AllChiefs launches research partnership for net zero logistics

Consulting firm AllChiefs is joining forces with Smart Freight Centre and the Rotterdam School of Management to gain deep insights into how the logistics industry can speed up its decarbonization agenda.

The logistics is industry is responsible for around 10% of global CO2 emissions. With continued globalization and transport of goods to see further growth, that number is expected to rise in the coming years.

“For a sector that makes such a contribution to emissions, it is obvious to see why the transition to a decarbonized future is essential for the success of climate change endeavours,” says Bonne Goedhart, partner at AllChiefs.

The road to greener operations, however, is one filled with pioneering moves and struggles. This includes challenges with decarbonizing hard-to-abate segments (such as freight transportation), high investments costs, major challenges in reducing scope 3 emissions in complex and intertwined ecosystems, and a lower than average willingness from executives to tackle the matter head on.

“Despite the opportunities offered by emerging technologies and regulatory developments, research from MIT reveals that only 35% of companies in the logistics and transport sector have set net zero goals,” says Goedhart.

The result: an industry which is moving slowly, a feat that Pim Roest, partner at AllChiefs, describes as highly concerning. “The lack of action raises uncertainty about if, when, and how players in the sector will achieve their goals.”

A B Corp by thinking and purpose-led in its actions, AllChiefs felt the need to take up the gauntlet. “There is much that can be done, and providing insights into what needs to be done is a first step,” reflects Goedhart. “That is exactly why we’re developing this research, teaming up with likeminded organizations like Smart Freight Centre and the Rotterdam School of Management for an integral approach.”

For their inaugural research, the partners will explore what kinds of decarbonization solutions companies in the logistics and transport sector are making use of, along with management practices they are deploying to bring them to life.

In the collaboration, AllChiefs is responsible for the research, survey methods and interviews, leveraging the expertise and experience in sustainable logistics from the Smart Freight Centre, and existing research and academic rigor from the Rotterdam School of Management.

Rob Zuidwijk, professor of Global Supply Chains and Ports at Rotterdam School of Management, will support the research. “The academic knowledge of the Rotterdam School of Management, coupled with the practical business experience of AllChiefs, will help the logistics sector with decarbonization. Both from a technical and managerial perspective,” he said.

The first joint report is expected to be released in the summer of 2024.