A sustainable supply chain meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. To create a sustainable supply chain, it is important to have efficient and effective digital shipping solutions in place. This article will discuss how digital shipping solutions help make a sustainable supply chain and what benefits businesses can experience.
INSTANT QUOTE
What Is a Sustainable Supply Chain?
A sustainable supply chain manages environmental, social, and economic resources throughout a product’s life cycle. From sourcing materials to manufacturing to transportation and disposal, a sustainable supply chain minimizes waste and pollution while maximizing efficiency.
Digital shipping solutions are playing an increasingly important role in sustainable supply chains. By digitizing paper-based processes and automating manual tasks like delivery dispatching, digital shipping solutions help businesses reduce their environmental impact while improving operational efficiency.
Can SMEs Achieve Sustainable Supply Chain?
As the world becomes more digital, so do the solutions available to business owners. There are now a number of digital shipping solutions that can help make a sustainable supply chain. Here are three examples:
Eco-friendly packaging:
There are now many companies that offer eco-friendly packaging options. This means that your products will have less of an impact on the environment when shipped.
Digital tracking:
Digital tracking allows you to track your shipments in real-time. This means you can see exactly where your products are and ensure they are delivered as efficiently as possible.
Energy-efficient shipping:
Shipping companies are now offering energy-efficient shipping options. This means that your products will use less energy when shipped, which will help to reduce your carbon footprint. Examples include less than truckload, partial load service, and consolidated freight shipping services. In addition, shippers who use this mode of transportation can combine their loads with those of other consignors. Such setups can result in lower fuel consumption and carbon emissions.
Digital shipping solutions are becoming increasingly popular as more businesses look for ways to reduce their environmental impact. If you want to make your supply chain more sustainable, consider using one of these digital shipping solutions.
Components of Sustainable Supply Chains
The term “sustainability” was once almost exclusively associated with eco-friendliness. Today, it’s a much more comprehensive phrase. For example, a modern sustainable supply chain comprises green, transparent, circular supply chains.
What is a green supply chain?
A green supply chain is made possible by integrating environmental standards and metrics into procurement. This includes product development, materials acquisition, production, logistics, and end-of-life item disposal.
Consumers now have more product and purchasing alternatives as e-commerce grows in popularity. As a result, businesses must develop robust solutions to greening their supply chains while increasing profits to compete. AI and machine learning may help businesses identify risks, patterns, and opportunities in the supply chain. Thereby saving money and increasing efficiency.
What is a transparent supply chain?
Supply chain transparency is the degree to which a company will expose information on the origins of products, people, and end-to-end supply chain practices. Many companies devote significant effort and resources to ethical and environmentally responsible guidelines. Blockchain and RFID sensors can now provide precise records from raw materials to finished goods across the entire supply chain journey.
What is a circular supply chain?
In a circular supply chain, recycled products are disassembled or broken into basic components. They are then reconstructed into sellable items. This allows businesses to profit from recycling while recovering costs. With 70% of supply chain executives planning to invest in the circular economy, the model’s win-win nature is gaining traction.
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How Do Sustainable Supply Chains Work?
Sustainable supply chains work by collaborating
Many of the world’s major businesses rely on the same basic materials and low-tier suppliers. As a result of worldwide pressure to enhance sustainability and transparency, changes have been made. However, compliance with green and ethical operational standards has been difficult in many countries. To combat this, supply chain executives must collaborate, share information, and communicate the importance of sustainability compliance in business.
Sustainable supply chains work by leveraging the best available technologies
The complexity and wide distribution of the many links in the supply chain make supply chain sustainability a challenge. Without modern digital logistics technologies, it is impossible to maintain and coordinate the level of accountability and real-time visibility required to achieve ambitious sustainability goals.
The great thing about digital transformation in supply chains is that it does not have to happen all at once. Instead, incremental steps can be taken to digitize supply chain operations gradually. Furthermore, smart factories and digital supply chain solutions collect and analyze data. As a result, connected technologies begin to calculate their ROI from the moment they are integrated.
Benefits of a Sustainable Supply Chain
There are several advantages for firms that invest in more environmentally responsible and transparent supply chains, including:
Cost control
PWC polled over 6,000 senior supply chain executives between 2019 and 2020. They were graded from Digital Novices to Digital Champions based on their level of investment and use of digital supply chain technologies.
Digital Champions reported a nearly 7% reduction in supply chain operations costs as a direct result of digital transformation. According to 50% of the Digital Champions, investing in supply chain sustainability and transparency will be a bigger priority than ever. Businesses that successfully green their supply chains reduce their costs.
Building brand loyalty and reputation
According to a recent Forbes magazine survey, consumers are 88% more likely to be loyal to firms that demonstrate strong social and environmental responsibility. Consumer awareness and demand for environmentally friendly companies increased over the years. However, due to growing public concern for a transparent supply chain and company practices, demand for these items is at an all-time high.
A Fortune magazine feature published in 2020 notes, “Companies are under a harsh spotlight during the COVID-19 crisis. A company’s social footprint is taking center stage for the first time.” A solid reputation for sustainable and transparent supply chain operations might give businesses a competitive edge during difficult times.
Minimizing risk and vulnerability
We hear similar stories about how a hazardous or tainted product made it through the supply chain undetected every few years. Aside from the immediate consequences of someone being harmed, a product recall has the potential to damage a corporation irreparably. Reputational damage may frequently result in more than just monetary losses and legal fees.
When supply chain transparency is enforced and implemented with digital shipping and security solutions, unethical suppliers and producers have nowhere to hide. These safeguards protect businesses from unscrupulous partners and track every stage of labor, handling, and material transportation from source to destination.
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Frequently Asked Questions:
What is a sustainable supply chain?
🚚 A sustainable supply chain meets current needs without jeopardizing future generations. In other words, it is a business practice that considers environmental, social, and economic concerns. Digital shipping solutions are becoming important in improving the sustainability of supply chains. Digital shipping solutions help reduce carbon footprint and increase efficiency.
What are some of the benefits of digital shipping solutions?
🚚 Digital shipping solutions offer many benefits that can help make your supply chain more sustainable. First, they can help you to reduce your carbon footprint. This is because digital shipping solutions allow for real-time shipment tracking. It avoids unnecessary delays and reroutes, saving time and money while reducing your emissions. Second, digital shipping solutions can also help you improve your supply chain’s visibility. You can ensure that everyone in your supply chain is always on the same page. This is possible through up-to-date information on the location of your shipments. This improved communication and coordination can help to avoid potential issues in the future.
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