CSR For Logistics Companies

🚛 WHEN TRANSPORT LEARNS TO THINK GREEN I came across a concept today that stopped me — an autonomous hydrogen truck-trailer drone designed for long-distance freight. At first, it looked like another futuristic vehicle. But then it hit me: this isn’t just transport evolving — it’s intent evolving. For decades, we’ve designed logistics around speed and scale. Now we’re finally designing around sustainability. This new concept merges autonomy, aerodynamics, and hydrogen power to do something radical: → Eliminate carbon emissions in heavy freight. → Cut operational energy costs through intelligent routing. → Reduce highway congestion with coordinated drone convoys. It’s not just engineering — it’s a shift in philosophy. A move from moving faster to moving responsibly. We often talk about “green tech” as a feature — but the real shift happens when sustainability becomes the invisible infrastructure behind innovation. It’s not an addition to progress. It is progress. What’s needed now isn’t more invention — it’s integration. We need to: ✅ Build networks where clean energy and automation reinforce each other. ✅ Redefine “efficiency” to include environmental balance. ✅ Shift from carbon offsetting to carbon prevention at design level. Because the next breakthrough won’t come from faster engines — but from systems that make waste impossible by design. That’s when technology stops being an experiment in innovation… and becomes an expression of intelligence. So here’s the question I keep returning to — 👉 Will the next era of transport be powered by fuel — or by foresight? #Innovation #Sustainability #Hydrogen #AutonomousVehicles #GreenTech #Logistics #FutureThinking

Procurement and Sustainability 🌎 Procurement plays a pivotal role in advancing corporate sustainability objectives. As companies increasingly integrate ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) criteria into core operations, procurement emerges as a key enabler of long-term impact. Strategic sourcing decisions influence not only operational efficiency and cost, but also emissions, labor practices, transparency, and innovation across the value chain. One of the most critical areas where procurement contributes is climate action, particularly through the management of Scope 3 emissions. These emissions, which stem from upstream and downstream value chain activities, often represent the largest portion of a company's carbon footprint. Aligning procurement criteria with science-based targets is essential to driving measurable reductions and meeting regulatory and stakeholder expectations. Beyond carbon, procurement is essential in mitigating broader environmental impacts. Supplier selection and material choices directly influence pollution, waste, and the depletion of natural resources. Embracing circular economy principles—such as prioritizing renewable, recycled, and low-impact materials—can help reduce environmental risks while fostering long-term resilience and cost-effectiveness. Social considerations are equally integral. Procurement policies and practices shape the conditions under which goods and services are produced. Ensuring human rights, fair labor practices, and equitable treatment across supply chains is not only a compliance matter but also a strategic imperative to protect brand integrity and license to operate in diverse markets. Robust supplier relationships can also serve as a lever for broader societal impact. By prioritizing local suppliers, small enterprises, or mission-driven vendors, procurement can help redistribute economic value, build trust, and enhance resilience across communities. This approach aligns purchasing decisions with inclusive growth and shared value objectives. Corporate governance aspects of procurement—such as supply chain transparency, compliance, and ethical oversight—are foundational to building sustainable business models. Procurement teams are instrumental in enforcing standards, conducting due diligence, and implementing monitoring mechanisms that reduce reputational, operational, and legal risks. In sum, procurement is not a back-office function but a strategic force in sustainability performance. When integrated with ESG principles, procurement can shape resilient supply chains, accelerate climate and social goals, and reinforce accountability and transparency across the enterprise. Source: Roland Berger #sustainability #sustainable #business #esg #procurement

Earlier this week, Principles for Responsible Investment published its latest guide: "Sustainability in supply chains: A guide for private markets investors." The guide offers insights to investors on how sustainability risks in supply chains can be assessed and managed, and how effective supply chain due diligence can directly create value. Yesterday, during a panel discussion at the 2025 Supply Chain Sustainability School (UK) Summit, we touched on this topic in the context of making sustainability data reporting 'work'. For those working in sustainability, particularly where limited legal frameworks currently exist, it's unfortunately not always enough to frame supply chain due diligence as "the right thing to do". The PRI report highlights that there is a sound business case in adopting robust supply chain due diligence methods. Some key takeaways include: ➡️ Strong ESG practices enhance brand reputation and open new market opportunities. ➡️ Early identification of risks (including carbon-intensive operations) cuts costs and improves efficiency. ➡️ Reducing supply chain risk boosts investor confidence, often enhancing valuations and lowering borrowing costs. ➡️ Increased supply chain resilience helps to protect businesses from geopolitical, regulatory and environmental shocks. While written for the investment community, the guide provides equally valuable insights for businesses embedding supply chain due diligence into their operations and the business case in doing so. I've attached a copy for those who might be interested in reading more.

