We’re all doing what we can for the environment in our personal lives – putting up with the texture of paper straws, trying to remember to bring our huge collection of “bags for life” to the shop, taking fewer long-haul flights (nothing to do with not being able to go abroad for the last couple of years, of course).
This has also translated into sustainability within our businesses, and not just for the environment’s sake. Consumers are becoming more environmentally conscious, so companies ahead of their competition in reducing their carbon footprint are already benefitting from higher sales and increased customer loyalty.
While swapping to electric vehicles and encouraging commuters to use public transport are a step in the right direction, it barely scratches the surface. As we’ve been told for a long time, much of the solution lies in cutting back on excess waste – and the supply chain is one of the worst contributors.
According to experts, overproduction and over-purchase of materials can account for five to eight percent of all waste. Poor inventory management, unnecessary transport of goods and any activity that results in pointless stock movements will increase the carbon footprint of the supply chain – but this can be avoided.