (Carter & Rogers, 2008). Carter & Rogers (2008) also note that while most adapta-

tions of SSCM incorporate a consideration of at least environmental and economic con-

cerns, it is simpler and cheaper for a company to operate considering all three aspects 

of the TBL, that is, economic, social and environmental aspects. In addition to being a 

conceptual tool, the TBL framework also offers predictive and normative value when in-

vestigating SSCM. When designed and controlled properly, a SSCM strategy could be 

considered a competitive and strategic advantage (Berning & Venter, 2015).  

 

Al-Odeh & Smallwood (2012) suggest that a key component in developing SSCM imple-

menting sustainable purchasing strategies. Sustainable purchasing leads to waste reduc-

tion, by means of using environmentally friendly raw material. Additionally sustainable 

purchasing plays a significant role in SSCM as it assists companies towards environmen-

tally friendlier resources and practices, such as developing a sophisticated circular econ-

omy, which ultimately leads to, for example, waste reduction in both ends of the supply 

chain and improving environmental performance. In their SSCM framework Al-Odeh & 

Smallwood (2012) also point out the importance of long-term partnerships and trust be-

tween different operators within the supply chain. They suggest that a great way to 



18 

establish and maintain a sustainable supply chain is to make sure that each operator 

within the SC are in communication.  Carter & Easton (2011) and Carter & Rogers (2008) 

further establish that by implementing SSCM, organizations can achieve marketing ad-

vantages, improve corporate image and organizational reputation. An additional ad-

vantage of implementing SSCM can be that it brings about cost advantages (Al-Odeh & 

Smallwood, 2012). Schaltegger & Burritt (2014) characterize the main priorities of SSCM 

as managing all corporate functions with the ultimate goal of minimizing any negative 

environmental impact throughout the supply chain. Although sustainability is not just 

about the environmental impact a business causes, in a growing matter is environmental 

sustainability becoming a key meter for supply chain management evaluation (Fadavi et 

al., 2021).    

 

An additional dimension of supply chain management are global supply chains (GSC), 

which extend beyond a single country’s boundaries, distributing the production and 

warehousing facilities across multiple geographic locations and sourcing to offshore sup-

pliers (Koberg & Longoni, 2019). The widespread facilities and networks of suppliers cre-

ate a challenging environment for SSCM, as integrating stakeholder concerns for profit 

with ecological and social concerns throughout the widespread supply chain is a de-

manding process. In a literature review, Ahi and Searcy (2013) suggest that SSCM can be 

seen as an extension of global supply chain management (GSCM).  

 

A carefully drafted SSCM process takes into consideration the risk factor of a supply chain. 

Oelze et al. (2018) characterize SCM risk as socioecological harm that the product, ser-

vice or the SC operations can cause, environmentally, socially or economically. They note 

that SSCM should include the concept of risk management, as it is a crucial part of con-

tingency planning in order to prevent disruptions, both inbound and outbound supply 

chains. Schaltegger & Burritt (2014) add that supply chain management includes the 

consideration of sustainability risks and opportunities of the existing supply chains in 

regard to the environmental and social impacts sustainability can contribute to the mar-

kets and society.  



19 

 

Companies can select between different sustainability strategies when building a SSCM 

system. Schaltegger & Burritt (2014) suggest that there are three alternative sustainabil-

ity strategies which can be applied to build more sustainable supply chains. They are 

efficiency, consistency and sufficiency related strategies. The efficiency approach is char-

acterized as being guided by the principle of maximizing economic value while minimiz-

ing negative social and environmental impact. The consistency approach on the other 

hand deals with substituting all unsustainable materials with a sustainable alternative. 

The sufficiency approach is the most profound strategy. A guiding principle of sufficiency 

is that of less consumption and the substitution of products with services. It implies that 

in order to function sustainably, production should be limited to only the products 

deemed necessary, i.e., products that have a guaranteed demand. Within the retail in-

dustry, sustainability seems to be a sensitive issue for the fast fashion retailer supply 

chains due to the nature of the products. Fast fashion production is notorious for the 

high resource use in all parts of the supply chain (De Brito et al., 2008). The retail industry 

in general, with some exceptions such as high-end fashion or car manufacturing, seems 

to lean towards mass production, and therefore implementing a strategy such as the 

efficiency approach is not valid for most organizations.  Due to the qualities of the retail 

industry, an approach such as the consistency approach could be a well-suited option.  

 

2.2.1 SSCM framework 

For the purposes of this study, a modified SSCM framework was developed with the help 

of three existing frameworks. These frameworks are the World Economic Forum (WEF) 

SCM framework (2021), a corporate sustainability framework by Hassini et al. (2012) and 

a sustainable supply chain management research map by Kim & Kim (2017). 

 

The frameworks used in developing this modified framework are similar in nature, em-

phasizing circularity and traceability. All frameworks begin with sourcing, the process of 

acquiring raw material of products, depending on the business model of the firm, and 

end with reverse logistics, the process of reusing and repurposing product at end of life.  



20 

The WEF framework includes seven steps, whereas the Hassini et al. (2012) framework 

includes six steps. The WEF steps are sourcing, processing, packaging, distribution, con-

sumption, disposal and circularity. The Hassini et al. (2012) framework includes the six 

steps of sourcing, transformation, delivery, value proposition, consumption and product 

recycling. The Kim & Kim (2017) research map includes six steps, which are sustainable 

procurement, sustainable production, sustainable distribution, sustainable retail, cus-

tomer’s role and reverse logistics. All three share a similar structure of the framework 

with some minor differences. For example, the WEF framework lists packaging as one of 

the key components, while Kim & Kim (2017) include it in the sustainable distribution 

aspect and Hassini et al. (2012) include it in the delivery part of the framework. 

 

Sourcing is the process of finding and managing suppliers of raw material or product. 

From the sustainability point of view, sourcing has a major role in the supply chain. This 

gives the focal company of the supply chain a possibility, and obligation, to push their 

suppliers to adopt and adapt technology and practises that result in environmentally and 

economically friendly material sources and labour practices (Hassini et al., 2012). Sus-

tainable sourcing can be built around questions such as “Where does the product come 

from?” or “Is the product ethically produced?”. The origin of the product, or material, 

and the ethical aspect are often linked.  

 

The retail business is based on selling products which are not manufactured by the focal 

company. They often use suppliers from all over the world, depending on the type of 

goods the company sells. Dal Mas et. al. (2022) point out that this makes it difficult for a 

company to be fully invested in their supply chain and have a deep understanding on all 

aspects of it. Therefore, close supplier relationships are important for any retail industry 

company (Schneider & Wallenburg, 2012). A deep understanding and knowledge on the 

operations behind the company’s manufacturing and supplying the product the focal 

company sells is essential, as any poor performance on their part affects the focal com-

pany and its reputation more than the suppliers (Spekman & Davis, 2004). Schneider & 

Wallenburg (2012) compile literature from the subject and note that the existing 



21 

research has highlighted the need for more active consideration of other stakeholders 

and increased internal cooperation within the entire supply chain. Further, they point 

out that implementing sustainable sourcing practices magnifies the difficulties and 

shortages of the traditional supplier-focused sourcing patterns.  

 

Tate et al. (2010) give sustainable sourcing three requirements: provide economic value 

at competitive cost, meet set environmental standards and enforce the focal company’s 

values and standards. Along the same theme, a viable definition for sustainable sourcing 

is given by Pagell et al., (2010, p. 58) describing it as managing all aspects of the upstream 

component of the supply chain in order to maximise triple bottom line performance. 

