• Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • About Us
  • Supplier Directory
  • SCB YouTube
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Logout
  • My Profile

  • CORONAVIRUS
  • LOGISTICS
    • Air Cargo
    • All Logistics
    • Express/Small Shipments
    • Facility Location Planning
    • Freight Forwarding/Customs Brokerage
    • Global Gateways
    • Global Logistics
    • Last Mile Delivery
    • Logistics Outsourcing
    • LTL/Truckload Services
    • Ocean Transportation
    • Rail & Intermodal
    • Reverse Logistics
    • Service Parts Management
    • Transportation & Distribution
  • TECHNOLOGY
    • All Technology
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Cloud & On-Demand Systems
    • Data Management (Big Data/IoT/Blockchain)
    • ERP & Enterprise Systems
    • Forecasting & Demand Planning
    • Global Trade Management
    • Inventory Planning/ Optimization
    • Product Lifecycle Management
    • Sales & Operations Planning
    • SC Finance & Revenue Management
    • SC Planning & Optimization
    • Sourcing/Procurement/SRM
    • Supply Chain Visibility
    • Transportation Management
  • GENERAL SCM
    • Business Strategy Alignment
    • Education & Professional Development
    • Global Supply Chain Management
    • Global Trade & Economics
    • HR & Labor Management
    • Quality & Metrics
    • Regulation & Compliance
    • SC Security & Risk Mgmt
    • Supply Chains in Crisis
    • Sustainability & Corporate Social Responsibility
  • WAREHOUSING
    • All Warehouse Services
    • Conveyors & Sortation
    • Lift Trucks & AGVs
    • Order Fulfillment
    • Packaging
    • RFID, Barcode, Mobility & Voice
    • Robotics
    • Warehouse Management Systems
  • INDUSTRIES
    • Aerospace & Defense
    • Apparel
    • Automotive
    • Chemicals & Energy
    • Consumer Packaged Goods
    • E-Commerce/Omni-Channel
    • Food & Beverage
    • Healthcare
    • High-Tech/Electronics
    • Industrial Manufacturing
    • Pharmaceutical/Biotech
    • Retail
  • REGIONS
    • Asia Pacific
    • Canada
    • China
    • Europe
    • Latin America
    • Middle East/Africa
    • North America
  • THINK TANK
  • WEBINARS
    • On-Demand Webinars
    • Upcoming Webinars
  • PODCASTS
  • VIDEOS
  • WHITEPAPERS
Home » Sustainability Efforts Can Yield Multiple Benefits

Sustainability Efforts Can Yield Multiple Benefits

January 27, 2010
SupplyChainBrain

In the age of globalization, the task of measuring an organization's carbon footprint can be a daunting one indeed. The calculation must account, not only for the operations of the company itself, but for its suppliers, customers and "all the energy that's consumed throughout the lifecycle of a product," says Martha.

Several trends have combined to place sustainability high on the list of executive priorities. U.S. legislators are considering a measure that could result in an emissions cap-and-trade program, similar to that developed in the United Kingdom, by 2010. Big retailers such as Wal-Mart Stores are pushing their armies of suppliers to adopt greener policies. And businesses of all sizes are struggling to reduce energy costs.

Carbon footprint calculations must be carried out on a product-by-product basis, covering the acquisition and movement of raw materials, the manufacturing and processing of finished goods, outbound transportation, distribution to the end consumer and disposal.

The exercise can result in some surprises, says Martha. One study compared the emissions of two newspapers, one using 50-percent recycled paper and the other virgin pulp. The latter ended up having a lower carbon footprint because its production took place in an area served by hydroelectric power.

Green awareness can lead to major changes in the relations between buyer and supplier. In the U.K., Martha says, the maker of Walkers crisps had been paying for raw materials on the basis of weight. To boost their income, farmers were adding water to their potatoes, a process that greatly increased energy use. So the buyer's compensation formula was changed to eliminate the need for that step.

In tough economic times, business has a tendency to emphasize cost-cutting at the expense of all other efforts. Indeed, says Martha, chief executives today appear to be showing less of an interest in sustainability than they were three or four years ago. Still, the effort can be of great value in controlling overall cost. By reducing the amount of packaging, for example, a manufacturer can slash transportation expense.