More than half of Salesforce’s most strategic suppliers — based on the amount the $38 billion software company spends on their goods and services — have agreed to cut their greenhouse gas emissions as part of binding provisions in their contracts. Those clauses are part of the Salesforce Sustainability Exhibit, introduced four years ago in May 2021 as an amendment to the company’s standard contact. Many large companies actively encourage suppliers to reduce emissions through science-based targets, and some offer educational resources and technical assistance to help. Salesforce remains unique in codifying those commitments as part of its procurement process, although customer service software company Zendesk — a Salesforce supplier — was inspired enough by the approach to introduce a similar set of contract clauses in November 2024. Best practices for companies interested in shaping similar programs: ➡️ Get procurement teams involved. They can help prioritize engagement and signal which suppliers might find new requirements difficult to meet. ➡️ Provide technical support. Many companies, especially smaller ones, will need an education on the concept of net zero. ➡️ Offer options. Allow suppliers to choose the emissions reduction path that makes the most sense for their business rather than dictating a one-size-fits all approach.  ➡️ Look for ways to support supplier investments. For example, a corporation could motivate supplier investments in renewable energy or lower-emissions materials through better procurement terms. Lessons from Salesforce’s unique contracting process: https://lnkd.in/eHZ7qGvm Cooper Wechkin Louisa McGuirk Serena Ingre Emily Damon Amy Garber

There is consensus we should double down on #energyefficiency measures. Not only is fuel savings better for the environment; it’s also better for one’s pocket.💵   With the International Maritime Organization’s updated 2050 and interim emissions reduction targets, and with #CII and EU ETS now applicable to shipping,🚢 the impetus to improve energy and fuel efficiencies is even stronger.   Did you know that the sector has seen an energy efficiency gain of 30%, yet its emissions has remained comparable to 2008 levels because trade volumes have increased comparably over the same period?📈   And meeting the 2030 interim goals will require energy efficiency gains of another 35%, in addition to 10% green fuels adoption.😳   This is driving Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation (GCMD)’s PAYS pilots, with which we hope to spur adoption of energy efficiency technologies (EETs) by addressing pain points in fuel savings uncertainty and misaligned incentives between the investor and beneficiary.   And while the team is working on these pilots, my students and I took a hard look at how CII impacts commercial and operational decisions.🧐   We used data published in a Harvard Business Review case study about CMA CGM’s China-Western US operations as a basis for our analyses, recognising that outcomes can vary significantly depending on the details of trade route, vessel type, access to and cost of fuel, etc.🛢️   We limited our analysis to operational options of (A) slow steaming, and (B) replacing fuel oil with a B30 biofuels blend.🌱   The denominator in the annual efficiency ratio (AER), which comprises the deadweight tonnage and distance traveled by the vessel, is invariant in this exercise.🌏   To first order, slow steaming impacts fuel consumption📉 and a fuel switch impacts the emissions factor in the numerator of AER.   The table shows that a 17% reduction in fuel consumption with slow steaming extends the vessel’s compliant operations to 2034 (D-rated vessels can operate for a 3-year grace period); a 24% reduction in emissions factor with fuel switch extends operations by another 3 years.   Things become more interesting with commercial considerations:   💰We estimated annualised CAPEX, fuel cost and non-fuel OPEX; fuel cost is the largest expense (varies from 60 to 75%, depending on scenarios). 💰Because fuel consumption is NOT linear with speed, a 15% speed reduction can translate to a fuel savings as high as 40% (from 20 to 17 knots), or more modestly here, 17% (from 16 to 13.5 knots).   💰To transport the same amount of cargo, slow steaming could require deploying additional vessels. We found the addition of one more vessel increases annual expenses by 15%.   💰Fuel switch yields a 24% improvement in AER at 50% increase in fuel costs.   What is your experience with CII estimations? How have they impacted your commercial and operational decisions?🫵   Share with us other nuances you’ve learned!   Together, we are stronger; together, we can💪🏻