 

Processing, or manufacturing, is the process of taking raw material and parts acquired 

and turning it to the product intended to be sold. The WEF lists processing as the second 

step of their frameworks. Hassini et al. (2012) lists the term transformation for this step. 

Product transformation and processing are essentially the same thing. As well as the 

sourcing process, the producing process is also a key element in building a sustainable 

and traceable supply chain. Generally, retail companies sell products which are mass 

produced and a noticeable number of manufacturers producing such merchandise are 

located in undeveloped countries. The labour practices in such countries are not as de-

veloped as in most western countries, and therefore it is difficult for many retail compa-

nies to achieve a fully sustainable supply chain. 

 

Veleva & Ellenbecker (2001) point out that one of the major causes for the continuing 

decline of the global environment is the unsustainable consumption and production pat-

terns adopted especially by industrialized countries. Processing is directly linked to con-

sumption, in the sense that consumer goods have a certain level of safety regulations. 

Processing also inevitably creates waste. In order to achieve the objectives of sustainable 

production, a company must minimize all types of waste. They must also minimize the 

use of natural resources, such as minerals, and minimize the use of raw material and 

energy (Krajnc & Glavič, 2003).  Veleva & Ellenbecker (2001, p. 520) introduce a definition 



22 

for sustainable production, representing it as the creation of goods and services using 

processes and systems that are non-polluting, conserve energy and natural resources, 

are economically viable, are safe for employees, communities and consumers and create 

value.  

 

Distribution includes the delivery process of a company’s product. The distribution can 

happen between several actors , such as from factory to warehouse or from warehouse 

to store or directly to consumer. Kim & Kim (2017) and Hassini et al. (2012) list product 

distribution as the third concept in their frameworks. The WEF list it as the fourth con-

cept. The WEF framework differs from the other two in that it lists packaging as a sepa-

rate concept, while Kim & Kim (2017) and Hassini et al. (2012) include packaging in the 

distribution, or delivery, concept. Hassini et al. (2012) breaks the concept into four main 

issues, which are transportation, location and layout of facilities, inventory and GHG 

emissions. All four concepts are linked with each other and together, when managed 

properly, play a major part in creating a sustainable supply chain. Kim & Kim (2017) break 

the distribution concept in to five sub-concepts, which are carbon footprint, packaging, 

warehousing, inventory control and transportation cost. Transportation to and from the 

factory and the manufacturing process are the main creators of greenhouse gasses 

within the supply chain, although it could be argued that for some product types, such 

as cars, a major part of emissions is released during the consumer’s use of the period 

(Hassini et al., 2012).  

 

A company faces many sustainability issues when building a sustainable distribution 

channel. These issues include the location of facilities, as the company faces the decision 

between close to customer and close to raw material. The mode of transportation also 

has an impact on a company’s carbon footprint. The mode of transport is linked to the 

location of the manufacturing facilities. Developing a modern supply chain includes 

many aspects, and transportation decisions is one of the major ones. These transporta-

tion decisions play a big role in the environmental performance of the supply chain, and 

therefore the cost of product distribution is significantly linked with the total cost of the 



23 

supply chain (Validi et al., 2015). For this reason, one of the keys to successfully improv-

ing enterprise performance from the sustainability point of view is the value created with 

the product distribution decisions (Lopes et al., 2008). In a sustainable supply chain net-

work, the provider of logistics services is required to contribute to the decreasing of the 

environmental impact the transportation creates by reducing for example carbon emis-

sions (Wang et al., 2011). This can be done for example by re-designing the distribution 

channels, or by minimizing the number of distribution runs by only transporting full loads.  

For the purpose of creating a specialized framework for the retail industry, the aspect of 

packaging is considered included in the distribution part of a supply chain. Although it 

can be judged as a minor part of the sustainability aspect of a supply chain, in the long 

run a sustainable form of packaging is an undeniably large player in protecting the envi-

ronment. Creating a form of packaging that uses the least amount possible of non-re-

newable material reduces waste on both ends of a supply chain.  

 

Value proposition is the act of communicating to a customer how the company seeks to 

provide value with their product (Payne et al., 2017). Hassini et al. (2012) list value prop-

osition as the fourth concept. Value proposition is particularly important for a company 

providing environmentally friendly, or green, merchandise (Hassini et al., 2017).  The 

consumer price for such products is often higher than for a similar, non-ecological, prod-

uct due to the higher cost of production. The production costs of environmentally 

friendly goods often rise due to the careful planning of the supply chain. Careful planning 

of the supply chain is also a major part of building a sustainable product. When each 

part of the supply chain is executed with a sustainable perspective, the cost of each step 

tends to go higher. The high production cost is ultimately transferred to the price of the 

product. Though value proposition is not a term apparent in many frameworks in the 

subject of sustainability, many authors still seem to agree on the fact that value propo-

sition should always be defined from the customer perspective (Rintamäki et al.,2007). 

Value proposition undeniably has a major role in the pursuit of competitive advantages, 

but the value of a product is created at consumption, not production (Vargo & Lusch, 

2004).  



24 

 

Consumption (consumer) is listed as the fifth step in the WEF framework. This is in line 

with the fifth concept in the Hassini et al. (2012) framework, which is customer and 

product use and the fifth concept of the Kim & Kim (2017) research map which is cus-

tomer role. According to Hassini et al. (2012) the role of consumers in the supply chain 

tends to be missing from sustainability models. They note that traditionally the product 

life cycle has focused on the sourcing, production and delivery of goods, leaving out the 

part of consumption part of a supply chain. This concept involves multiple aspects as the 

customers role in the supply chain is multi-faceted. The role of a customer starts at the 

point of product design. The aim of product design is to develop a product that creates 

value for a consumer. Additionally, the customer is involved in the product life cycle from 

the point of a finished product to the point of end of life. While the consumer is respon-

sible for disposing of an old product properly, a sustainable supply chain must include a 

product that can be disposed in a way that it does not end up in a landfill. 

 

As a concept, sustainable consumption can be, more or less, dated back to the Rio Earth 

Summit in 1992 (Julia & Kassim, 2020). Jackson & Michaelis (2003) review some of the 

most popular definitions of sustainable consumption adopted by multiple institutions 

and studies. The Oslo Symposium in 1994 defined sustainable consumption as the use 

of goods and services that respond to basic needs and bring a better quality of life, while 

minimizing the use of natural resources, toxic materials and emissions of waste. The 

United Nations Environment Programme in 1999 defined sustainable consumption as 

not about consuming less but consuming differently and consuming efficiently. Jackson 

& Michealis (2003) also make a note that the current market conditions, which are highly 

based on consumerism, it may be relatively difficult for a business to begin the discussion 

concerning reducing levels of consumption. The rules and market positions have shifted 

from the early stages of capitalism, and in the modern age the market is defined by the 

consumer instead of the supplier.  

 



25 

Reverse logistics (recycling) is the final step of the supply chain in each framework. The 

WEF framework uses the terms disposal and circularity, Hassini et al. (2012) uses the 

terms reuse, recycle and return and Kim & Kim (2017) use the term reverse logistics. The 

Kim & Kim (2017) concept reverse logistics is the most descriptive of these three. Reverse 

logistics is a term describing the activities consisting of recycling and remanufacturing 

an end-of-life (EOL) product. By adopting a reverse logistics practice a company not only 

generates profit but also helps protect the environment (Kim & Kim, 2017).  

