If you're looking for a buzzword in the logistics industry of late, it doesn't get much buzzier than "sustainability."

American Shipper took on the topic in a new study, Environmental Sustainability Benchmark Study: Leaders Prepare for the "Greening" Supply Chain. The study turned up a number of interesting results, but among the most intriguing is the idea that the sustainability plans of logistics and transportation companies might have an effect on shippers' buying decisions. To be more precise, it appears certain shippers are factoring how green a carrier or logistics company is when deciding whether to use them to transport goods.

According to the survey, nearly 40 percent of 156 respondents said they ask their logistics services providers to submit a sustainability plan ahead of buying decisions. More than 13 percent "used a vendor sustainability plan to make a purchasing decision," the study said.

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