Green logistics

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Green logistics is a term that has not yet been adequately defined, with which the holistic transformation of logistics strategies, structures, processes and systems in companies and company networks to create environmentally friendly and resource-efficient logistics processes. It pursues the goal of reducing logistical processes on the one hand harmful effects on the environment and on the other hand reducing the consumption of non-renewable or only partially renewable resources. This extends the concept of logistics to include the ecological aspect.

In addition to “green logistics”, the terms ecological logistics , ecology-oriented logistics and the English translation of green logistics are also used.

With ecology-oriented logistics can be a logistics management identify which exercises its goods river-related coordination tasks, with special consideration for the protection of the ecological environment. The environmental relevance of logistics is shown by exhaust emissions, water and soil pollution, noise, land consumption and accidents during transport. We speak of ecologically-oriented logistics in the narrower sense, provided that it is comparatively environmentally friendly (environmental protection in logistics). If, on the other hand, logistics takes on disposal tasks, this is referred to as an ecologically-oriented logistics service in the broader sense (logistics in environmental protection).

motivation

The reasons for companies to focus on ecological as well as economic aspects are complex: changing values ​​in society with a focus on environmental issues and the associated changing expectations of customers, increasingly stricter environmental requirements worldwide, the motivation and loyalty of employees and cost advantages in connection with ecological aspects, for example in the form of reduced energy, space, material and fuel consumption. The need for action has increased sharply in recent years, in particular due to advancing globalization. Companies have to rethink and implement sustainable approaches.

Ecological concern

The ecological impact in logistics determines how strongly the logistics or supply chain of a company is confronted with the issue of the environment and resource protection. Basically, a supply chain is affected by various influencing factors in this context. The main influencing factors are the target groups or stakeholders of a company and, on the other hand, the rising energy and raw material prices, some of which result from the global scarcity of raw materials.

The most important stakeholder groups in this context include:

  • the state with increasing international and national regulations,
  • Customers and consumers with increasing awareness and increasing demand for environmentally friendly products and (logistics) services.
  • Closely related to this are the employees of a company who want to work in an environmentally and socially responsible company,
  • society with increasing demands for more corporate social responsibility . These demands emerge primarily through NGOs or non-governmental companies as a stakeholder group.
  • And finally, the companies themselves, which deal with the topic out of their own motivation.

There is also increasing pressure from lenders, investors, insurance companies and investors. An indication of this are, for example, new forms of investment on the capital market, such as B. the Dow Jones Sustainability Index , which pays particular attention to economic, ecological and social criteria when selecting companies.

Due to the complex and different relevance and duration of these influencing factors, the ecological impact of a company is seen as the product of many context-specific factors.

Disposal logistics

The ecological orientation of a company is reflected in the disposal logistics. Disposal logistics as a value-added stage characterizes the handling of accruing goods in the company with its economic and ecological objectives. With regard to ecologically oriented logistics, the ecological objectives of the disposal of waste play a major role. These can be input or output related. The input-related perspective includes the careful use of natural resources, while the output-oriented perspective deals with disposal at the waste location. Improved recycling measures (input) and reduction of emissions during disposal (output) can be named as representative examples.

Due to the increase in the mass of conducts and the limited supply of disposal capacities as well as higher ecological requirements due to legal requirements, companies are required to design their ecologically oriented logistics services efficiently with regard to efficiency, system, overall and service thinking. These maxims for action can result in conflicting goals between the economic and ecological goals of waste disposal logistics. A reduction in the volume-to-weight ratio of conducts can lead to increased costs, which in turn can be saved by reducing the transport costs of the goods.

Action measures

In theory and in practice, logistics has a whole range of measures to protect the environment and resources. Some are new, others are already known. These measures can be assigned to different levels - according to duration, scope, scope and capital and resource use.

According to the holistic approach of "green" logistics (see definition), logistics can start on five levels if it implements measures in the area of ​​environmental and resource protection:

  • Customer, market and product (level 1)
  • Structures and planning (level 2)
  • Processes, control and measurement (level 3)
  • Technologies and resources (level 4)
  • Employees, suppliers and service providers (level 5)

The first four levels form a hierarchy and influence each other sequentially. Decisions on one level define the scope for further decisions on the following levels. Because decisions on higher levels reduce the degrees of freedom on the following levels.

