What’s Next For Sustainable Logistics?
Environmental sustainability has been on the radar for many years. Gone are the days when it was seen as a concern mainly for companies that branded themselves as ‘green’ or ‘socially conscious.’ Businesses are feeling pressure from stakeholders to become more sustainable now more than ever, so much so that it has become part of the daily responsibilities of many professionals.
With business leaders recognising the importance of sustainability, many are turning to logistics for help. But what practices are going to have the most significant impact? What’s on the horizon for sustainable logistics?
With the advancements and innovations of modern technology in recent years, we can now track trends, analyse data, and plot the future far better than ever before. Data analytics in supply chain management has seen significant breakthroughs recently, with logistics experts discovering the value of AI-driven, real-time analytics to achieve the visibility needed for more robust and resilient supply chains. Not only can this state-of-the-art method of supply chain management help deal with disruption, but it can also help achieve strategic goals. A more efficient supply chain has been proven to be a more sustainable one.
The more data captured, the more potential to improve supply chain performance and boost resilience with little to no change to existing supply chain infrastructure. Early adopters of these technological advances have reported improvements in warehouse efficiency, transport delivery optimisation, due diligence assessment and customer management.
As far back as 1992, Murray has been committed towards a more sustainable future with the introduction of our Sustainability Policy 825.
Reducing the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) and carbon dioxide equivalent in the atmosphere is vital if we mitigate climate change. For an impact to be made, it is clear that all sectors of the economy will need to decarbonise. Although all industries can play a part, logistics is vital since around 90% of a product’s emissions are generated in the supply chain.
Although companies are now setting ambitious zero-emission goals, many may need help with a problem early on: accounting for their greenhouse gas emissions. Indirect emissions from their operations and upstream and downstream activities can be problematic, and as a result, many companies rely on oversimplified assumptions and secondary sources of carbon-calculated data. Understanding and calculating the carbon footprint of individual products can help companies paint a more realistic picture of their business’s environmental impact.
Murray is certified to environmental standard ISO14001, an internationally recognised standard which shows how committed we are to become more sustainable.
As countries worldwide look towards meeting the goals set by world leaders, embracing alternative energy technologies to harness, store and use energy from renewable sources will help slow the tide of climate change. However, today’s solutions have yet to reach economies at the scale needed to replace conventional fossil fuels entirely.
The world may be charting a course towards a clean-energy future, but investment in scaling up energy sources powered by the sun, wind, water, geothermal and biomass is necessary. That is why sectors like logistics must lead the way.
One of the advantages of alternative energy is that it can be used in various applications to impact sustainable logistics. With almost endless options, from self-sufficient buildings that run on solar power to warehouses that source energy from geothermal wells below the ground’s surface. Swift progress is also being made for more sustainable fuels and biofuels for aviation and ocean freight.
The transition to a circular economy requires dramatically transforming product design, production, and recycling. Companies must reimagine entire product life cycles at the design stage and maximise product reuse, repair, remanufacture and recycling. This extends a product’s life and avoids the emissions caused by manufacturing from virgin materials.
As the world moves towards environmental sustainability, the one clear thing is how many options there are. We must continue to monitor what is available, implement best practices as soon as possible and show others the way forward towards a more sustainable future.
At Murray, we pride ourselves on the steps we’ve made towards a more sustainable business; increasing the lifespan of our garments from 12 to 18 months has resulted in a 30% reduction in our carbon footprint. We continue to measure our carbon footprint and core products to help us better understand our impact.
If you’d like to find out more or hear about the work we are doing on sustainability, please email marketing@murray-uniforms.co.uk
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