They are researching the connection between resilience and sustainability

There is a great deal of research on sustainability and resilience. However, the interplay between them remains largely unexplored. Moving towards a fossil-free and resilient transport system – conflicts of interest and synergies (Mot ett fossilfritt och resilient transportsystem – intressekonflikter och synergier) is the name of a PhD project funded by Triple F, the Swedish Transport Administration's research and innovation initiative aimed at contributing to the Swedish freight transport system's transition to fossil independence.

The aim of the PhD project is to explore the interplay between sustainability and resilience in the Swedish transport system. The results are intended to support logistics- and transports actors to meet the requirements of a fossil-free and resilient transport system.

A large part of the work is carried out by PhD student Jesper Olsson, whose principal supervisor is Professor Erik Sandberg at Linköping University. The assistant supervisor is Linea Kjellsdotter Ivert, research leader at VTI (Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute). Other participants include research assistant Klara Ivanetti and senior researcher Martin Svanberg, both from VTI.

The project is currently in the start-up phase but has already been expanded through additional funding from the Swedish Energy Agency. The total budget is just over SEK 8 million. The overall goal is a practitioner-oriented framework intended to support the development of resilient and sustainable freight transport, which Erik Sandberg and Linea Kjellsdotter Ivert will be responsible for.

“Logistics is something we can all relate to, but it's not easy to make it work. Sustainability is a broad concept that encompasses economic viability, social responsibility and environmental impact even though in the project we are focusing on environmental sustainability mainly from an emissions perspective. Resilience is the ability of an actor, a supply chain or system to prepare for, adapt to, and recover from unexpected disruptions, This includes for example natural disasters, pandemic, economic shifts, and geopolitical tensions,” says Linea Kjellsdotter Ivert.

Sweden is one of the most global countries in the world, which makes the country dependent on other countries and thus sensitive to disruptions in freight deliveries. In the discussion, it is often said that it would be good to achieve resilience locally, but cooperation across borders can also create a form of resilience.

“Similarly, it may sound like a good idea to have production in or nearby Sweden. But the environmental impacts of a logistics arrangement depend on several factors. Lean transport chains that combine sea and rail transport may produce less emissions than local transport chains that are mainly carried out by diesel lorries,” says Linea Kjellsdotter Ivert.

Jesper Olsson launched his five-year PhD project in August 2024. He is currently working on two papers linked to the project that will be presented at two upcoming conferences this year, NOFOMA, a Nordic conference on logistics and supply chains, and the corresponding conference for Europe, EurOMA.

The first paper involves empirically investigating the interplay through interviews and conveying managerial knowledge about how sustainability and resilience should be considered simultaneously. The second paper is based on a theoretical literature review to see what research on resilience and sustainability already exists. It will lead to a meta-model for further future research and help to understand the use of different theories on the interplay.

The participating companies are Skanska, Mondelez International, Coop, Ragn-Sells, Siemens Energy and Transportcentralen.
“By talking openly with the companies, we have identified examples of synergies and trade-offs between resilience and sustainability,” says Jesper Olsson.

Jesper gives some examples. additive manufacturing can be an enabler by eliminating a transport step (enhancing sustainability) and reducing dependence on having to obtain spare parts to keep in stock (increasing resilience).

The decision of fossil-free fuels is also an interesting example as it has impact on both dimensions. A third is procurement and choice of partners, where different power relations can affect how well the relationships work.

“The example of relationships with suppliers shows that it's not so simple for companies. Diversifying suppliers can be beneficial from both sustainability and resilience perspectives. At the same time, having fewer but closer relationships with suppliers can offer significant advantages from both perspectivessays Linea Kjellsdotter Ivert.

Text: Gunilla Rech

Translation: CBG