Ready for the future: Logistics with a purpose.

The disruption of goods movement, discussion around climate change, and an awareness for sustainability has given impetus to companies for active participation in a circular economy. I believe that the times we live in have brought to brim pressing questions about the established operating models of logistics and supply chain ecosystems around the world. It has become apparent that our existing ways are not enough, and change is imminent. We are living through a paradigm shifting phase in the logistics space where the focus is to build and adapt efficient, resilient, sustainable models.

The world is beginning to be consciously aware that the next logical step for economies to make any significant contribution towards sustainability passes through the road of innovating and adopting the circular economy model. That we should proactively, collectively look at offloading linear models along the way is now a necessity; today more than ever.

Challenges will be there, many of them supply chain related.

Beginning at the source.

Sector-wide manufacturers need to look at adopting a circular strategy that has ‘regeneration’ at its heart. When products are manufactured to facilitate ‘take-make-reuse’ as against the existing ‘take-make-waste’ approach, the other stakeholders in the value chain including suppliers, importers, retailers, and consumers are more likely to participate in continuing a cycle that ends back at the source. For regeneration to work on any scale, logistics will naturally play a critical role throughout – from reducing upstream carbon footprint when transporting & introducing raw materials into the cycle to collecting & bringing reusable products back into the fold post-consumption.

Facilitating renewals.

Enhancing the lifetime of products is key to achieving success in a circular economy. With the implementation of distinctive renewal methods such as reuse, repair, refurbishment, recycling, and remanufacturing, product life can be prolonged to a large extent beyond consumption in a closed-loop supply chain. This is where logistics service providers such as GWC come into the picture, and we have a larger part to play.

For instance, the food that is deemed unfit for consumption requires a system in place to collect the waste food, but it cannot be reused or remanufactured. Although, the collected waste can be put through a series of recycling procedures supported by logistics and reintroduced as an organic manure for land or chemical-free fertilisers for plants, or processed fodder for cattle; effectively retaining the product value in another form. In order for this to work, infrastructure encompassing specialised waste management trucks, appropriate packing mechanisms, and real-time transportation to the recycling facility is key.

Another example where we facilitate renewals is the e-commerce space, where the logistics process is centred around returns. Managing high expectations of consumers requires providing return and replacement service on products. Adopting a circular economy model here means a renewal strategy involving assessment of returned products, followed by repairs or refurbishing. Returned products continue to move within the value chain, supported by seamless logistics.

At GWC we have continued to evolve in this direction by integrating digitalization within our systems and processes.

Setting a precedent.

Looking beyond global product life cycles and a little closer to our home, Qatar will be hosting the FIFA World Cup?? later this year. Thirty-two teams have qualified, the final draw is set, all the preparations are complete, and excitement is running high. In anticipation of more than a million fans, the host nation has left no stone unturned to deliver what will be a spectacle of an event.

The 22nd edition will be extra special for another reason – it is planned to be the first-ever carbon-neutral FIFA World Cup?? in the history of the game. A magnanimous feat that will put Qatar on the pedestal of sustainability! And credit goes to the Qatari leadership for making this even remotely possible by offloading conventional event management and organization models right at the beginning when the country was announced as the Host Nation in 2010.

Championing the circular strategy is Qatar’s very own Stadium 974, specially designed to host World Cup games in such a way that it will be fully dismantled and shipped overseas after the tournament. Resulting in optimum value retention on such a large scale! As the Official Logistics Provider for FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022??, GWC is an integral partner in this circular eco-system, delivering venue services to stakeholders, managing replenishments to support hospitality and retail, and rendering reverse logistics support post-event.

Essentially setting a precedent for ‘moving into the future, growing with purpose!’