It’s a fact that half of the major logistics players worldwide do not even measure their CO2 emissions. It follows that they are also highly unlikely to be taking measures voluntarily to reduce them.
Haulage companies are part of the supply chain. A growing number of larger non-haulage corporations are very conscious of their environmental impact and demand relevant emission numbers from their suppliers. That is so they can be seen to be at least monitoring the environmental impact of their supply chains.
While being environmentally aware is a desirable sentiment in all of us, logistics companies can reap some deserved PR and commercial benefits where they have made genuine and consistent efforts to go greener.
What constitutes a company’s carbon footprint?
A company’s combined total emissions of greenhouse gases through both direct and indirect activities. It’s produced every day by your vehicles, your people, your suppliers, wastage, and even by the products you use.
Where to begin reducing your impact on the environment
If you are not already taking measures to reduce and minimize your company’s environmental impact, then the first step must be a decision to do so.
Then initiate these activities:
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Institute a method of identifying, measuring, and recording your company’s emissions so that progress can be measured
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Determine what steps your company will take and assign actions to individuals or departments
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Publish your company’s progress at regular intervals to demonstrate your commitment
As with many successful initiatives, it pays to open up the debate to the entire workforce. A shared sense of ownership and pride in participating maximizes effort.
Identify the main causes of CO2 emissions and measure them
The most common sources will come as no surprise. These are hotspots to focus on:
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Haulage fleet
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Fuel
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Warehousing
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Business travel
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Electricity supply
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Heating oil and gas supply
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Waste
The sort of equation you should be aiming to develop is:
Total energy consumption (fuel, electricity) x Emission Factors (fuel, electricity) = carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e)
There are many websites dedicated to helping you and we suggest starting with this UK not-for-profit organisation, the Energy Saving Trust. There you will find excellent guidelines and links to government and other helpful advice. The UK Business Climate Hub has highly practical advice and examples of ways in which emissions can be cut.
1. Fuel is the most significant contributor to your CO2 emission level
That is perhaps stating the obvious but it makes sense to address the bigger causes first. Even very minor changes will be multiplied by the sheer volume of fuel consumption and may deliver excellent results.
Fuels such as liquid hydrogen are still in the early stages of commercial development and not something that can be adopted today. Green diesel and other biofuels suffer from poor availability of refueling points.
Electric energy costs are half those of diesel and the payback period is estimated at 8-10 years. Tesla is launching an all-electric HGV with an anticipated list price of £140k. Other suppliers will certainly launch their own range over the next two years.
2. Switch to a green electricity supplier and switch from gas to electricity
Both gas and electricity generate carbon emissions for every energy unit you consume. However, the carbon profile of electricity has diminished in recent years, while that of gas has not changed much, if at all. That’s due to changes in the electricity generating industry because of the greater proportion of supply by wind farms and solar too, to a lesser extent.
Low and zero-carbon electricity suppliers promise to reduce your company’s carbon footprint. This is a burgeoning sector on the UK utility scene, with companies such as this one offering zero-carbon electricity.
3. Insulate, Insulate, Insulate
One of the oldest and longest-standing energy savings methods has often been overlooked by the industry. Older industrial units are notoriously energy inefficient in general. There is always scope to retrofit insulation on floors, walls, ceilings, roofs, windows, doorways, and docking bays.
4. Know your suppliers and their carbon footprint
Indirect carbon emissions count too and your supply chain is a major contributor. A McKinsey investigation reported that the supply chains of many consumer companies generate far more emissions and environmental impact than the company’s own operations.
Knowing what your supply chain’s carbon emissions are is one thing. Managing them is a different matter. The Warwick Business School, part of Warwick University published a very useful guide on How to manage your supply chain’s carbon footprint.
5. Improve waste management – Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
Aim for a zero-waste approach for immediate environmental benefits. That starts with assessing how and where your company currently generates, manages, and disposes of waste. No business is likely to ever achieve 0% waste but publishing that as a target internally focuses minds on proactive ways of achieving as close as possible to zero.
Finally – it’s really important to make a start
Sustainability is the buzzword of the decade and is likely to remain a highlight of environmental protection and climate change control. Reducing carb emissions is likely to be a journey rather than a quick win, with multiple savings along the way. Making a start is the single most important step you can take today.
About AVAIL – your driver solution
At AVAIL, we’re not a traditional agency, but a driver solution that matches HGV drivers with Operators for a set low fee of £7.50 per driver per day all through the AVAIL platform. Our online platform uses specially designed software that can be used anywhere at any time, the platform has over 17,000 HGV drivers who’ve had their licenses checked and are insured for up to £10,000 negligence in the event of any damage to the vehicle.
To find out more or book in for a demo, then click here availlogistics.co.uk/operatorhub
