{"id":378,"date":"2024-08-30T11:45:00","date_gmt":"2024-08-30T11:45:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/staging-cms.despatchcloud.com\/?p=378"},"modified":"2024-09-04T12:45:37","modified_gmt":"2024-09-04T12:45:37","slug":"taking-the-next-step-in-sustainable-logistics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/staging-cms.despatchcloud.com\/index.php\/2024\/08\/30\/taking-the-next-step-in-sustainable-logistics\/","title":{"rendered":"Taking The Next Step in Sustainable Logistics"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The increased number of deliveries and returns in recent years brought about a\u00a0growing concern about the environmental impact of online shopping<\/strong>. As the global supply chain is pushed to a breaking point, and conversations around the climate crisis start to make more headlines,\u00a0more and more businesses are now moving towards more sustainable practices<\/strong>. Ethical consumer spending hits\u00a0record-high levels<\/a>\u00a0in the UK, with customers willing to pay more for a given product if they know it has been ethically and sustainably sourced.\u00a0According to a Nielsen report,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cShoppers are now seeking to better understand if a product aligns with their personal values as they have better access and spend more time researching brands and products online. Brands that take the time to highlight elements about the sustainable consciousness of their offerings not only meet these consumer demands, but they stand to win a loyal following while improving conversion.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, what does sustainability mean in 2023?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Defining sustainability: Planet, people, and communities<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

According to the Brundtland report<\/a>, sustainability can be defined as \u201c[d]evelopment which meets the needs of current generations without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Commercial discourses around sustainability tend to focus on environmental sustainability, overlooking the importance of diversity and inclusion policies, and how they are a crucial part of sustainable change. However, sustainability and social responsibility go hand-in-hand, as so often we have seen how the well-being of the planet and of human communities are deeply intertwined. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As Business Wizz<\/a> explains, a balance between the environmental, the ethical and the social is essential for companies to create truly sustainable businesses. So when we talk about sustainability, we mean not only using recyclable paper and planting trees, but how you are supporting the workers in your offices, factories, and stores.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ensuring that every worker has their basic needs met through a living wage, as well as a safe and truly inclusive work environment is setting a standard of quality of life for current and future generations, avoiding the unnecessary misery and suffering brought by financial and social inequality. It can also help break cycles of generational poverty due to certain types of people being systematically excluded from higher-paying jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not only that. More diverse teams tend to be more innovative and empathic. Their different social and cultural backgrounds afford them a richer understanding of the human experience and bring about new and unique ways of solving problems. Individuals from stigmatised groups can bring valuable insights into how the ways in which businesses operate might be unknowingly harming their surroundings. Diverse teams are also more productive, as they help create a more friendly and nurturing environment for everyone to thrive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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What is greenwashing?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

According to Investopedia<\/a>, greenwashing refers to the \u201cact of providing the public or investors with misleading information about the environmental impact of a company\u2019s products and operations\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is often accomplished \u201cthrough the use of environmental imagery, misleading labels, and hiding tradeoffs\u201d to lead consumers into believing a company\u2019s product has a greater positive impact than it actually does. The term can also be used for situations where a company highlights the sustainable aspects of a product in an attempt to overshadow their involvement in other environmentally damaging practices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Throughout the years we have seen several examples of this, as companies have felt the need to promote a sustainable image to keep up with the ever-changing needs and expectations of the market but could not, or did not want to, allocate the resources necessary to successfully do so.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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What can retailers do?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Sustainability is a process. No business is 100% ethical, but there are steps that can be taken to fuel change and keep up with the socially and environmentally-minded market. These can be:<\/p>\n\n\n\n