Over the last decade, consumers, shareholders, investors and nonprofit’s have become increasingly concerned about supply chain sustainability. Several high-profile disasters and the acceleration of global climate change has made sustainability a priority for many.
National governments and international governing bodies are also showing their support. The United Nation’s (UN) 2013 Global Corporate Sustainability Report looked at the “actions taken by companies around the world to embed responsible practices into their strategies, operations and culture.” The largest effort to date is the Paris Agreement, or Paris Accord .
The UN agreement had 195 countries sign it in December 2015. Member countries agreed that global warming is a threat and pledged to stop global surface temperatures from rising 1.5 degrees Celsius. Experts warn that if temperatures go over 2 degrees Celsius , it would lead to catastrophic and irreversible consequences for the environment.
Unfortunately, the US pulled out of the agreement in 2017. The White House stating that such an agreement hurts their nation’s economy and sovereignty . While this action has been discouraging, many businesses have been doing their part to continue to further sustainability efforts.
In this e-book, we’ll be exploring sustainability best practices for two key areas of a supply chain, warehouse and distribution, and transportation.
Sustainable Supply Chain Best Practices A misconception among many businesses is that they need to be big to adopt a sustainable model. While its true companies like McDonald’s , L’Oréal and Apple are all spending millions to billions on green technology, that doesn’t mean everyone must.
Smaller supply chains can take gradual steps towards building a more socially, economically and environmentally aware supply chain. Beginning the process is as easy as mapping the existing supply network, identifying inefficiencies and eliminating them. A simple packaging change or better recycling process are examples. Every business has ways to run quicker, cleaner and better.Inc.com writer Gabrielle M. Blue put it:
Building a sustainable company is a task that must be taken on from all sides. The collective and collaborative efforts of the supply chain industry, with the support from the government, is crucial.
What happens to the environment affects everyone, which is why we all need to do our part to protect it.
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