Climate change threatens the planet, so large companies that operate directly in the distribution of products must be committed to carrying out actions to reduce environmental damage
The concept of sustainable logistics is understood as a set of actions developed by product distribution companies without negative impacts on the environment or with the maximum possible reduction, while maintaining the efficiency of storage, delivery and transport processes. These sustainable actions have become increasingly recurrent, due to the urgency of reducing the impacts felt on nature, which, as a result, affects people's quality of life.
The logistics sector contributes 21% of the world's total carbon dioxide emissions. And in Brazil it is no different. According to the National Bank for Economic and Social Development (BNDES), logistical transport is the main responsible for the emission of greenhouse gases here.
However, several domestic companies have adopted measures to reduce their environmental impact, which has also brought good results in the accounts and the opportunity for marketing to be worked on in this sense.
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A Nature, beauty company, for example, adopts reverse logistics, which is the removal of packaging for recycling. O Apothecary also adopts a sustainable logistics program in Brazil in its processes, allowing flasks, pots and other packaging of the brand's products to be delivered to be repurchased in part.
The Pão de Açúcar supermarket chain, on the other hand, focuses on the reverse logistics of waste and electronic equipment, allowing packaging that was left by consumers at the Recycling Stations or in the Green Boxes of the stores to return to the shelves.
Latin Americans are among the most concerned about climate change, so sustainable logistics is increasingly needed
According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, 55,8% of respondents agree that the Government and companies should undertake practical efforts aimed at sustainability and environmental preservation.
The National Confederation of Industry (CNI) states that 38% of customers seek to know whether the product they are purchasing was produced correctly and whether the company is concerned about the effects this generates on the environment. The data were gathered in a consumer profile survey.
It is because of this awareness that more and more consumers prefer to choose ecologically responsible products, demanding more information to assess the sustainability of the global supply chain and the products they buy, as well as the raw materials used, in addition to the conditions in which they were produced and their sustainable logistics.
What has the biggest logistics company on the planet been doing?
Maersk, the largest logistics company on the planet, uses the platform Emissions Dashboard, that gives visibility to the carbon footprint throughout the chain and commercial channels. This is an important action that contributes to sustainability by optimizing digitization.
The platform consolidates emissions data from all carriers, whether from the company itself or from third parties. In it, it is possible to have full visibility of the emissions data from the movement of products in its end-to-end supply chain, access to reports in compliance with GLEC standards, periodically and in an uncomplicated way, in addition to obtaining suggestions on what actions to take to reduce emissions and become systematically carbon neutral.
“Many companies are looking for accurate carbon footprint analysis to help them optimize investments and ensure their chosen sustainability strategy has the most significant impact possible. Most supply chains are fragmented and therefore very complex due to the increasing number of stakeholders. And our goal is to ensure full visibility for them to take advantage of their journey towards decarbonized supply chains.”
Eric Domínguez – Director of Logistics Solutions at Maersk Latin America
We realized, then, that developing strategies and investing in sustainability has become a necessity to reduce the environmental impact of economic activities and for the longevity of businesses. Logistics and sustainability result in increased productivity, improved image for the company, which becomes perceived as a business concerned with the planet and humanity.