The Cool Chain Association (CCA) has identified sustainability as a key priority and says more needs to be done to protect the planet.According to Eric Mauroux, CCA board member and treasurer of the global body, while there is awareness about sustainability in the industry, it’s a complex issue.“We know, for example, that growing f lowers in Kenya and shipping by air to Europe produces less CO2 than operating greenhouses in Europe, but it is not always that obvious a solution or approach.”Mauroux said it was further complicated by different footprints for different products across different transport modes, while discussions and debates on local manufacture versus long-distance transporting also had an impact. “There is a school of thought that maintains if product is bought locally the footprint is less, but this is not always the case. It is far more complex. It can be more environmentally friendly to import a perishable products such as mangoes or avocados by air, than consuming a locally produced piece of meat that has a water footprint more than 13 times higher with strong greenhouse gas emission. The impact on the planet would be far worse.”It is with this complexity in mind that the CCA has undertaken a targeted approach to sustainability, addressing some of the challenges head on. “In a rapidly changing business environment, with evolving consumer and customer demands, change is necessary,” said Mauroux. And notwithstanding the complexities involved in cold chain logistics, the message to shippers the world over was to reduce waste as much as possible, he added.“Moving goods from one point of the planet to the other just to be destroyed or lost is wasteful. There is a pressing need to make sure we waste less if we want to truly take care of the environment. It is an approach that has to be applied from the first to the final mile.”According to Mauroux, cold chain shippers have a role to play in this considering that one third of all food production is wasted every year. “Sustainability is not just applicable to one aspect of the supply chain but starts at origin - and reducing waste has to be the focus throughout, until the final destination.”He said in the perishable sector the name of this game was longer shelf life. “By reducing waste, shelf life can be prolonged extensively. Add to that improved logistical efficiency and we are already making a difference while at the same time delivering an improved customer experience.”