 

Most SCM contributions comprise mainly procurement, production and sales, whereas 

conceptual extensions beyond the point of sale are of few (Dyckhoff et al., 2013).  Alt-

hough the practice of remanufacturing in the retail industry is still rare, the concept has 

been adopted by, for example, many fast fashion retailers. As an example, H&M has 

adopted a practice of colleting used textiles in their stores. When returning old textiles 

a customer receives a voucher to the store, which acts as an incentive (H&M, 2021). It is 

clear that EOL product recovery not only eliminates waste but also makes companies 

more resource efficient. The practice of product recovery also creates a more responsi-

ble and environmentally invested consumer image (Das, 2012). Hassini et al. (2012) 

states that the use of renewable and recycled material sources is a key feature of sus-

tainable supply chains. They also make the point that consumer behaviour is not always 

predictable and as the use of renewable or fair-trade resources is often more expensive, 

which is directly allocated in the price of the product, the adaptation of such sustainable 

practices is a risky choice in the sense that a higher price can be a deal breaker for a 

consumer.   

 

Although moving towards a greener circular supply chain can create new, fresh opportu-

nities for a business, it does not come without risk (Hockerts and Wüstenhagen, 2010). 

Although new opportunities always come with a risk, the decision to venture on to new 

territories is necessary in creating value for a business, which is an essential part of any 

organization offering goods or services to consumers (Teece, 2010). In 2015, the Euro-

pean Commission implemented circular aconomy strategy, which includes measures to 



26 

promote Europe’s transition toward a circular economy. Kalmykova et al. (2018) make a 

note that a CE’s aim is to maximize resource efficiency. This is achieved by keeping ma-

terials at their highest value at all times, which in turn is achieved through reuse and 

remanufacturing of product and through recycling of raw material (Boldoczki et al., 

2021).  According to Korhonen et al. (2018), the highest resource efficiency is achieved 

by prioritizing the reuse of a product over the other CE tactics. Product reuse maximizes 

its sustainability and minimizes waste. It is important to note that a sustainable strategy 

it not always fully functional and can deliver unsustainable side effects (Helander et al., 

2019), such as burden shifting (Boldoczki et al., 2021). Boldoczki et el. (2021) also note 

that the aim of CE activities is to change consumer behaviour pattens and production 

patterns, as the CE activities should be directed towards the entire supply chain in order 

for them to have effects on any part of it.  

 

The linear socioeconomic system, the common conception of a supply chain ending in 

product disposal, is proving to be a weakening force of natural resources (dos Santos et 

al., 2022). Discarding products at end-of-life creates unnecessary waste, while the pro-

duction of new products requires the extraction of more raw material from the environ-

ment (Zhao et al., 2019; dos Santos et al., 2022). CE has been considered an essential 

strategy to improve the overall performance towards sustainability (dos Santos et al., 

2022), as it aims to limit production flow to levels tolerated by the environment (Korho-

nen et al., 2018) and considers the environmental impact of waste and seeks to create a 

model where resources can circulate within the supply chain (Sauvé et al., 2016).   

 

Table 1 presents key components of SSCM models from Hassini et al. (2012), the WEF 

and Kim & Kim (2017) as well as a modified version created for the purposes of this study. 

While the three existing frameworks are very similar, there are some differences. Each 

of the three share the same base structure, beginning from sourcing and ending with 

EOL procedures. One of the main differences is that the WEF framework separates pack-

aging as its own component.  Additionally, Kim & Kim (2017) separate sustainable retail 



27 

as one additional component, whereas Hassini et al. (2012) separates value proposition 

as a component. 

 

Table 1. SSCM models 

Hassini et al. (2012) WEF (2021) Kim & Kim (2017) Modified 

Sourcing Sourcing  Sustainable pro-

curement 

Sourcing  

Transformation Processing  Sustainable pro-

duction 

Production 

 Packaging    

Delivery Distribution Sustainable dis-

tribution 

Distribution 

Value proposition  Sustainable retail  

Customers and prod-

uct use 

Consumption Customer role Consumption 

Reuse, recycle, return  Disposal & circularity Reverse logistics Circularity 

 

The other differences between the frameworks mostly relate to the wording of the com-

ponents. For example, the last component of each framework relates to circular econ-

omy but the terms used by each study is different. Hassini et al. (2012) use Reuse, recycle 

and return, the WEF uses Disposal and circularity while Kim & Kim (2017) use Reverse 

logistics. For the purposes of this study, circularity was adopted. For the purposes of this 

study, value proposition was included in the component of consumption. The sustaina-

ble retail component in the Kim & Kim (2017) framework was excluded from the frame-

work as a separate component, as the entire framework was built around the concept 

of sustainable retail. Additionally, the packaging component. which was listed separately 

in the WEF framework, is included in the distribution component in the modified frame-

work.  

 



28 

 

Figure 3. Modified framework 

 

Figure 3 presents the modified framework in a more detailed fashion. For the purposes 

of the analysis of the data in following chapters, the framework is divided into more 

detailed themes. The framework consists of five main themes: sourcing, production, dis-

tribution, consumption and circularity. These concepts were selected with consideration 

to the retail industry business model and was built around the frameworks presented 

previously and the discussion above. The first theme, sourcing consists of three concepts 

which are raw material origin, product origin and labour practices. Sustainable sourcing 

is an important part of a sustainable supply chain, especially in the retail business which 

does business by selling products manufactured by other companies. Therefore, the sus-

tainability of a retail company depends on the sustainability of its upstream supply chain. 

The second theme is production, which consists of location, emissions and warehousing. 

From the production point of view emissions refer to the toxic waste and greenhouse 

gasses (GHG), among others, resulting from manufacturing. Sustainable production can 

be defined as production that is non-polluting, conserves energy and natural resources, 



29 

is safe for all stakeholders and economically viable (Veleva & Ellenbecker, 2001). The 

third theme, distribution, consists of four concepts, which are packaging, vehicle, emis-

sions and warehousing. From the distribution point of view, emissions refer to the GHG 

and pollution resulting from the different modes of transportation. Warehousing is in-

cluded into both the second and third theme due to the global spreading of supply chain 

operations and the nature of the retail industry. In a well-developed sustainable supply 

chain, the four concepts have to be managed simultaneously. The fourth theme is con-

sumption which includes the three themes of cost, quality and image. While the cus-

tomer perspective is present in the frameworks presented above, its role is complicated. 

On one hand the sufficiency strategy of SSCM implies that consumption is unnecessary, 

and therefore should be limited to only necessary products. In the retail industry, for 

which the selling of products is a key business strategy, this cannot be the starting point. 

Instead, a company can concentrate on the sustainability of the products it sells. Finally, 

the fifth theme, circularity, consists of recycling, reuse and disposal. Recycling and re-

verse logistics is becoming an increasingly important aspect of SCM, and it helps in re-

ducing in unnecessary waste as well as improving the overall performance towards sus-

tainability (dos Santos et al., 2022).   

 

2.3 Corporate social responsilibity reporting   

Even if corporate social responsibility (CSR) has gained a lot of attention in recent dec-

ades it is not a new phenomenon. Bowen (1953) provided an early definition of CSR i.e., 

the social responsibilities of businessmen: “It refers to the obligations of businessmen to 

pursue those policies, to make those decisions, or to follow those lines of action which 

are desirable in terms of the objectives and values of our society” (Bowen, 1953, p.6). 