An example: The definition of the packaging dimensions of a product on level 1 defines the volume and weight of a product and consequently the maximum number of products per load carrier, for example per container load. The decision on level 1 thus influences the theoretical maximum capacity utilization of a container and consequently that of an individual transport that would be assigned to level 3. The effects on the environment - as CO 2 emissions per piece of the product transported - are therefore strongly influenced by the decision on the packaging dimensions on level 1.Measures on levels 2 and 3 such as route optimization may certainly also have an impact on CO 2 - have emissions, but have to operate with the fixed quantities of volume and weight and are therefore of limited scope in terms of environmental and resource protection.

Another example is the decision of a company for a central warehouse strategy in distribution. This structural decision is a fixed parameter on level 3 and has a decisive influence on the transport kilometers within the logistics network, which have a significant influence on the amount of fuel that this company needs. It can of course reduce its overall fuel costs through optimization measures at the following levels, for example through the use of route planning software or fleet control systems and the use of alternative fuels. But the decision with the larger carrying and range was made earlier on level 2.

Following this logic, it can be said that environmental and resource protection measures at the level of products, structures, planning and partners theoretically promise higher potential effects.

Costs and benefits

Measures from the field of green logistics that reduce emissions often have costs that, in relation to one tonne of CO 2 equivalent saved, are well above the market price for emission rights in recent years. This applies, for example, to the relocation of value-adding activities to high-wage countries and the partial relocation of road transport to rail. However, some logistical measures to reduce emissions are also associated with cost savings and thus meet both the ecological and economic requirements for logistics measures. This includes, for example, the reduction of delivery days in retail and the extension of delivery time windows in distribution.

Concrete approaches and examples

Concrete approaches include the promotion of combined transport road-rail-water , innovative packaging concepts, the use of environmentally friendly drive systems or the implementation of logistics centers with intelligent, holistic logistics concepts with which a strong bundling of transport is achieved. In addition, there are effective concepts for disposal logistics, with which the cycle of goods is closed.

The pioneering companies that already practice environmentally conscious transport management today prove that environmentally friendly logistics and economic efficiency do not contradict each other. For these companies, environmental compatibility is essentially an element of a cost-effective transport organization, and investments in environmental protection lead to cost savings. The holistic concepts according to which the Fiege mega-centers are run are exemplary . The owners of the group were awarded the title of Eco Manager of the Year by WWF Germany and Capital magazine in 1996.

Another example is SkySails : a fully automatic towing kite drive supports the ship's engine, which means that ships can be operated more profitably and more environmentally friendly.

literature

  • Ulrike Hoessle: Sustainable Logistics. Best practices from the Global Compact. (= WWS Series. 2). WWS Worldwide, Seattle 2013, ISBN 978-0-9898270-1-0 .
  • F. Straube, B. Cetinkaya: Environment and Logistics. In: F. Straube, H.-Chr. Pfohl: Trends and strategies in logistics - changing global networks. Deutscher Verkehrs-Verlag, Bremen 2008, ISBN 978-3-87154-388-3 , 2008, pp. 62–81.
  • Hans-Christian Pfohl, Hans-Jürgen Ewers: Ecological challenges for logistics in the 90s. Schmidt, Berlin 1993, ISBN 3-503-03431-5 .
  • Günter Kummetsteiner (Ed.): Handbook of EcoLogistics. As of March 31, 2011 (will be successively expanded and revised), available online .
  • Andrea Lochmahr, Julia Boppert: Green Logistics Manual. Background and recommendations for action. HUSS-Verlag, 2014, ISBN 978-3-944281-54-4 .

Web links

swell

  1. ^ Definition of ecological logistics from Günter Kummetsteiner (Ed.): Handbuch der ÖkoLogistik.
  2. ^ Edeltraud Günther: ecology-oriented management. 2008, p. 192.
  3. ^ Edeltraud Günther: ecology-oriented management. 2008, pp. 192-197.
  4. ^ W. Gross, F. Zesch, T. Gelau, C. Hayden, M. Bötel, M. Brock: Costs and Benefits of Green Logistics. 4flow Supply Chain Management Study 2013. ( Memento from June 28, 2013 in the web archive archive.today ), ISBN 978-3-9815969-0-8 .
  5. ↑ The wind in your back, but the crisis in your neck. In: Handelsblatt. January 9, 2010.