𝙃𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙢𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙚𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙘𝙡𝙞𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙚 𝙧𝙞𝙨𝙠 𝙚𝙭𝙥𝙤𝙨𝙪𝙧𝙚? Most companies haven't. And I don't mean the direct risks – the flooding of your own facilities or heat stress on your workforce. I mean the hidden vulnerabilities within your supply chain. Here's what we know: extreme weather events are intensifying. At just 1.3°C of warming, the effects are clear: prolonged heatwaves, intensifying droughts, more frequent wildfires, and severe storms that bring heavier rainfall. These events have already caused thousands of deaths and displaced millions. But here's the part most boardrooms miss: you don't need to be in a flood zone to be flood-affected. Your Tier 2 supplier in South Asia might be. The agricultural inputs you depend on might come from regions experiencing consecutive crop failures. The transport routes you've used for decades might now face seasonal disruptions you haven't priced in. So what can you actually do? 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗸 𝗺𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴. Look beyond your own operations: 🔹 Where are your critical suppliers located, and what climate hazards are intensifying there? 🔹 Which materials or components have concentrated geographic sources? 🔹 What alternative routes, suppliers, or materials could build resilience? 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗹𝘆 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗶𝗻. Your suppliers are living these realities daily. Ask them what they're seeing, what's changing, what support they need. 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗮𝗱𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆, not just ESG reports. This isn't about compliance – it's about business continuity. Climate adaptation needs finance, planning, and cross-functional ownership. The 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝗪𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗔𝘁𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗯𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 makes something else clear: these impacts fall hardest on those with the least protection. Communities facing poverty, fragile infrastructure, and limited services bear disproportionate burdens. Globally, #women carry an unequal burden, due to their underrepresentation in leadership and unpaid caring responsibilities. The data gaps mirror the protection gaps, especially in the Global South, where impacts are severe but monitoring and modeling remain under-resourced. And here's the critical point: 𝗮𝗱𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗲𝗻𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵. Rapid emission reductions remain essential to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. We need both. 𝗖𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗸 𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗸. And it's already here.

Thermocol stays in the environment for 500 years. This disappears in 60 days. Every winter, we watch our cities get swallowed by smog. Every year, the conversation turns to stubble burning. And every time, farmers are blamed - without ever being offered a better option. At the same time, we’re shipping products across the country in packaging that pollutes for centuries. Styrofoam and thermocol are cheap, yes. But they’re toxic, non-recyclable, and take 500+ years to break down. Now here’s the twist. What if the solution to both problems was the same? I recently sat down with the team at Dharaksha Ecosolutions, and I left the conversation genuinely inspired. They’re doing what most people may only talk about: turning pollution into possibility. Dharaksha collects crop residue that would otherwise be burned and turns it into biodegradable, compostable packaging. Looks like thermocol. Functions like thermocol. But decomposes in 60 days. Merging innovation with impact 💡 ✅ Farmers get paid for waste that would’ve been burned ✅ Businesses finally have a real, scalable alternative to thermocol ✅ And the planet gets a break from plastic packaging and particulate pollution  Circular, thoughtful, low-carbon, and local. Changing the system from inside. Because the future isn’t plastic. It’s plantbased, purpose-driven, and powered by ideas like these. What’s one form of ‘waste’ you’ve seen reimagined like this? #packaging #recycle #biodegradable #innovation #plantbased #sustainability

Nature's Inspiration, Tomorrow's Innovation. Just take a stroll down any supermarket aisle or glance into your shopping trolley—you'll likely see a sea of packaging, a lot of which is unrecyclable and likely to end up in landfill. Even packs that are recyclable are non-optimal and use too many materials or components But there's hope on the horizon, as creative designers like Margarita Talep are finding solutions. She has pioneered an ingenious solution—an alternative to traditional plastic packaging derived from algae. Her project began with a simple question—how can we produce packaging that holds up well in use but breaks down quickly after its purpose is served? The answer lies in Agar, a gel-like substance from seaweed. Chances are, you're familiar with Agar as a food thickener. The process involves heating it to make a polymer, then adding water to make it flexible. The material comprises solely natural elements, right down to the dyes used to colour it—a rainbow of hues are extracted from the skins of fruits and vegetable such as blueberries, purple cabbage, beetroot, and carrot. The manufacturing process is quite simple. The mixture is heated and cooled with care until it transforms into a flexible gel. This gel can then be rolled into thin plastic sheets or poured into moulds, adapting to various shapes and packaging styles, like forming trays for donuts or creating bags for pasta. It's designed to naturally break down. During warmer months, it disappears in two to three months, with the timeframe influenced by thickness. Even in colder months, the breakdown continues, albeit at a slightly slower pace. Margarita Talep holds a strong conviction that bio-fabrication will not merely shape future industries but play a pivotal role in them. She stresses the importance of of environmentally conscious processes when extracting raw materials and during production. Yet, her vision transcends material creation—it demands seamless alignment with broader actions. Countries around the world are encouraged to take proactive steps by adopting plans to reduce packaging waste. Embracing circular economy initiatives is key, as they ensure plastic stays in a continuous cycle rather than contributing to landfills or polluting our oceans. As we strive to make better decisions for our planet, innovations like this algae-based packaging show that there are creative solutions to modern problems. Can nature's cues lead us to a sustainable path forward? #packaging #sustainablepackaging #sustainability #innovation #creative 📷Margarita Talep

