Green logistics: What is it, what are its advantages and how can it be applied?

In recent years, care for the environment has become a major concern for society. This search to improve our environmental footprint, with the aim of achieving sustainable economic growth, applies in particular to the logistics sector, with the development of green logistics.

More and more companies are trying to combat this growing concern by reducing the environmental impact of their supply chain. However, these changes often present companies with a challenge: How can I be more respectful of the environment without affecting my business?

Green Logistics: definition and challenges

Green logistics involves considering the environmental footprint of a company when organising its logistics. It is applied to the entire supply chain and its objective is to reduce the company’s impact on the environment, without affecting its economic activity.

This is achieved through more or less substantial changes in a company’s logistics activity, either by the choice of suppliers, infrastructures, optimisation of storage space or automation. There is a wide variety of solutions to combine efficient logistics and sustainable development.

What are the advantages of green logistics?

Implementing green logistics can be positive for companies for several reasons:

• Reduced pollution
• Reduced transport costs
• Lower packaging costs
• Better image
• Reduced losses
• Automation of warehouses

How can efficient green logistics be implemented?

Green logistics affects a company’s entire supply chain. This applies both in and outside the warehouse.

Green logistics inside the warehouse

Green logistics involves optimising the storage space of warehouses. This allows the company to reduce the number of handling machinery movements and avoid unnecessary operations, which in turn reduces the pollution generated. It also facilitates the work of operators and increases the storage capacity of the warehouse.

Optimising storage space also reduces the area that must be maintained at a certain temperature, for companies that store at a controlled temperature, and reduces air conditioning pollution and operating costs. Discover our AR Mobile storage solution, which optimises your warehouse storage space thanks to sliding racking mounted on rails, very useful in temperature-controlled areas.

To find out more about how to achieve a more sustainable warehouse, please read our article on the subject.

Green logistics outside the warehouse

Green logistics is also implemented outside the warehouse, with the creation of a CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) policy.

This indicates that the company applies certain social and environmental requirements and may involve choosing suppliers that agree to comply with an environmental charter prepared by the company. This charter may require that raw materials are of organic origin, that the packaging is made with biodegradable materials or that the supplier has certain environmental labels or certifications, such as the European Ecolabel or the ISO 14000 standard.

Reducing distances travelled during transport is also a way of applying green logistics. By favouring local suppliers, the company reduces greenhouse gas emissions caused by goods transport to its warehouse. The company can also ensure full optimisation of the loading of the means of transport used, in order to limit the number of empty spaces and thus reduce the number of journeys.

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