5 trends to eco-boost your supply chain in 2023
Select the ‘Environmental Sustainability’ filter to explore the 13 trends driving greener logistics over the next 5-10 years.
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Five sustainable supply chain trends to apply today
1. Decarbonization
Cutting carbon emissions in your supply chain may sound obvious, but how exactly do you do it? Leverage new ways to burn less, burn clean, and cut carbon dioxide equivalents (CO2e) from the environment while framing green investments as operational costs. For example, did you know an electric delivery truck completed 1,100 km (682 mi) on a single charge, and there’s a new truck tailpipe filter that can capture 80% of emissions. And don’t forget that optimizing operations, such as upgrading equipment, can reduce emissions too. Read more
2. Circularity
We can no longer see logistics as linear, and we must transform supply chains from one-directional processes to regenerative circles. The global ‘recommerce’ and resell market is growing 11 times faster than traditional retail. We sometimes don’t realize the impact we could make if we start thinking circularly. For example, second-life items such as garments and smartphones cut emissions by 55-75% compared with new items made from virgin materials. Read more.
3. Alternative Energy Solutions
The development of alternative energy solutions is accelerating exponentially, and it’s time to examine the latest energy systems using sunlight, wind, water, geothermal, biomass, and other sources. You’ll be amazed at what you find! For example, the latest solar panels are twice as efficient as earlier models, and logistics sensors can now harvest energy from ambient humidity. Read more.
4. Big Data Analytics
It’s getting easier and easier to leverage artificial intelligence to process more in less time and detect deeper patterns to optimize green logistics. But many companies still find working with big data intimidating. Nevertheless, the potential benefits of processing and analyzing data from across the supply chain and making data-driven decisions to improve sustainability (and resilience) are too great to pass up. Consider starting simple and gradually moving up towards more complex analytics. Read more.
5. Next-Generation Packaging
Uncover the latest innovations in packaging, and you’ll find much more than sustainable materials. Alongside new bio-based, recyclable, reusable, and biodegradable packaging, today’s smart materials can also enable tracking, notify you when opened, and monitor end-to-end conditions for real-time visibility of valuable assets. Next-generation packaging allows you to reduce your environmental impact while making the most of the Internet of Things to maximize supply chain efficiency. Read more.
Published: April 2023
