Logistics operators could pick up the bill for green initiatives

LOGISTICS OPERATORS could end up covering the costs of ‘green initiatives’, according to recent research by Transport Intelligence. “Despite many companies’ avowed commitment to ‘greening’ their logistics operations, it seems that most expect their subcontractors to pick up the bill,” according to the survey, which examined how companies were reacting to environmental concerns. It found that threequarters of respondents who awarded logistics contracts included sections on environmental compliance in their tender documents. However, most (54%) failed to make provision for the extra costs that could be involved. “That will no doubt be a source of annoyance for many logistics companies that will see the environmental measures they are forced to adopt as another cost burden pushed onto them by their clients. “However, it seems there is little that logistics companies can do to avoid investing in green initiatives. In the survey, 70% of companies awarding contracts said that environmental compliance was either ‘reasonably important’ or ‘very important’.” The highest proportion (33%) of companies identified transportation as the most important area for ‘greening’ – and that included driver training, hybrid engines and better management of empty running.