Bowen (1953) further suggested that businessmen were responsible for the conse-

quences of their actions, not just in the sense covered by the financial statements. More 

recent definitions of CSR have been provided by, e.g., Smith (2003), who describes it as 

the obligations that the company holds towards society as a whole and further to its 

stakeholders specifically. In other words, towards anyone affected by corporate policies 

and activities. van Marrewijk (2003) expands this idea with the notion that CSR entails 



30 

inclusion of social and environmental concerns in business operations. A similar idea is 

presented by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development. However, a key 

point to note, according to Hohnen & Potts (2007) is that CSR as a concept is constantly 

evolving and therefore does not have a universally accepted definition. Indeed, Carroll 

& Shabana (2010) have identified nearly forty separate academic definitions for CSR and 

note that the number may even be an underestimation. However, typically the literature 

concerning CSR revolves around the same concepts of the integration of the TBL con-

cerns into the corporate values, strategy and operations, and incorporating more sus-

tainable practices within the company (Hohnen & Potts, 2007). Further, Hohnen & Potts 

(2007) note that transparency and accountability are key factors when establishing bet-

ter practices within the company in order to create wealth while simultaneously improv-

ing society. There are three main principles that are relevant for CSR systems: 1) doing 

things right the first time, 2) doing the right things, and 3) continuous improvement and 

innovation (Zwetsloot, 2003, p. 201). 

 

In addition to the academic definitions for CSR, some international organizations have 

also provided definitions. The OECD has defined CSR as the contributions a business 

makes towards sustainable development. Further, the OECD notes that in addition to 

creating financial value, corporate behaviour must also respond to the concerns of the 

society it serves and the environment it operates in (OECD, 2001). The International Or-

ganization for Standardization (ISO) describes CSR as a well-rounded approach for organ-

izations to address the TBL issues, providing the means to create value to people, com-

munities and society (ISO, 2002).   

 

Much of the literature studying corporate social responsibility entails a few standard 

components. One of those components is transparency. Michalczuk & Konarzewska 

(2020) suggest that incorporating CSR reporting into corporate practices is a key element 

of transparency. They continue that non-financial reporting gives a company the oppor-

tunity to provide information concerning the implementation of sustainability efforts, 

the possibility to identify the company’s environmental opportunities and risks and 



31 

therefore non-financial reports can act as a measuring tool concerning the functionality 

and impact of the company’s sustainability efforts.  Maon et al. (2010) further expands 

the idea, stating that transparency promotes stakeholder trust and affects the relation-

ships between firms and stakeholders. Additionally, it can be stated that, in an increasing 

manner, organizations use CSR activities to better their brand position in the eyes of 

consumers and stakeholders (Lindgreen & Swaen, 2010). Additionally, Dahlsrud (2008) 

presents some dimensions along which CSR schemes often revolve around. These in-

clude the TBL dimensions, i.e., the social, economic and environmental dimensions and 

as well a stakeholder dimension and a voluntariness dimension. These dimensions are 

used to determine the company’s approach towards CSR.   

 

Non-financial reports such as sustainability reports are a great way for corporations to 

provide information concerning their environmental and social efforts. Although internal 

reasons are a key justification for producing non-financial reports, societal reasons such 

as credibility and corporate reputation play an increasingly important role (Kolk, 2004). 

Hohnen & Potts (2007), among others, indicate that while financial reporting is an inte-

gral part of transparent corporate behaviour, there is a growing consensus about the 

connection between CSR and business success. It has been noted on multiple occasions, 

by for example the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, that a con-

sistent CSR strategy, containing all aspects of the TBL, has been proven to positively ben-

efit the company, as well as the society (Hohnen & Potts, 2007). McWilliams et al. (2006) 

state that active CSR participation is useful for both the society and corporations. They 

list several advantages CSR practices can have for businesses, gathered from related lit-

erature. Among others, these advantages include lowered risk for business operations, 

improvement of corporate image and reputation, stimulated business innovation and 

the boost human capital value. Other important aspects of CSR McWilliams et al. (2006) 

mention are the increased attractiveness towards external sponsors and the stimulation 

of organizational culture. McWilliams et al. (2006) also make a note that as CSR strategies 

can be a vital element of all corporate operations, it should be considered as a form of 



32 

strategic investment. Finally, it could be argued that establishing a good relationship with 

stakeholders is a key strategic goal of non-financial reporting.  

 

2.3.1 CSR requirements 

The purpose of sustainability reporting is to provide further, non-financial information 

on business operations. Sustainability reports commonly include many perspectives of 

sustainability, such as human resources, manufacturing and many more internal and ex-

ternal sustainability factors. Further, Michalczuk & Konarzewska (2020) explain that CSR 

reports are comprehensive and detailed statements concerning a company’s strategy 

and social policy, and the results of implementing the CSR strategy to their stakeholders. 

Sustainability reports appear under many different names, one of which is the report of 

non-financial information. The term “non-financial information” was first introduced in 

the EU legislation with the Modernization Directive (2003/51/EC). A more comprehen-

sive directive concerning the non-financial reporting (2014/95/EU), also known as the 

Non-financial Reporting Directive (NFRD) was introduced in 2014. The latter describes 

the rules on disclosing non-financial information, but according to, e.g., Baumüller & 

Sopp (2022) the text was vague and did not disclose a concrete framework for non-fi-

nancial reporting. The directive did, though, disclose the entities that are required to 

report on non-financial matters, and the type of information to be disclosed. According 

to the directive, public companies with more than 500 employees, including, e.g., all 

listed companies, banks and other businesses of public interest, must disclose infor-

mation regarding environmental and social matters, human resources, i.e., employee 

treatment and board diversity, matters regarding corruption and bribery and human 

rights issues. In 2021 the EU expanded the previous directive, and the Commission pub-

lished the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD). The CSRD revises the ex-

isting NFRD guidelines, entailing clauses such as expanding the directive for, e.g., all listed 

companies with the exclusion of micro-businesses, added the requirement of auditing 

the published non-financial reports and the requirement to report according to EU sus-

tainability reporting standards. In addition to the EU law concerning sustainability re-

porting, many western European countries have, even prior to the union-wide legislation, 



33 

implemented requirements for sustainability reporting. According to Hąbek & Wolniak 

(2013), for example in Sweden it has been obligatory for all state-owned companies to 

deliver sustainability reports based on the GRI guidelines since 2009. According to Fifka 

& Drabble (2012) Finnish cultural characteristics encourage sustainable business prac-

tices and much of what has recently been considered an additional effort toward sus-

tainability in other countries has long been a common practice in Finland. Additionally, 

Arya & Mittendorf (2015) note that using government incentives and directives in order 

to boost CSR has spread increasingly in recent history and further, according to Istudor 

& Suciu (2020), the implementation of such government incentives has rapidly increased 

the amount of non-financial reporting. 

 

As Baumüller & Sopp (2022) noted, the existing EU directive is fairly vague and therefore 

many organizations have attempted to develop standardized CSR reporting guidelines. 

The growing consensus revolving around sustainability issues over the recent decades 

has increased the pressure for corporations to improve and expand the non-financial 

information disclosed. According to Michalczuk & Konarzewska (2020), among others, 

one of the most popular guidelines for non-financial reporting is the GRI Reporting 

Framework. The GRI guidelines have been a globally recognized and used guideline for 

more than two decades, with the first guidelines being published in 1999.  The frame-

work allows a company to create a personal reporting system and prepare reports con-

taining quantified and comparable data (Michalczuk & Konarzewska, 2020). Other pop-

ular guidelines for CSR reporting are the AccountAbility AA1000 framework and the Car-

don Disclosure Project (CDP) (Siew, 2015). The AA1000 sustainability standards were 

published in 1999 and function as principles for non-financial accounting. The CDP is a 

non-profit organization working with businesses and cities in order to deliver public in-

formation regarding their environmental impact, to be used by stakeholders, politicians 

and journalists, among others. CDP differs from the previous two in that it is not a frame-

work for reporting, but instead it collects environmental data from corporations, cities 

and regions and uses that data to give these sources scores based on their environmental 

functions and impact.  



