Sustainable Logistics Roadmap Implementation

More than 1,000 companies are setting emissions reduction targets through the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) and/or have joined the Race to Zero campaign and committed to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050 at the latest. To get to zero emissions, they need a plan or roadmap. Increasingly, they look beyond their company boundaries to include supply chain emissions. But it can be difficult because multinationals often outsource the transportation of their products to third-party logistics providers and carriers.

SFC gives training to multinationals that want to develop their company-specific Sustainable Logistics Roadmap to decarbonize their logistics supply chain by 2050 in four steps: report, set targets, reduce, and collaborate. Some companies have completed the training but want to go deeper into one or more of the steps.

The Sustainable Logistics Roadmap Implementation project is carried out under the Global Logistics Emissions Council (GLEC) that is managed by Smart Freight Centre. The project aims to work with selected companies to get a better understanding on specific steps and use results to develop guidelines and case studies for other companies to benefit from.

Ways in which we can work with your company are explained below. It is important to note that as a mission-driven organization, all steps that we test with companies will result in guidelines, case studies or other support materials so that the entire sector can benefit.

• Report emissions. The calculation and reporting of logistics emissions is covered in the project Implementing the GLEC Framework.

• Set science-based targets. Develop thought-out targets for own or outsourced freight transportation and logistics, making use of both the GLEC Framework and the Transport Science-based Target Setting Guidance. Existing examples are the development of in-depth SBT guidance and tools for shipping and aviation companies together with WWF and collaboration with a major logistics service provider to develop company-specific science-based targets across all modes.

• Smart Transport Manager Training. Mobilize your road freight carriers to develop and implement an action plan that improves the efficiency and reduces emissions from truck fleets. Existing examples are classroom training to carriers who work for the same shippers in China, Ireland, Brazil, and Uruguay, setting up the training as an online offer to your subcontracted fleets, and tailoring the training to specific carrier groups.

• Smart Freight Shippers Alliance China. Work with other shippers and suppliers on implementing concrete actions and exchanging experiences, selecting “Smart Carriers”, and giving input to supportive policies and programs in China of government, associations, and other organizations.

• Carbon insetting. Building on the White Paper, work to develop guidance on how transport sector insets should be calculated, reported and included in ESG frameworks. We used sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) as the first worked example. This guidance is based on the GLEC Framework and considers the ongoing work by WRI and Gold Standard on value chain accounting and interventions and the new ISO14083 standard for transport emissions.

• Workshops and Training. Workshops on specific steps can help to deepen or improve your Roadmap. Existing examples of workshops with multinationals and their internal teams are:
  • a “getting started” session to map existing practices;
  • feedback sessions on draft versions of the Roadmap;
  • workshops to identify key stakeholders and the develop a partnerships plan; and workshops to assess and improve logistics procurement practices across different divisions.

In addition, we’re developing an in-house training module with a multinational on the five solution types to decarbonize freight, and a training session for logistics procurement professionals.

• SLR eLearning Training: We're currently developing a condensed e-training course based on the SLR training, summarizing the most important concepts of the SLR webinar. Focussing on a shipper's viewpoint, the E-learning course will create awareness and provide employees with the necessary knowledge on sustainable logistics.

• Smart Freight Procurement Guidelines and Tools: Procurement is another key consideration when developing an effective roadmap. Our Smart Freight Procurement Guidelines and Tools are standardized guidelines and questionnaires, as well as exchange experiences between companies, on logistics procurement. The aim is to make sure that procurement processes become more meaningful and lead to increased collaboration between buyers and suppliers on emissions reporting and reduction.

• Review and assess your Roadmap: SFC is developing a tool to assess a company’s roadmap against four maturity levels for each of the four steps report, set targets, reduce, and collaborate. This tool will be available for testing with GLEC member companies mid-2021.

Guidelines, case studies, and other support materials are released throughout the year.

For more information contact us on: info@smartfreightcentre.org