How to implement an eco-responsible transport strategy?

Corporate eco-responsibility is at the heart of all discussions… and not only those of large groups. Whatever the size of your company, a CSR strategy is essential to improve your brand image.It is in this context thatestablishing an eco-responsible transport strategy is part of your objectives. In this article, you will discover a few ways of doing this, without cutting back on the quality of service you offer your customers or your transport budget. Quelle stratégie de transport éco-responsable adopter ?

Why develop an eco-responsible transport strategy?

The fact of deploying an eco-responsible transport strategy and methods has a threefold advantage. On the one hand, it is a well-known fact that the transport sector of companies is one of the most polluting sectors.

Therefore, it is essential

that your CSR strategy includes a component to reduce the

carbon

emissions

of

your merchant transport sector

Replace your fleet with more environmentally friendly means of transport to reduce air pollution. In urban areas in particular, transporters are offering less polluting means of transport, such as bicycle couriers, cargo bikes, hybrid vehicles or vehicles running on Natural Gas for Vehicles (NGV). Why not also consider switching some of your deliveries to automatic lockers? To find out more about these new modes of transport, see our article on urban logistics.
Switch to a double trailer, rather than the traditional single trailer. Although your fuel consumption will be higher than that of a single trailer truck, it will still be lower than that of two single trailer trucks. However, you will need to find out for each country of dispatch whether it is possible to travel with this innovative device.
Avoid empty returns as much as possible. Empty returns are a real headache for the trucking industry and can be avoided by choosing an appropriate tracking solution that locates other parcels to be received and delivered along the way. The same applies to your pallet strategy: companies such as MagicPallet offer to set up a pallet location and exchange solution to reduce the CO2 emissions linked to these pallet returns.

Optimise delivery routes thanks to new technologiesToday, technology provides transport and logistics managers with new tools to monitor and optimise their carriers’ routes, sometimes even in real time. Remember to check with the service providers you select that they have geolocation, fleet management and mapping software, which will enable them to reduce unnecessary journeys. In the end, you will save on your overall transport budget.

reducing the weight and volume of your packaging

You don’t think much about it, but the packaging of your goods has a role to play in a well thought-out eco-responsible transport strategy. The aim is to optimise the filling of your packaging according to your goods, to enable your transporters to make better use of the space available in their containers. Think of it this way

Choose packaging that is adapted to the size of the products you are shipping, such as cardboard or kraft paper shipping bags, variable height crates, or even customised packaging if necessary.
Find the lightest and most protective cushioning systems possible, such as avoiding sawdust in favour of kraft paper or air cushioning.
Optimise the weight of the packaging without compromising its solidity, for example by using reinforced double-wall cardboard instead of triple-wall cardboard, or cardboard pallets instead of wooden ones.

your goal is ultimately simple: aim for the perfect mix of strength and cushioning volume, for packaging that takes up less space and is therefore more environmentally friendly

The ColisConsult x RAJA method for optimising the weight volume of your parcelsIn 5 practical steps, significantly reduce your transport bill and your ecological impact by improving the management of the volumetric weight of your parcels

mieux planifier sa stratégie de transport en amont

Agir sur votre actif actuel, c’est bien. Repenser une partie de sa stratégie et sa planification transport en amont, de manière éco-responsable, c’est mieux. Tout comme l’éco-conception, l’éco-planification peut vous aider à réduire l’impact de vos transports sur la planète.

Vous pouvez ainsi, par exemple, envisager de déployer des hubs régionaux ou départementaux, au lieu de n’avoir qu’un seul entrepôt central. Ces centres locaux pourront alors réceptionner et livrer localement, pour éviter les circuits de livraison en Z. Un levier RSE intéressant, notamment si vous faites du multicolis.

D’autres entreprises pensent d’ores et déjà à passer une partie de leur transport au transport fluvial ou au transport ferroviaire. Beaucoup moins polluants que le routier, ces modes de transport se développent de plus en plus, même en centre-ville : en témoigne l’exemple de Franprix en Seine, qui utilise le célèbre fleuve pour l