34 

 

Juščius & Snieška (2008) provide a perspective on the corporate requirements for CSR. 

Their vision is based on the fact that all corporate levels and functions need to be a part 

of the CSR actions. This starts from the organizational infrastructure, which as a whole 

functions with the aim of creating, e.g., consumer satisfaction and long-term competi-

tive advantages. They point out that the corporate image and culture have substantial 

influence on the consumer behaviour. They also conclude that by creating long-term 

strategies, and further providing long-term satisfaction, the company can be seen as op-

erating in a responsible manner.  

 

2.3.2 CSR framework  

The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) is an independent international organisation that 

was founded in 1997 with the purpose of developing a global sustainability reporting 

standard in order to help businesses with their non-financial reporting and create a 

standardized reporting model. The first version of GRI guidelines was published in 2000 

and have since been developed and expanded. The first updated guidelines, G2, were 

published in 2002, and the second, G3, in 2006 and the third, G4, in 2013. In 2016 GRI 

moved forward from sustainability guidelines and published the first global sustainability 

reporting standards, the GRI Standards. 

 

 

Figure 4. Timeline of GRI guidelines and standards 

 



35 

In addition to the Global reporting guidelines, the GRI also offers sector specific guide-

lines for a growing number of fields. The sector specific guideline programme was 

launched in 2019, and the first guidelines were published in 2021 for oil and gas indus-

tries. Figure 4 above presents the timeline of the development of the GRI guidelines. 

 

Another good example of CSR frameworks is the AccountAbility (AA) standards for sus-

tainability. AccountAbility is a global consulting company that works with businesses, in-

vestors, governments, as well as multi-lateral organizations on Environmental, Social and 

Governance (ESG) matters  (AccountAbility.org). The company was founded in 1995, and 

the first sustainability standards, the AA1000 AccountAbility Principles, first appeared in 

1999. Since then, all of their work concerning corporate sustainability have been based 

on the four principles presented in the AA1000: inclusivity, materiality, responsiveness 

and impact. AA defines inclusivity as the right for a person to have a say in decisions 

affecting them; from a retail perspective inclusivity could be considered as giving a con-

sumer the opportunity to have an influence on the origin of products they buy, or the 

material used in products and packaging. Materiality is defined as the importance of be-

ing transparent in identifying the sustainability topics that matter. Responsiveness is the 

need to act transparently when it comes to the impact of corporate sustainability. Lastly, 

AA defines impact as a company’s accountability on the environmental, social and gov-

ernmental decisions it makes.  

 

 



36 

3  Methodology 

In chapter three I will present the data used in this company, including brief presenta-

tions on the firms whose sustainability reports are used. This chapter also includes the 

methodology part, introducing the method of content analysis and the research process.  

 

3.1 Data 

The data for this study consist of sustainability reports from five Finnish and five Swedish 

listed retail companies. Although sustainability reporting is more of a norm these days, 

the decision to use listed companies was made based on the fact that sustainability re-

porting is required from all listed companies within the EU. The main focus of the paper 

is to study the trends of supply chain sustainability documentation of these 10 compa-

nies and the differences between the two Nordic countries. The main data is collected 

from the companies’ 2021 and 2017 annual sustainability reports. How the reports are 

named and presented varies, not just between different companies, but within one com-

pany over a period of time. Some companies include the sustainability report in their 

annual report, while others have a separate report for the non-financial information. 

While some companies call the reports simply Sustainability reports, others have opted 

to name them Corporate sustainability reports or Corporate social responsibility reports. 

Due to the increasing interest in sustainability from a shareholder point of view, it could 

be argued that any company should strive toward accessible sustainability reporting. For 

the majority this seems to be the case, as the sustainability aspect has been added to 

the title of the report. The year 2021 was selected due to being the latest available report.  

Additionally, in order to expand the scope of the study and get a better understanding 

of the reporting trends, for nine of the companies, sustainability reports from 2017 were 

also included in the study. Musti & Mirri Oyj was not listed at this time, and therefore 

does not have sufficient reports available. Although Verkkokauppa.com was also listed 

later than 2017, the company has included a sustainability report in their annual report-

ing previous to their listing. The 2017 sustainability reports are used to examine the 

changes in reporting trends during a five-year time period. The companies represent a 



37 

wide variety of operating fields within the retail industry, including fast fashion, car re-

tailing, home goods and hardware.  

 

The Finnish companies included in this study are Kamux Oyj, Musti Group, Stockmann 

Oyj Abp, Tokmanni Group Oyj and Verkkokauppa.com.  Kamux Oyj is a Finnish used car 

dealership. In addition to Finland, they operate in Germany and Sweden, with a com-

bined 78 physical stores and an online store. In 2021 the company employed in total 848 

people, 562 of them in Finland. Their 2021 turnover was approximately 937 m€. In 2021 

the company sold 68 429 cars in total, 48 660 of them in Finland. Kamux Oyj was listed 

in NASDAQ Helsinki in 2017.  

 

Musti group is the largest pet supply store in the Nordic countries. It was founded in 

Finland in 1988 but was sold to a Swedish capital investment group EQT in 2015 which is 

currently the main shareholder. Musti Group got listed in NASDAQ Helsinki in February 

2020. In 2021 Musti Group employed 1397 people in Finland, Sweden and Norway, op-

erating 344 stores in total, 32 of those being franchise stores. For the financial year of 

2020 Musti Group had net sales worth 340.9 m€.  

 

Stockmann Oyj Abp is a Finnish department store chain. It operates six department 

stores in Finland, one in Latvia and one in Estonia. Prior to 2016, it also operated seven 

department stores in Russia. In 2007, the company acquired the Swedish fashion store 

Lindex. In 2021 Lindex generated nearly two thirds of the organisation’s revenue with 

441 stores in 19 countries. In 2021, Stockmann’s turnover was 899 m€ and it employed 

on average 5649 people. The company was listed in the Helsinki stock exchange in 1942.  

 

Tokmanni Oyj was founded in 1989 and is currently the largest discount department 

store chain in Finland based on turnover. By the end of 2021 the company operated 196 

stores. The largest shareholder of Tokmanni Oyj is Takoa Invest, a Finnish investment 

company, holding close to 18% of the shares. In 2021 their turnover was 1141.8 m€ and 

the company employed 4105 people. Tokmanni was listed in NASDAQ Helsinki in 2016. 



38 

Contrary to many other companies, Tokmanni seems to have paid a lot of attention to 

sustainability in the past, publishing extensive sustainability reports even prior to being 

listed in the stock exchange.  

 

Verkkokauppa.com is an electronics and home appliances retailer. The main focus is in 

their online store, but the company also operates four physical stores in Finland. The 

company was founded in 1992 and it got listed in NASDAQ Helsinki in 2020. In 2021 the 

company turnover of 574.5 m€ and employed 825 people.  

 

The Swedish companies included in this study are Boozt Fashion AB, Byggmax Group AB, 

Clas Ohlson AB, H & M Hennes & Mauritz AB (publ) and Nelly Group AB (publ). Boozt 

Fashion AB is a Swedish online fashion and lifestyle store which was founded in 2007. 

The company has operations in Sweden, Denmark and Lithuania. The online store 

Boozt.com opened in 2010. The company was listed in Nasdaq Stockholm in 2017. In 

2021 the company employed on average 1049 people and had a turnover of 5814 million 

SEK.  

