Track: Sustainability in Supply Chain, Enterprise Operations and Strategies including Food Supply Chain

Abstract

This paper investigates low-carbon warehousing, via a case study at a large multinational contract logistics services provider. The case company’s experience and outcomes from sustainability initiatives were collected from interviews of two informants. More than 100 managers at the company were then surveyed on their perceived barriers to sustainable warehousing in their respective countries. Results show that while the case company has reduced carbon emissions by 36% on a revenue-normalized basis between 2008 and 2014, it had been less successful in reducing CO2 emissions in emerging markets, compared to in mature countries. The attitudes of customers and governments towards sustainability were the most significant barriers to the adoption of sustainable warehousing practices in the emerging Asia-Pacific markets. More generally, external barriers were perceived to be higher in emerging economies than in mature economies. Findings suggest that logistics services providers, their customers and governments all have roles to play in emerging markets for supply chains to incorporate sustainable warehousing as part of a larger Logistics Social Responsibility program.