HOW SUPPLY CHAINS CAN LOWER CARBON FOOTPRINT WITH LOGISTICS PLANNING

Due to climate change and continuous exploitation of natural resources, the environment is decaying rapidly. Intense droughts, melting glaciers, and warming oceans are just some of the visible effects of global warming and climate change on the environment. Increasing temperature and carbon release are also harming animals, destroying wildlife habitats, impacting human health, and much more.

Industries, e-commerce businesses, corporate entities, and supply chain enterprises majorly contribute to the rise in greenhouse gases and carbon emissions.

Supply chain enterprises have a foremost social responsibility of adopting sustainability and controlling the destructive impacts of logistics and transportation activities on the environment. ‘Go Green,’ ‘Green Corporates,’ and ‘Green Supply Chains’ are therefore trending today.

GREEN LOGISTICS IS GOOD LOGISTICS

Green logistics generally refers to all the initiatives taken by Companies to decrease the overall ecological impact of their logistical activities. This includes reducing carbon footprint and ecological wastage in movements of products from point A to B, and the transport, storage, and distribution of goods throughout the supply chain. Green logistics aims at transporting and delivering products at the lowest possible cost while minimizing the overall environmental impact in the process.

THE ROLE OF LOGISTICS PLANNING SOFTWARE IN MINIMIZING CARBON FOOTPRINT

An emerging solution to reduce carbon release and the ecological impact of logistics is the digitization of supply chain operations using logistics planning and route optimization software.

SMART NETWORK PLANNING

For many industries, the supply chain is made up of multiple steps. With the help of a route optimization solution, businesses can optimize network designs throughout the supply chain, including the physical flow of products from one location to another, exact placement of supply chain nodes, warehouses, etc. Efficient network planning improves distribution efficiencies and minimizes energy consumption for businesses.

DELIVERY ROUTE OPTIMIZATION

When planning delivery dispatches to a few customers, manual route planning might be successful. But when it comes to thousands of daily deliveries spread over various locations, pen and paper planning tends to be ineffective. Route optimization software automates day-to-day logistics operations by planning daily dispatches and delivery routes while considering real-world constraints such as zone-based restrictions, traffic conditions, and rider preferences. It results in faster deliveries, lesser distance covered, and thus, less fuel spent on the ground.

IMPROVED SUPPLY CHAIN VISIBILITY

Advanced route optimization software helps logistics managers track and monitor ground operations in exact time, thereby improving end-to-end supply chain visibility and traceability. With the help of real-time visibility tools, it is possible to minimize fuel wastage during idle hours or in traffic. Companies can also take in dynamic orders or pick returns when vehicles are traveling empty, resulting in fewer empty miles.

FLEET CAPACITY UTILIZATION

Efficient fleet management is important not only for successful logistics operations but also for minimizing the supply chain carbon footprint. Logistics planning software put forward an ideal-sized fleet for delivery/distribution operations as well as the number of vehicles needed on the ground to ensure that all vehicles are efficiently utilized. Precise loading of shipment in the right-sized fleet leads to a significant reduction in fuel consumption and thereby lower fuel costs for the company.

HOW WE CAN HELP

13SQFT offers end-to-end logistics planning and optimization solutions to supply chain enterprises, helping minimize fuel consumption and carbon footprint.