"Green" awareness won't be going away anytime soon, in Martha's view. "When cap and trade goes in next year," he says, "we will see people pay a lot more attention to that."

To view this video interview in its entirety, Click Here.

RELATED CONTENT

RELATED VIDEOS

Logistics Global Logistics Transportation & Distribution Supply Chain Finance & Revenue Management Inventory Planning/ Optimization Transportation Management Supply Chain Planning & Optimization Business Strategy Alignment Global Supply Chain Management Quality & Metrics Regulation & Compliance Sustainability & Corporate Social Responsibility
KEYWORDS Business Strategy Alignment Global Logistics Global Supply Chain Management Inventory Planning/ Optimization Logistics Quality & Metrics Regulation & Compliance SC Finance & Revenue Management SC Planning & Optimization Supply Chain Analysis & Consulting sustainability Transportation & Distribution Transportation Management
  • Related Articles

    Where Are the Standards and Metrics to Help Supply Managers Monitor Sustainability Efforts?

    Supply Chain Sustainability Important, Survey Finds, But Execs Say Cost Outweighs Environmental Benefits

  • Related Directories

    Kuebix

SupplyChainBrain

CHIPS and Science Act Will Strengthen Supply Chains and Counter China, Biden Claims

More from this author

Wake up to live
“Supply Chains in Crisis”
updates and the latest Supply Chain News!

Subscribe to our Daily Newsletter

Timely, incisive articles delivered directly to your inbox.

Popular Stories

  • Cash

    Why Private Equity Investors Are Targeting the Chaotic Supply Chain Sector

    Logistics
  • delivering package

    How Does Visibility Translate Into Trust in Deliveries?

    Last Mile Delivery
  • Fastest Electric Car Chargers Waiting for Batteries to Catch Up

    Podcast | Why Automakers Won’t Meet EV Production Targets

    Sourcing/Procurement/SRM
  • Crowdsourced Delivery Is Here to Stay

    Today’s Last-Mile Delivery Must-Haves

    Logistics
  • Thumbnail-595x841-announcement-gartner-mq-scp-kinaxis.png

    Gartner Names Kinaxis a Leader

    Logistics

Digital Edition

Scb august 2022 sm

100 Great Supply Chain Partners of 2022

VIEW THE LATEST ISSUE

Case Studies

  • Returns Management SaaS Saves Retail Giant $4 Million Monthly

  • 3PL Doubles Productivity With Robots to Fulfill Medical Supply Orders

  • E-Commerce Company Cuts Order Fulfillment Time by 40%

  • Fashion Retailer Halves Fulfillment Time With Omichannel Automation

  • Distributor Scales Business by Integrating Warehouse Automaton Software

Visit Our Sponsors

Yang Ming Alithya Barcoding
Blue Yonder BNSF Logistics CoEnterprise
Data Capture E2open Generix
Geodis GEP GreyOrange
Here Honeywell Intelligrated IFM
Inmar Keelvar Kinaxis
Korber Liberty SBF Locus Robotics
Logility Lucas Systems Nvidia
Old Dominion ORTEC Parsyl
PMMI QIMA Redwood Logistics
Ryder E-commerce by Whiplash Saddle Creek Logistics Schneider Dedicated
Setlog Holding AG Ship4WD Shipwell
Tecsys TGW Systems Thomson Reuters
Tive Trailer Bridge Vecna Robotics
Verity Verusen  
  • More From SCB
    • Featured Content
    • Video Library
    • Think Tank Blog
    • SupplyChainBrain Podcast
    • Whitepapers
    • On-Demand Webinars
    • Upcoming Webinars
  • Digital Offerings
    • Digital Issue
    • Subscribe
    • Manage Your Subscription
    • Newsletters
  • Resources
    • Events Calendar
    • SCB's Great Supply Chain Partners
    • Supplier Directory
    • Case Study Showcase
    • Supply Chain Innovation Awards
    • 100 Great Partners Form
  • SCB Corporate
    • Advertise on SCB.COM
    • About Us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact Us
    • Data Sharing Opt-Out

All content copyright ©2022 Keller International Publishing Corp All rights reserved. No reproduction, transmission or display is permitted without the written permissions of Keller International Publishing Corp

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing