Supply Chain World Volume 11, Issue 5 October 2024 | Page 18

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Global businesses are under pressure from several stakeholders – customers , partners and governments – to cut carbon emissions and contribute to the world ’ s critical mission of reaching Net Zero . This is confirmed by 66 percent of UK organizations recently surveyed by Wincanton . Doing so doesn ’ t happen overnight , but some companies are worried they won ’ t make it at all , with over half ( 54 percent ) revealing they will struggle to meet net-zero goals .

But we can ’ t afford to wait – time is already ticking as temperatures rise across the world . According to our survey , 83 percent of respondents say logistics is key to achieving their net-zero goals . However , costs and concerns about the viability and availability of alternative fuel vehicles are holding them back . The good news is there are ways businesses can reduce emissions in their supply chain operations while new fuels are being developed – and without breaking the bank . increase in costs . As a result , two thirds ( 66 percent ) have had to deprioritize hitting their net-zero targets . But our research suggests reducing emissions doesn ’ t necessarily translate to a rise in costs , as 37 percent say they have seen cost reductions from tackling emissions . Clearly , there ’ s a perception gap when it comes to the costs associated with reducing carbon emissions .
There are opportunities for businesses to both cut costs and reduce emissions simultaneously . In the EU , one in five HGVs on the road are empty and a similar problem is seen across the Atlantic , as 15 percent of the total kilometers travelled by HGVs in the US are empty . Too much fresh air is being transported around the world , incurring high costs for businesses and limiting their ability to hit sustainability targets .
Businesses should leverage technology that reviews their loads and route planning . That way , they can make productivity gains and reduce empty running . Doing so means
Sustainable progress doesn ’ t mean high costs
Four in five ( 80 percent ) respondents in our survey believe that reducing carbon emissions in their logistics fleet means an
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