The transportation industry is one of the largest contributors to global pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, with the transport sector being responsible for 26% of the total emissions in the UK.
Environmental awareness is now higher than ever, so companies of all sizes no longer have the luxury of ignoring these issues. More and more businesses are making efforts to reduce their carbon footprints by reconsidering every step of their supply chains.
The movement that’s helping the industry rise to the challenge is green logistics. Also known as eco-logistics, this approach optimises activities like packaging, storage, managing inventory, and transporting goods short or long distances to minimise their environmental impact.
While implementing these types of sustainable policies can take a lot of work at first, businesses that step up can experience a wide range of benefits from these changes. Here are just a few:
Reducing emissions and waste
The main reason to invest in sustainable logistics is that streamlining all operations as much as possible will minimise the amount of waste and greenhouse gas emissions produced.
This includes changing methods for packing, storing, and transporting goods to prioritise renewable resources and improve energy efficiency – reducing or offsetting the negative environmental effects of these processes without compromising on customer satisfaction.
Measures like using electric or hybrid vehicles, integrating digitised documentation to avoid paper waste, consolidating shipments, and optimising delivery routes can help to achieve this – which John K. Philips implements at our zero-emissions warehouse.
Strengthening brand reputation
Larger companies are often called upon to answer for their contributions to environmental damage, but those who aren’t willing to change their harmful practices gain a negative reputation.
Public opinion is a crucial part of the success of any business. If your company is seen to avoid environmental responsibility, you’ll risk developing a poor image in the public eye, which will put your company at a disadvantage compared to more forward-thinking competitors.
Aligning with ‘green’ values and communicating which eco-conscious steps you’re taking will draw positive attention, giving credibility and inspiring trust in your brand. Improving consumer perceptions can then lead to improved customer loyalty.
Boosting recruitment and retention
Not only can earning a reputation as an environmentally-friendly business attract more customers, but it can also make your company a more attractive candidate for lucrative collaborations and partnerships as it grows.
Investors and businesses are typically strategic about who they want to work with, often choosing those with the best reputations that are making notable efforts towards sustainable growth. If your supply chain doesn’t meet industry standards, they’ll look elsewhere.
The same goes for recruiting employees and retaining them so your business can expand. Organisations embodying the values that are important to today’s young professionals are more likely to cultivate a dedicated workforce with strong working relationships.
Mitigating and managing risks
Investigating your supply chain, identifying problem areas that need to be addressed, and making the necessary changes now will help to future-proof your business against potential pitfalls.
For your company to survive various changes, you’ll need to account for fluctuating global factors and make sure your processes are resilient enough to endure environmental and economical vulnerabilities. Managing risks like this will help your company to not just survive, but thrive.
Proactive eco-friendly strategies like green supply chain management also make it easier to maintain legal compliance with ever-tightening environmental regulations. Being on the right side of both national and international laws will put you ahead of others having to rush to catch up.
Improving cost-efficiency
A secondary benefit of improving overall efficiency by adopting more sustainable practices is that by reducing waste and optimising every process, your company will also save money.
Some businesses can be put off from making greener changes because of the upfront costs, but this investment will quickly pay for itself. Rather than compromising profits, these measures can improve long-term profitability.
The better you optimise your green logistics, and the sooner you start, the more you could save. Reducing your operational costs this way can help you to improve your bottom line while remaining competitive and avoiding regulatory penalties, which could involve significant fines.
Sustainable warehousing and logistics UK
Here at John K. Philips, we understand how important it is to adapt to our changing world and rethink outdated distribution and transportation strategies. That’s why we’re proud to run a sustainable green warehouse in North West England.
When you come to us, we can help you to improve your logistics and enjoy the benefits above – leaving as much or as little to our team as you need, so you can focus on the rest of your operations.
To find out more about our green warehouse and how our integrated green logistics solutions could transform your business operations, contact us today.