Sustainability Baseline in an International Recreational Marine Dealer Network
Suominen, Nora (2025)
2025
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2025123139043
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2025123139043
Tiivistelmä
Sustainability expectations are increasingly extending beyond a company’s own operations and into value chain relationships, creating a practical need to understand the current state of sustainability-related practices among downstream partners. This thesis establishes a quantitative baseline of sustainability practices, customer sustainability signals observed in sales interactions, and collaboration readiness within an international recreational marine dealer network.
This study was cross-sectional and quantitative, using a structured online survey (Webropol) distributed by email in November 2025. The analysis included 20 dealer responses collected with informed consent.
Results indicate that sustainability practices exist in many dealerships (65%) but are generally informal: written guidelines, defined goals, and dedicated responsibility were uncommon. Cus-tomer-initiated sustainability discussion in sales interactions was reported as limited, and when present it focused mainly on fuel consumption and emissions. Dealers reported higher willing-ness to share sustainability-related information than perceived ease of collecting the requested data. The most frequently reported support needs from the manufacturer were clear guidelines, templates/tools for data collection, and training or knowledge sessions. Overall, the baseline is partially established but low in maturity, suggesting that future sustainability collaboration is feasible if the manufacturer provides clearer expectations, standardized approaches, and practical enablement.
This study was cross-sectional and quantitative, using a structured online survey (Webropol) distributed by email in November 2025. The analysis included 20 dealer responses collected with informed consent.
Results indicate that sustainability practices exist in many dealerships (65%) but are generally informal: written guidelines, defined goals, and dedicated responsibility were uncommon. Cus-tomer-initiated sustainability discussion in sales interactions was reported as limited, and when present it focused mainly on fuel consumption and emissions. Dealers reported higher willing-ness to share sustainability-related information than perceived ease of collecting the requested data. The most frequently reported support needs from the manufacturer were clear guidelines, templates/tools for data collection, and training or knowledge sessions. Overall, the baseline is partially established but low in maturity, suggesting that future sustainability collaboration is feasible if the manufacturer provides clearer expectations, standardized approaches, and practical enablement.