Supplier Readiness for Digital Product Passports: A Readiness Framework for Multi-Tier Supply Chains

Abstract

This thesis examines supplier readiness for Digital Product Passports (DPPs) in multi-tier supply chains in the context of the European Union’s emerging Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation. The purpose of the study is to analyze supplier readiness for DPPs by developing a structured assessment framework for multi-tier supply chains. The study was conducted as a qualitative case study at GARO AB and focuses on a selected product value chain related to a street lighting cabinet. The di-rect empirical assessment focuses on five Tier-1 suppliers connected to the selected product, while Tier-2 and Tier-3 aspects are addressed indirectly through Tier-1 suppliers’ descriptions of upstream traceability, supplier relationships, and infor-mation exchange. Empirical data was collected through semi-structured interviews and complemented with secondary data and company documentation. The study draws on Organizational Information Processing Theory and develops the Supplier Readiness Diamond, a framework consisting of six capability dimensions related to governance, implementation, product-level data, digital systems, transparency, and collaboration. The findings show variation in supplier readiness across the five analyzed suppliers. Although some suppliers demonstrate relatively advanced and integrated capabili-ties, others remain in earlier stages characterized by fragmented structures, limited product-level data, and low upstream visibility. The study also finds that readiness depends not only on individual capability levels, but also on how capabilities are balanced across dimensions. The main contribution of the thesis is the Supplier Readiness Diamond, an orig-inal framework developed in this study for assessing supplier readiness for DPP implementation. The framework provides a structured and visual way of compar-ing supplier readiness across multiple capability dimensions and supports practical evaluation of supplier strengths, weaknesses, and capability gaps. In this way, the study provides both a conceptual contribution to supplier readiness assessment and managerial implications related to supplier evaluation, development, and long-term sourcing decisions under increasing regulatory information requirements.