A Framework for Increasing Sustainability in Services

Environmental sustainability is a growing concern that has not been examined in depth in the service literature. We propose a strategic framework for introducing or increasing sustainability activities in service organizations that acknowledges the role of the customer in the service delivery process. In so doing, the ability to increase an organization’s sustainability is accomplished by both the service provider and the customer. Based on the degree of importance of sustainability to customers as well as the degree of sustainability of its current service delivery processes, service organizations can focus their efforts on customer-enabled or provider-enabled sustainability. To move to the highest degree of sustainability, services need to not only design their operations and supply chain processes to align with their sustainability objectives, but also to educate and/or incentivize their customers to be active participants for sustainable value co-creation.