 

Byggmax Group AB is a Swedish hardware store chain. Byggmax was founded in 1993 

and was listed in Nasdaq OMX Stockholm in 2010.  The company operates in Sweden, 

Denmark, Norway and Finland with a total of 192 stores and an online marketplace. In 

2021 they employed 1370 people and had a turnover of 7645 million SEK.   

 

Clas Ohlson AB is a Swedish retail chain store. Their main focus is in small electronic 

appliances and home goods. Clas Ohlson currently operates in Sweden, Norway and Fin-

land with a total of 197 stores in 2021. Prior to 2018 the company also had operations 

in the UK and Germany. Combined the company employs 4500 people and in 2021 had 

a turnover of 8300 million SEK.  

 

H & M Hennes & Mauritz AB is a Swedish fast fashion and home goods concern. The 

concern runs globally, consisting of six clothing brands 4801 stores worldwide in 75 



39 

markets and the share of online sales is 32% of total sales. The company was founded in 

1948. The company is to this day owned by the founding family, which still holds a ma-

jority of shares and deciding votes. Their annual sales in 2021 were 198,967 million SEK 

and the concern employs roughly 107,375 people.  

 

Nelly Group AB is a Swedish online based fashion and lifestyle retailer. The company was 

founded in 2004 and is currently operating under the Qliro Group Ab concern. In 2021 

the company employed on average 250 people, and the company had a turnover of 1428 

million SEK.  

 

There are several ways to rate companies based on their social responsibility perfor-

mance. One such solution is the CSR hub which produces a company specific rating based 

on 852 sources. These ratings are called ESG ratings, and they give a position for each 

company within their respective industries (Csrhub.com).  ESG ranking measures and 

makes evaluations regarding companies social, environmental and corporate govern-

ance terms (Escrig-Olmedo et.al., 2010).  Table 2 presents these ratings for the compa-

nies used in this study, with the Swedish companies on the left and the Finnish compa-

nies on the right. As shown, most of the companies have at least a relatively good rating, 

but from each country one company stands out. For the Swedish companies, Nelly Group 

only has an ESG rating of 15%, and for the Finnish companies Kamux holds an ESG rating 

of 56%. Generally, scores above 50% are considered good, and scores below 50% bad 

(Miralles-Quirós et al., 2018).  

Table 2. ESG ratings 

Company  Ranking  Company  Ranking 

Boozt 82% Kamux 56% 

Byggmax 71% Musti Group 80% 

Clas Ohlson 89% Stockmann 92% 

H&M 97% Tokmanni 97% 

Nelly Group 15%  Verkkokauppa.com 86% 

 



40 

 

Table 3 presents key information of the companies included in the empirical part. The 

first column list turnover for each company for the year 2021. For the Finnish companies 

this is presented in Euro and for the Swedish companies in SEK. The second column lists 

the titles of the reports for both 2017 and 2021. The titles vary a lot. For Finnish compa-

nies it seems to be more common to produce separate reports, which are called either 

corporate sustainability reports of non-financial information reports. The Swedish com-

panies however seem to produce more often combined reports which are called annual 

and sustainability reports. These reports include both financial and non-financial infor-

mation. The next column lists the number of pages in each report. The number of pages 

vary a lot, and a common theme seems to be that the length of the reports has grown 

from 2017 to 2021. The shortest report was three pages long, while the longest was 100 

pages long. For H&M, the number of pages in the 2021 report is impossible to determine, 

as the sustainability issues are discussed throughout the report instead of presenting 

them in a separate section. The next column presents the listing year of each company. 

Some of the companies have been listed for a relatively long time, while others have only 

been listed very recently (2020). Finally, the last column presents the field of business 

for each company. The companies are spread over various fields, although some, such 

as fast fashion, appear more often.  



 

Table 3. Company descriptions 

Company Turnover 

(2021) 

Title of  

report 

Nr. of Pages 

2017 / 2021 

Listing 

Year 

Field of Business 

Bootz 5812 MSEK Sustainability report; Annual and sustaina-

bility report 

7 15 2017 Fast fashion 

Byggmax 7645 MSEK Annual report; Annual report and sustaina-

bility report 

8 16 2010 Home improvement 

Clas Ohlson  8300 MSEK Annual report; Annual and sustainability 

report 

4 17 1999 Home goods 

H&M 196,867 

MSEK 

Sustainability report; Annual and sustaina-

bility report 

100 N/A 1974 Fast fashion 

Kamux 937 MEUR Annual report 3 14 2017 Used cars 

Musti Group  340.9 

MEUR 

Non-financial information report - 11 2020 Pet supplies 

Nelly Group 1428 MSEK Annual report; Sustainability report 11 18 2010 Fast fashion 

Stockmann 899 MEUR Corporate social responsibility (report) 45 49 1942 Department store/Fast fashion 

Tokmanni  1141.8 

MEUR 

Corporate responsibility report; Sustaina-

bility report 

85 91 2016 Discount store 

Verkkokauppa.com 574.5 

MEUR 

Annual report; Statement of non-financial 

information 

8 23 2020 Electronics/home appliance 



 

 

3.2 Content analysis 

Content analysis is a method used for condensing large sets of text into smaller content 

categories. It is a systematic coding and categorizing approach used for exploring text-

based data to determine trends or patterns of the frequency, relationships and struc-

tures of the words used (Vaismoradi et al., 2013) and is used as a tool to determine the 

presence of words or concepts in textual data. The method has been given multiple def-

initions over the decades, described as research technique for the objective, systematic, 

and quantitative description of the manifest content of communication (Berelson, 1952) 

and as making inferences by systematically and objectively identifying specified charac-

teristics of messages (Holsti, 1968). Krippendorff (2018) describes content analysis as an 

empirically grounded method with exploratory and predictive qualities. Most of the def-

initions available in the literature share the same basic terminology, describing it as a 

systematic and objective method for analysing text-based data (Stemler, 2000). Originally, 

content analysis was strictly a quantitative method, used as a method for recording the 

frequency of pre-determined targets for research. Over time, the academic interest in, 

for example, human behaviour in natural surroundings grew and content analysis was 

developed further to accommodate such research (Kleinheksel et al., 2020). According 

to Downe-Wamboldt (1992) the goal of content analysis is to provide knowledge and 

understanding on the subject of study. Weber (1990) emphasizes that content analysis 

goes beyond just examining and counting words or phrases but categorizes these words 

or phrases into context groups.  

 

Hsieh & Shannon (2005) describe three different approaches to content analysis. They 

categorize these different approaches as conventional, directed and summative content 

analysis. They gather that the conventional method is best used in an instance where 

the existing data is limited, as the aim of this approach is to describe a phenomenon, 

and therefore the data used tends to be exclusively gathered for the purpose of the spe-

cific study. The directed approach has the ultimate goal of extending and validating 



43 

existing research and theories. Finally, summative content analysis goes slightly further 

than the other two, including also the latent analysis, i.e., interpretation of the content 

(Hsieh & Shannon 2005). An important notion to make is that these three approaches 

are valid for qualitative content analysis. Alternatively, content analysis can be divided 

into two different perspectives. These are the conceptual analysis and relational analysis. 

Conceptual analysis measures the presence and frequency of concepts in data. Rela-

tional analysis on the other hand measures the relationships between concepts within 

the data (Weber, 1990). 

 

The process of a content analysis study can be divided into segments. Kleinheksel et al. 

