"Supply chain masters are making great strides in linking cost effectiveness, customer service and sustainable supply chain practices," said Jonathan Wright, senior executive in Accenture’s Supply Chain Management practice. "Despite today’s reduced energy costs, there continues to be a business case for greening the supply chain, resulting in lower costs as well as environmentally responsible processes."
The study also found that more than one-third (37 percent) of supply chain executives have no awareness of the level of supply chain emissions in their supply chain network. However, more than three-quarters (86 percent) of respondents have undertaken at least one green initiative in their warehouses, predominantly in the areas of recycling and using natural light, lighting management systems and energy efficient bulbs, while more than one-third (38 percent) of respondents said they have undertaken at least one green initiative in their transport fleet, such as streamlined vehicle design, green fuels and vehicles with hybrid engines.
"The study findings demonstrate that the vast majority of organizations are taking steps to reduce carbon emissions," said Wright. "However, most are implementing carbon-reduction solutions without understanding their carbon footprint and are therefore unable to measure real impact those solutions are having on their emissions."