Eliminating plastic waste in food packaging at a fraction of production cost? The food industry is a significant contributor to plastic waste, with packaging accounting for approximately 40.5% of all plastic produced in Europe. In the UK alone, supermarkets generate around 29.8 billion pieces of avoidable plastic waste annually, equating to over 1,000 pieces per household. This excessive plastic use not only leads to environmental pollution but also poses health risks, as microplastics have been found in various food products, potentially causing inflammation and other health issues. Transitioning to seaweed-based packaging offers several cost-saving benefits for the food industry: →Reduced Raw Material Costs: Seaweed is renewable and doesn’t need land, fertilisers, or fresh water, cutting production expenses. Example: Seaweed farming can yield up to 10 tons of dry mass per hectare annually. →Lower Waste Management Expenses: Biodegradable and compostable, seaweed packaging reduces disposal costs. Example: The UK spends around £700 million annually on plastic waste disposal. →Decreased Environmental Compliance Costs: Eco-friendly packaging helps meet regulations, avoiding fines. Example: The EU's Single-Use Plastics Directive drives sustainable packaging adoption. →Enhanced Brand Value and Consumer Appeal: Sustainable packaging boosts reputation and sales. Example: 74% of consumers are willing to pay more for eco-friendly options. →Potential for Government Incentives: Sustainable practices can earn grants or tax breaks. Example: The UK Plastic Packaging Tax incentivises biodegradable alternatives like seaweed. Example project is Citizens of Soil | B Corp that has introduced single-serve pipettes for their Spanish Extra Virgin Olive Oil, utilising Notpla's seaweed-based materials that are 100% natural, biodegradable, home-compostable, vegan, and even edible. This innovative packaging aligns with their commitment to sustainability, offering consumers a convenient and eco-friendly way to enjoy premium olive oil. By adopting Notpla's solution, Citizens of Soil aims to reduce their environmental footprint and address plastic pollution in the food industry. Good to the economy and the planet. #oliveoil #food #sustainability #decarbonisation #waste #wastemanagement

Cabotage in Brazil is undergoing an unprecedented transformation, driven by advanced technologies that are increasing the competitiveness and operational efficiency of the sector. This technological advancement is much more than a strategic advantage; it is a necessity, especially considering the current context of climate change that is becoming increasingly evident and possibly permanent. Diversifying the country's transportation matrix has become essential to ensure a more balanced and resilient logistics system. One of the great advantages of cabotage is its ability to connect long-haul services to the entire Brazilian coast. By integrating international ports with Brazil's main coastal cities, cabotage facilitates the continuous flow of goods between ports and consumer centers, providing a level of logistics integration that few countries can achieve. This strategic connection is a unique competitive advantage that allows companies to operate more efficiently, reducing the time and cost of moving cargo in a continental market such as ours. With the increasing frequency of extreme weather events, such as droughts and floods, road and rail transportation face increasing challenges. Cabotage, on the other hand, is less susceptible to these variations and presents itself as a strategic solution to complement other modalities. With the support of new technologies, such as digitalization and real-time monitoring, we can optimize routes, manage cargo efficiently and increase the predictability of operations, benefiting the entire supply chain. These innovations make it possible to anticipate problems and adapt quickly to dynamic market and climate conditions. In addition, digitalization and automation in cabotage have a positive impact on the environment. Every ton transported by cabotage means fewer trucks on the roads, lower carbon emissions and safer transportation. By increasing the share of cabotage in the transportation matrix, we are not only promoting sustainability, but also building a more robust logistics system, capable of supporting economic growth in a sustainable manner. The technological transformation of cabotage, by strengthening this connection between Brazilian ports and international trade, is a clear response to the need to adapt and prepare for the future. As the Brazilian logistics sector embraces this new era of innovation and sustainability, cabotage becomes an essential pillar for a more diversified, resilient transport matrix that is prepared to face the climate and logistics challenges of an ever-changing future. We are ready to lead this journey and build a future where cabotage is a key component in Brazil's sustainability and logistics competitiveness, uniting our ports and expanding our possibilities.