(2020) divide it into the following five parts: immersion in the data, unit of meaning, 

condensation, code, category and theme. Immersion in the data is the process of getting 

to know the subject. This can be done in various manners, such as reading or transcrip-

tion of the data. Unit of meaning can be for example a statement or a sentence describ-

ing the concept of the research. Kleinheksel et l. (2020) describe condensation as simpli-

fying a unit of meaning, without altering the original meaning. Code is a short label de-

scribing the unit of meaning and category is a group of codes relating to each other. 

Finally, theme is a collection of several categories which share similar characteristics.  

 

According to Weber (1990), content analysis can be used for a variety of purposes. Klein-

heksel et al. (2020) note that content analysis is a great tool of research for not just writ-

ten data but for audio-based and visual data as well, such as music or pictures. Content 

analysis is by no means a new method of research, but over the past decade or two the 

variety of research topics explored with the method has grown drastically. Stemler (2015) 

describes how social media, text messaging, email and many more modern communica-

tion methods have brought on an entirely new medium of data to be explored, which 

has further developed the method. Similarly, as the possibilities concerning the type of 

data to be studied, also the quantity of data has grown. Therefore, it seems to no longer 

be profitable or lucrative to conduct the analysis by hand. Due to this, some computer-

based programmes have been developed to help with the process.  



44 

 

Content analysis is based on coding, or categorizing and classifying, the themes from the 

study material. Kim & Kim (2017) argue that there are three different types of coding: 

qualitative coding, computer-assisted coding and computer-based coding. Qualitative 

coding is manual coding, based on for example intuition. Computer-assisted coding is 

essentially the same as qualitative coding, but the results of the study are prepared with 

a computer programme. Computer-based coding is based entirely on a computer pro-

gramme. Smith & Humphreys (2006) point out that there are several reasonings for using 

an automated method for content analysis. The process of content analysis coding, de-

pending on the amount of data being studied, can be expensive and time-consuming 

and additionally the human decision-making process can be unreliable as a human is 

subjective to outside influences (Smith & Humphreys, 2006). Automating this process 

therefore can be effective both in the sense of cost-effectiveness and in the sense of 

speeding up the process. A software, such as Leximancer, uses algorithms to code the 

source material. This study is conducted using the third, computer-based coding and the 

computer software Leximancer. The decision to use such software was done based on 

the notion that the study uses a large amount of text-based data. Using the computer-

based method gives the study a deeper dimension, as a software, such as Leximancer, is 

able to analyse the data more in-depth (Kim & Kim, 2017).  

 

This study was conducted with the help of a content analysis programme, Leximancer. 

Leximancer is a computer-based text mining program based on co-occurrence and fre-

quency (Kim & Kim, 2017). The Leximancer User Guide describes the programme as a 

tool for analysing the content of a collection of textual data and delivering visual repre-

sentations of the results. There are several possible applications for Leximancer, some of 

which are the analysis of open-ended surveys, media analysis and academic research. 

Leximancer employs two stages of extraction from episodic co-occurrence information, 

performed sequentially. These can be characterized as semantic extraction and rela-

tional extraction. Both extraction methods are employed with different statistical 



45 

algorithms, which use non-linear dynamics and machine learning (Smith & Humphreys, 

2006).  

 

3.3  Research process 

Figure 5. presents the research process. The process started with the selection of the 

companies for the empirical study. Once the companies had been selected the relevant 

sustainability reports and other reports containing sustainability issues were retrieved 

from the company web pages. The second part of the process consisted of uploading the 

reports to the selected software Leximancer. Leximancer has a feature which creates so-

called folder tags to the concept maps. These tags can be used to identify differences 

between data sources or groups, such as countries or years.  In the case of this study, 

folders were created for countries (Finland and Sweden) as well as years (2017 and 2021). 

This allows separate investigation between these groups in one concept map. The folders 

are also used to investigate the reports separately, by country and by year and to create 

separate concept maps for each group. In step three, I first created one concept map 

with all companies and for each year. At this point I noticed that some additional words 

needed to be added to the stop list. While Leximancer automatically identifies names 

and adds them to the stop list, it doesn’t do so if the names are not written in capital 

letters (kamux, byggmax, etc.). In this case, they need to be added manually. Also, words 

like year, company, total assests, billion, during, financial, etc. that appear in the reports 

frequently, were added to the stop list manually. For example, the word financial appears 

a lot in the text because some of the sustainability reports are combined with financial 

statements of the firms. This seems to be especially the case for Swedish companies. 

 



46 

 

Figure 5. Research process 

 

Continuing with step three I recreated the concept map for the whole data set. While 

the folder tags in this concept map allow for some analysis by year or country, it is diffi-

cult to interpret the differences. In order to be able to investigate the differences in more 

detail, I further created separate concept maps for all the reports from 2017 and 2021, 

respectively. Finally, I created separate concept maps for Sweden and Finland.  

 

Figure 6. shows the official process behind the Leximancer mining program. The map 

shows the main steps of the process, and the hidden, smaller actions behind and be-

tween them. The process begins with selecting and downloading the documents into the 

software.  The whole process of the Leximancer analysis is based on concepts, a collec-

tion of words that seem to follow each other within the text. In the scope of this study, 

the concept could include the key words presented in the framework.  

 

Step 1 

Selecting the 
companies for 
the empirical 
part

Collecting the 
reports

Step 2 

Uploading the 
reports 

Creating 
folders

Step 3

Creating five 
concept maps 
with 
Leximancer

Step 4

Interpreting 
the concept 
maps though 
the SSCM 
framework



47 

 

Figure 6. Leximancer process map 

 

It is possible to create concept maps with default settings. This means that the user does 

not add any words to the stop list, or create any folders etc. It is however possible to add 

words to the stop list in the text processing settings.  

 

Finally, in step four of the research process I interpret the five concept maps through the 

SSCM framework created and presented in chapter two.  The concept map identifies the 

main themes as well as concept that are related to these themes. It also recognizes the 

connections between the themes as well as the concepts.   



48 

4 Empirical Results 

This section presents the empirical results of the study. At first, I present the five concept 

maps, one for the whole data and further separate ones for each year and country. Sec-

ond, I interpret the results of the concept maps through the SSCM framework from sec-

tion two. Finally, I conclude this section with discussion of the results.  

 

4.1 Concept map for the whole data 

Figure 7 presents a concept map which has been constructed from sustainability reports 

from all firms in the data set and from both years 2017 and 2021. This map consists of 

eight themes. As we can see from Figure 8, the largest one of these is products, which 

gets 6339 hits in the sustainability reports. The products theme consists of several con-

cepts and the most commonly observed ones are products, use, customers, stores, sus-

tainability, services, impact, supply, material and chain. The second most important 

theme is value, which consists of concepts such as value, market, sales, information, per-

formance, price and governance. The next theme is work, consisting of concepts such as 

work, management, responsibility, employees and suppliers. Operations, the fourth 

most common theme includes concepts such as operations, development, risk and re-

quirements. Fifth most common theme is shares, which consists of themes including 

shares, assets, profit, costs and expenses. The final three themes online, sustainability 

and companies only include one concept each, which is the same as the theme in all 

cases.  

 



49 

 

Figure 7. Concept map for all companies and both years 

 

Figure 7 also entails folder tags for Finland, Sweden and the years 2017 and 2021. For 

example, the folder tag for 2017 suggests that the themes company’s and work are more 

often present in the sustainability report from that year while the other folder tags, Swe-

den and the 2021 tag show a more prominent presentation of the concepts value, sus-

tainability and online. Finland on the other hand is more prominent in the online and 

products themes.  Because it is somewhat difficult to interpret the differences between 

the years and countries based on the folder tags alone, I create four additional concept 

maps in the following chapters.  



