Smart Freight Shippers Alliance China
Advancing climate action through collaboration and supportive policy
Many multinationals have a presence in China because it is a global center of manufacturing and a growing consumer market. They depend heavily on their logistics networks to be successful as a business, but also to effectively reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
These multinationals usually outsource freight transportation to logistics services providers or carriers, and face common challenges. How to increase suppliers’ compliance with safety, environmental and other regulations? How to make the logistics network more efficient and sustainable? How to anticipate and align with government policy?
The Smart Freight Shippers Alliance (SFSA) China is a group of shippers (or buyers of freight) who work together towards a compliant, efficient, and sustainable China freight sector. We work on (‘workstreams’) to support concrete actions between shippers and their suppliers, and give input to supportive policies and programs in China of government, associations and other organizations. Smart Freight Centre China (a subsidiary of Smart Freight Centre, a global non-profit organization) host the Secretariat of SFSA.
These multinationals usually outsource freight transportation to logistics services providers or carriers, and face common challenges. How to increase suppliers’ compliance with safety, environmental and other regulations? How to make the logistics network more efficient and sustainable? How to anticipate and align with government policy?
The Smart Freight Shippers Alliance (SFSA) China is a group of shippers (or buyers of freight) who work together towards a compliant, efficient, and sustainable China freight sector. We work on (‘workstreams’) to support concrete actions between shippers and their suppliers, and give input to supportive policies and programs in China of government, associations and other organizations. Smart Freight Centre China (a subsidiary of Smart Freight Centre, a global non-profit organization) host the Secretariat of SFSA.
What will this alliance deliver?
- Shippers exchange & collaboration: shippers share knowledge and experiences on priority topics to accelerate uptake of solutions where collaboration is essential, such as carrier management and training, asset sharing, new energy vehicles, and multi-modal transport.
- Smart Carrier Pool: establish a pool of Smart Carriers for shippers in China, in collaboration with government and associations. Phase 1 until December 2021 will focus on designing the Smart Carrier Pool; developing criteria (covering compliance, efficiency and sustainability) and processes; testing with selected shippers and carriers; identifying partners, sponsors and links with government programs; and launch.
- Smart Freight Forums: bring together representatives from industry, government and technology providers to develop practical solutions and link these with government policy implementation. Topics have included 1) shift from trucks to rail and barges; 2) logistics emissions calculation; 3) urban freight; 4) safe, compliant and sustainable transport services; and smart and digitalized freight operations. Reports can be downloaded here.
Why should you join Smart Freight Shippers' Alliance?
SFSA is for multinationals who believe in collaboration and want to:
- Take a visible leadership role and enhance your reputation in making China’s logistics sector more compliant, efficient and sustainable together
- Learn from peer multinationals and gain access to experts and partners in China to improve logistics efficiency, safety and environmental performance that includes reduced GHG emissions and air pollution (which contributes to corporate sustainability goals). Examples are co-loading/joint delivery or fuller return trips, joint training of fleet managers, uptake of low emission fuels and vehicles, etc.
- More reliable carriers, improved freight services, increased compliance and reduced costs and time associated with carrier assessment and selection
- Influence and stay up to date with relevant government policies and regulations impacting sustainable freight in China
- Current members include: IKEA, Lenovo, Scania, Shell China, WABCO
- Current Friends include: H&M, Toys R Us, Maersk, Budweiser, UPS, and Shenyi
Events 2021
- 8 April - SCP project meeting with SFSA steering members, Shanghai: to discuss criteria and plan the next steps of the Smart Carrier Pool project
- 19 April - Smart Carrier Selection Criteria Consultation Meeting, Shanghai: introducing SFSA to additional shippers and discussing the Smart Carrier Pool project and criteria
- April - Michelin Logistics Digitalization and Innovation Workshop, Shanghai: a series of trainings on digital transformation in fleet management conducted by Michelin
- April - Webinar: Tackling the Urban Freight Logistics Challenge. A series of seminars focusing on efficient and green city freight, to discuss common challenges faced by urban freight, including policy implementation, and industry response solutions.
- 29 April - Urban Freight Influencers Roundtable, Beijing
- 16 July - next Smart Freight Forum: part of CFLP’s annual conference. For more information, contact su.li@smartfreightcentre.org.
Events 2020
- March 2020 - Smart Freight Alliance Webinar: Impact of COVID-19 on Chinese Logistics and Industry Cooperative Response
- May 2020 - Smart Freight Alliance Workshop: Transport Safety and Future Intelligent Truck Management Sharing Session from WABCO & Background Paper
- May 2020 - Smart Freight Alliance Webinar: Shipper's Dialogue on Transport Economy and Fair Pricing in Logistics
- June 2020 - Smart Freight Forum: Multi Modal transportation and Industry's Choice
- June 2020 - Webinar on Technology and Measure Best Practices: Arkema experience sharing /BPZ Logistics Strategy and Execution
- 18 September 2020 - Smart Freight Forum: Smart and Digitalized Freight Operation Joint event with the China Federation for Logistics Purchasing
- 25 September 2020 - Smart Freight Shippers Alliance Event with Lenovo contact su.li@smartfreightcentre.org
- 19 November 2020 - Smart Freight Transport Manager Training with Ikea Carriers
- 20 November 2020 - Smart Freight Forum - Green and Sustainable Logistics Development -IKEA Carrier Summit 2020
- Postponed until 2021 – HVTT 16 side event: White Paper on Transport Economy and Fair Pricing in Logistics in China
How can you get involved?
Multinational companies that are interest in joining the Smart Freight Alliance or other organizations interested in the Smart Freight Forums can contact: Boyong Wang, Director of Strategic Partnerships, China: boyong.wang@smartfreightcentre.org +86 18612228406