50 

 

 

 

Figure 8. Themes for all companies and both years 

 

When comparing this concept map with the SSCM framework presented in chapter two, 

we can see many of the concepts appear in different themes. For example, in the prod-

ucts theme the concepts products, use, customers, stores, sustainability and material 

appear or are related to the concepts in the framework.  

 

4.2 Concept maps for 2021 and 2017  

Figure 9 presents the concept map for all the sustainability reports for the year 2021. 

The map consists of six themes. Figure 10 presents the themes involved in this map, 

which are operations, work, customers, shares, meeting and member.  

 



51 

 

Figure 9. Concept map for 2021 

 

The themes that emerged from the 2021 sustainability reports consist of several con-

cepts each. The first theme, operations, which has 4192 hits in total, consist of concepts 

such as operations, use, market, value, information, sales, sustainability, model, corpo-

rate and activities. The second theme, work, has almost as many hits at 4119 and it con-

sists of concepts such as work, sustainability, management, development, risk, respon-

sible, employees, suppliers and strategy. Customers, the third theme, includes concepts 

such as customers, products, impact, stores, services, material, chain, online, and emis-

sions. The fourth theme, shares, includes the concepts shares, assets, profit and 



52 

liabilities. The fifth theme, meeting, consists of concepts such as meeting, directors and 

performance while the sixth theme, member only includes the concept member. 

 

 

Figure 10. Themes from 2021 concept map 

 

Again, when comparing this map with the SSCM framework presented earlier, it is evi-

dent that many of the concepts introduced in it appear within the first three themes 

operations, work and customers. These concepts include for example emissions, devel-

opment, and strategy.  

 

Figure 11 presents the concept map for the sustainability reports from all companies for 

the year 2017. In the 2017 concept map five themes appeared. These themes are work, 

operations, products, shares and directors. Figure 12 presents these themes and the 

number of times each theme appeared within the concepts. 



53 

 

Figure 11. Concept map for 2017 

 

The most common theme that emerged in this concept map is work, with 3920 hits. This 

theme consists of concepts such as work, management, development, responsibility, 

employees, risk, requirements, material, suppliers, sustainability, information, perfor-

mance and control. The next theme, operations had 3353 hits and consists of concepts 

including operations, value, sales, market services, costs, change, activities and price. 

The next theme is products, which consists of concepts such as products, use, customers, 

stores, impact, purchasing and environmental. The shares theme consists of the themes 

shares, profit, accounts, assets, expenses and income, while the last theme, directors, 

includes the concepts directors, audit and accordance.  



54 

 

 

Figure 12. Themes from 2017 concept map 

 

In the 2017 concept map themes, the work, operations and products themes all include 

some aspects of the SSCM framework presented previously. When comparing the maps 

from 2017 and 2021, we can see that some differences emerge. While the two most 

commonly observed themes are the same, work and operations, their order is different. 

In 2021 operations is more common, whereas in 2017 work appears more often. The 

third theme, however, is different. In 2017 the theme products is the third most common, 

whereas in 2021 the theme customers had the third most hits. In both cases the last 

themes don’t seem to have any direct link with SSCM.  

 

4.3 Concept maps for Sweden and Finland 

Figure 13 presents the concept map for all of the sustainability reports from the Swedish 

companies. It consists of seven themes which are value, products, management, stores, 

share, governance and member.  

 



55 

 

Figure 13. Concept map for Swedish companies 

 

The appearance of the themes in the Swedish reports is shown in Figure 14. The most 

common theme in the Swedish sustainability reports is value, with 5202 hits. It consists 

of concepts such as value, operations, assets, market, cost, use and sustainability. The 

next most common is products, consisting of the concepts products, work, customers, 

impact, chain and suppliers. The third theme, management, includes the concepts man-

agement, sustainability, risk, material, responsibility, requirements and control. The 

fourth theme is stores, and it consists of the stores, employees, price, services, purchas-

ing and online. The share theme consists of the concepts share, sales and period while 



56 

the two least emerged theme, governance and member, only consist of one concept 

which is the same as the theme.  

 

 

Figure 14. Themes from concept map for Swedish companies 

Figure 14. Chart Sweden 

 

In this concept map the themes value, products and stores are directly linked to the 

SSCM framework in chapter two. It is not clear how for example member could be re-

lated to the framework, because it seems to be fairly separate from the other themes. 

 

Figure 15 presents the concept map for all of the Finnish sustainability reports. It consists 

of six themes, which are operations, customer, products, directors, audit and profit. Fig-

ure 16 presents these themes and their appearance.   

 



57 

 

Figure 15. Concept map for Finnish companies 

 

The first theme, operations, has 2562 hits and consists of concepts such as operations, 

work, risk, value, information, management and responsibility. The second theme is cus-

tomer. It consists of the concepts customer, sales, retail, employees, market, value and 

development. The third theme, products, includes concepts such as products, sourcing, 

materials, suppliers, sustainable, use, safety and emissions. The next theme, directors, 

consists of concepts such as directors and shares. The theme audit includes concepts 

such as requirements and responsibility, and the last theme, profit, consists of the con-

cepts profit and period.  



58 

 

 

Figure 16. Themes from concept map for Finnish companies 

 

In the concept map for Finland, four out of the seven themes are linked to the SSCM 

framework. These themes are work, products, customer and energy. The remaining 

three are mainly related to the financial reporting. When comparing the reports for Swe-

den and Finland, we observe that they only have two themes, work and customer, in 

common. In Finland the focus is more on products and product related concepts, 

whereas in Sweden the focus is more on markets.  

 

 

4.4 Concept maps through the SSCM framework 

Table X. presents an analysis of the concept maps through a comparison on the SSCM 

framework presented in section two. When looking at the table as a whole, it is evident 

that the sourcing concept of the framework is most apparent in the concept maps de-

veloped in chapter three, whereas the production and circularity concepts appear rarely, 

or not at all. It is important to note, that the concept maps show the themes which ap-

pear in the reports most often. Within the sourcing concept, all of the three main topics, 

raw material, product origin and labour practices, are somehow present in all five con-

cept maps. The topic of raw material is presented by concepts such as material and sup-

pliers, the topic of product origin by the concept of suppliers and the topic of labour 



59 

practices by the concept of employees. The fact that sourcing is the most commonly 

observed concept is well in line with the fact that sourcing plays a major role in the sup-

ply chain in general. This finding is also in line with Hassini et al. (2012), who indicate 

that focal companies are likely to pay attention to the suppliers as it gives them the pos-

sibility of pushing them to adopt more sustainable materials and labour practices. Fur-

ther, Schneider & Wallenburg (2012) indicate that supplier relationships are especially 

important in the retail industry which sells products produced by other companies.  

 

The production concept is rarely present in the sustainability reports of the companies 

studied, only appearing in the concept map 2021 within the topic of emissions. This 

could be explained by the fact that retail companies rarely act as the producer, but in-

stead source the finished goods from other companies. Furthermore, this also implies 

that the retail companies do not pay a lot of attention to the production practices of 

their suppliers. Veleva & Ellenbecker (2001) indicate that an important element of sus-

tainable production is that the systems are non-polluting and conserve energy. While 

Hassini et al. (2012) suggest that manufacturing is a key element of the supply chain, the 

results here may imply that the focal companies have less input on the processing of the 

products that they sell than on the selection of producers.  

 

The distribution concept is mostly presented within the topic of packaging, as material 

is a concept that appears in all of the concept maps. Additionally, emissions are part of 

t